Lost

PROLOGUE

Ever since I was younger, I always believed that "happy ever afters" can happen just like in fairy tales. Just like how a rainbow shows up after a storm. When you walk alone in a dark tunnel, you keep on moving forward. It is because you believe that there is hope to find the light at the end of it.

No one will ever understand me.

They never will.

Still, I have hope.

That maybe--just maybe one day, someone will understand and accept my peculiar ways. Someone who will stand by my side as I face the most grievous obstacles in life. I need someone who knows me and accepts me no matter what.

Simply, not my name. Not my pale face or my chocolate brown eyes. I don't want someone who would buy that.

I want--I need someone who knows everything about me. Not just for the pretty parts. Not just because I have the wealth. Not for what I am outside. I simply need someone who will be there for me throughout the raging storm.

I don't need someone who is after the wealth that my family has been maintaining for generations. I don't need someone who is only searching for physical attributes.

Whoever I'm looking for might not even exist.

He may exist in some fairy tale.

A fairy tale where I will never exist as my life isn't some sort of fairy tale. It never was and will never be.

Will I find the light at the end of the tunnel I have been venturing?

I snap back to reality as soon as Christian's fingers snap. I do not know what has gotten into me, but Mother panics around packing a few bags for us to bring. Eric obediently helps her out as I fold the remaining clothes that Christian brought out of the cabinets.

We were given two days by the state to pack the last of our essentials before they gather us all to evacuation camps for the radiation wars. The frustration in me growls as I never wished for this to happen. Radiation wars are all about bragging rights, bloodlust, and massive unrecoverable damage that could wipe out an entire clan or nation that dares contest.

"Ellie, can you please pass over the clothes you have folded? I will keep them in the bag," Eric smiles sweetly at me as I fold more clothes.

I silently pass him the clothes that I have already folded and heave a sigh saying, "Thanks!"

"Why are you so drained out of energy, Beatrice?" Christian crosses his arms and glares at me.

"Do you expect me to be cheering up and going out and about cheerful with all that is happening? We don't know what is going to happen! Like we can literally just die from this war!" I feel my cheeks heating up from everything that is going on.

"Stop it! We shouldn't have time for such an argument! Hurry up and do your tasks," mother scolds us as she closes up a bag.

Just as I finish folding the last shirt, sirens outside start blaring cooking up panic among us. The sirens are warning signals that could literally mean anything at this point. Christian, mother, and I hastily look out the window waiting for an official or announcer to announce what the sirens are for.

The moment blurs and an announcer shows up with a megaphone in his hand, "The enemies are here. Please leave immediately and assemble at the rendezvous point. I repeat the enemies..."

His words blur in the panic that rushed through me. Mother shouts words I couldn't makeup and we were all just grabbing the things that we have just prepped.

Everything was going too fast and I felt too unprepared for everything that was going on. Everyone rushed out of their homes and it was all chaotic. A riot has started and people are going in all directions.

The screams and cries turn to ring. My vision blurs and I lose myself in the crowd that pushed me away. I could no longer recognize which is which until darkness hugged me.

Darkness crept and I could see nothing.

Not mom, Christian, or Eric.

That's when it all hit me.

The loud ringing was from bombs and nukes that were being fired. My vision blurring was from the explosions that shook us all and simply an effect of how all things should be. The darkness creeping in was from the power surge as an aftermath of it all. It was an abrupt attack from our enemies.

And this was just the beginning. I hug myself in one corner and close my eyes. I do not know where my family is and I could not recognize the faces of those with me.

The noises eventually die out. The screams turn to a deafening silence. The fog of dust from exploded building cement starts to die down making everyone more visible. I clear my senses and start searching for mom, Christian, and Eric. I push myself among the crowd and hustle through other people screaming each of their names.

To no avail, I know I was barely heard from all the voices of other people searching for their loved ones as well. How can a little voice like mine be heard in this crowd?

"Ellie! We're here!" All other voices silenced and I could only hear Eric's calls. I shift to the sound of his voice to find the three of them. I run hastily towards them pushing my body past the crowd and towards my family. Eric stands behind mom, holding her shoulder. Mom is half-curled on the floor with Christian's body in her arms. They both sprawled on the floor and I couldn't register their emotions at first.

I could not understand how I was going to understand that my younger brother is no longer alive. He is but a corpse clinging into mom's arms. That is when I understood the tears and cries of pain coming from her mouth. I stared at Christian's body as it blurs slowly as the tears fill up my eyes.

I drop on my knees next to mom and hold Christian's limp body. My brother, whom I fought countless times, played with all day, is now gone.

*END OF PROLOGUE*