The Assassin

The Assassin - Prologue

Amelia tossed in her sleep, as she struggled to wake from her nightmare. People were running from their houses frantically as large shadows followed close behind. They took their time, as if sure their prey wouldn't get away no matter what. Some were fighting the shadows, their screams echoing their pain, while others simply fled for their lives. Amelia could feel the heat of the fires surrounding her, she could hear the screams repeating in her head over and over. This wasn't a dream, she thought to herself. Papa said in dreams, you couldn't feel anything.

She stared in horror at the people she knew being murdered right before her eyes and she couldn't do a thing to help them no matter what she did. No matter how loud she screamed, or how much she tried to reach out to them, or how much she cried over their deaths, no one could see or hear her. That was what scared her the most.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at her surroundings. Then, a single horrible though crossed her mind. Where was Big Brother?

Amelia stood a second longer before she ran off at a sprint. She was panicking. Where was her brother? He might still me alive and safe!

She kept running, looking everywhere, swiveling her head back and forth searching. Big brother had to be safe! He just had to be! Amelia began picturing him as one of the poor people on the floor dying and screaming in pain. she choked on a sob, but shook her head to erase the thought.

She had to be strong! Big Brother was always strong and she had to be too! Brother WAS alive, and she WOULD find him!

She repeated that to herself as she stopped running, only to realize she had run into the forest. Everything was quiet. She was scared, really scared. Everyone was disallowed from entering the forest. She shouldn't be in there. Amelia prepared to run out when she noticed something red, deeper in the forest.

Curiosity got the best of her as she began to move toward it. With each step closer she began to realize more objects surrounded the red thing - which turned out to be a sweater. Amelia's eyes grew wide as she realized the objects were bodies. She ran.

She could see beers and other alcoholic drinks all over the floor, with bloody bodies strewn all over, centering around a fire.  A single body stood out to her though. A boy with light brown hair -much like her own- lay face up, red splotches staining his once white shirt. His clear green eyes stared up at her in horror. Amelia's legs gave out.

"Brother," she whispered, as a strangled cry resonated throughout the forest.

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Amelia woke up panting. Without knowing why, she ran to her brother's room. Shoving his bedroom door open, she saw her brother beginning to jump out his window. Panic bubbled up as the image of his dead corpse crossed her mind. She ran to him, grabbing onto his short tightly by the corners.

"Don't go. Please." She whispered, looking up into her brother's eyes. Her brother looked at her surprised. Amelia's eyes were wide with fright while she unconsciously still held the teddy-bear that she normally slept with.

"Ameel!" Jack glowered down at his sister. "You're supposed to be in bed already! What are you still doing up?"

"I was asleep! B-but then I had a nightmare!" Tears brimmed in her eyes. She didn't want to make brother angry, really, she didn't. She didn't know what she would do if he hated her.

"Jack, we need to hurry or we won't make it to the party!" A new voice called from outside. Amelia recognized the voice's owner as Thorne, Jack's best friend. Or partner in crime as mama liked to say.

"Ameel, saty here and go back to sleep! And don't even think about telling mom and dad!"

"No!" Ameel threw herself at her brother's feet, holding on to them with all her might. She didn't know why she was so scared. She knew that dreams weren't real - mama had said so- but she knew deep down, something bad was going to happen. "Please don't go! I don't want you to die! Please, please don't go!"

She began sobbing as she kept her hold on her brother's leg. Jack tensed as he heard Ameel's words. A pang of hurt went through him as he watched his little sister crying. He picked her up, crooning to her to calm her. He honestly was worried about his sister. She was only seven, but she was more mature then most of his friend who were five years older than her and she barely ever shed a tear. To make her cry this bad, something had to be up.

"Hey, now. Whose going to die? Don't you know Big Bro Jack is the strongest thing in the world?"

"But- but- but-" She sobbed as she held onto his neck.

"Whose the one who always chases away the monsters under your bed?"

"You, but-"

"Who beats up all the boys who tease and hurt you?"

"You-"

"And who beat 'The Deadly Vampire Thorne' yesterday when we were sparing?" Ameel giggled at this, feeling better.

"Pft! You know you couldn't beat me again, even if you tried. Yesterday was just a fluke." Thorne spoke from the windowsill while he smiled at Ameel. "Don't worry Ameel, if your idiot-brother gets into trouble, i'll pull him out of it - again."

Ameel had forgotten. She couldn't let them leave. Panic bubbled again at the though of them being dead. "NO!"

Both boys jumped at her sudden outburst, staring at her like she had just grown wings.

"Please! I...I don't...w-want you t-to...die!" She looked up at them with tear-drenched, pleading eyes. Thorne and Jack exchanged looks before sighing heavily.

"Alright squirt, we'll stay, but you need to go to-" Jack stopped as he heard a loud explosion. The house rumbled slightly, sending things flying. A whistle echoed throughout the streets as Thorne and Jack looked at each other, their faces pale.

Silence enveloped them, and then the screams started.

They ran to the window, hearing women, children and even men, screaming. Tortured screams filled their ears and Amelia knew what was coming next. Thorne and Jack stared at each other in shock while Amelia was sobbing harder than ever against her brother.

"I-I-I told you." She whispered stuttering over her words, frightened beyond compare. "They've come. The Hunters."