The Sixers: The Huntsmen of Death

Prologue

To the man who altered my life,

I know when you woke up that morning, you didn't know you would change hundreds of lives. I know you didn't mean for this to happen, but you made a choice. You made a choice to answer a text that would forever alter my life. I remember it so vividly that night. A night that now haunts me.

I was staring out the window gazing upon the street lights that passed by, the cars that seemed to sprint by us, and the small glimmer of stars that shone through a dense smoke. I wasn't thinking of anything for I was just looking and listening. I could hear my twin siblings fighting over the iPhone charger next to me. The engine of the car seemed to hum a soft song and even my mother's snoring seemed to reply in tune. I felt alone. Coming back from college on winter break seemed to trigger every emotion I was holding back for years. This was for a very simple reason, I was bored, so I had the time to think of all the demons that haunted me. While I was sitting there regretting my life feeling the hatred of love build up inside me, my life changed.

I saw your headlights beam into the window and the screech of the metal against the car. I even saw you coming, but I was too scared to scream. I could only stare as I saw your eyes briefly look up as they glazed over with fear. I heard your tires screech as you tried to avoid us, but you were too late. I felt my body shake as your car rammed into my side of the car. I felt the pain along my shoulder, but I was too scared to cry. I closed my eyes in fright. I felt my body get lifted like I was being thrown out of my seat. The seatbelt grabbed me pushing me back down. I felt the turn in my stomach as shards of glass seemed to pierce my skin. I could hear it as the car smashed along the road and the glass burst from the window frame. My mind boggled like everything was broken from its hinges. My body smacked against the door and my younger brother as the pain pulsed through my bones.

When everything had finally stopped, the car had flipped over three times and was lying on its side. A sticky ooze streamed down my face and over my right eye. Some people say that if you have enough adrenaline, you can't feel the pain. That wasn't the case. I felt every inch of pain along my body. My chest screamed in agony, my head pulsed with pain that echoed within my skull, and I could feel every shard of glass that pierced through my skin. The worst pain was the dagger through my stomach that waved in pain for every twitch of movement. It was agony.

Out of the slightest crack of my left eye, I saw your face. I was too weak to say anything or call for help. I could only feel the pain and my eyes flicker with consciousness. Your eyes searched through the car. I saw the pain and fear that glistened in your eyes and your tears....I know you didn't mean for this to happen, but it did. I saw men try to drag you away, but all you could do was sit and cry.

At exactly 9:15 PM on December 21st, my father died on impact. At 9:23 PM, my mother died from internal bleeding with her hand wrapped around my father's. I remember the lights bobbing up and down with faces overlooking me. I couldn't make out the words being said, but I could make out slight colors of blue and metal tools. At 9:46 PM, I felt my body slip away and darkness overcame my mind. I died. There are no words to describe death. It felt hallow and cold, but it felt free as every ounce of pain seemed to disappear. Every problem I ever had didn't matter anymore. In some sense, it felt refreshing. I wasn't scared anymore, and I didn't feel alone. At 9:47 PM, my brother died in the operating room next to mine.

I felt the life rush back inside me like a flow of energy being poured into my body. At 9:48 PM, my brother and I came back to life from recitation. The pain overwhelmed my body and tears streaked down my battered and cut cheek. I remember waking up in a hospital bed with tubes in my arms and an immense amount of pain. Every piece of my body ached. I was awake for maybe a couple of minutes, before I was told that my parents were dead. I remember them asking me if there were any other family members they should call, but all I could do was shake my head. I was now a parent to my twin siblings of fifteen when I was only nineteen. That was when I realized that all my problems that I twisted and turned in my head before were never truly problems. They were issues not problems. I was hurting then from depression of being alone and without a sense of direction, but now....I can't even describe to you the pain.

I wasn't mad at you. I wasn't enraged with fury for killing my parents, for I knew you didn't mean to. You made a mistake, but that mistake was the worst mistake you ever made. You didn't know that text would end up killing my parents and altering my family's life, but nobody does until it happens. I know you're in pain for your decision and I know it haunts you, and because of that pain you go through, I forgive you. Just know, mistakes can last two seconds and ruin your life, even the lives around you.

Sincerely,

Rayla Jackson 

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I know the prologue is a bit sappy, but I wanted a quick introduction to how this incident follows Rayla throughout the rest of the book.

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