Imagine

Chapter 1

YMB AZUGR

Her death-sentence. Her identity. Distorted, destroyed, indistinguishable, but still, her identity. Herself. Her life. And now: Her death.

Alone. A part of the game: Alone. There was no such thing as a team in this game. The whole thing was based on mistrust. Mistrust and survival. To lose meant death. To win meant scars. Scars that never healed.

A last farewell. Still alone. 'Goodbye, I love you, but you don't hear me. You will never know...' It was all she could do. Say goodbye to the shades of long-gone life. She would never get back...

Memories of life, of love, of a future – it was like touching a dear one for the last time. She had sought the future, she had looked forward to growing up, to move away from home. To graduate from college, to marry... The happiness had been so close she could feel the smell of it, feel its enthusiastic touch of hope. But she never reached it. It had been so close, and still, an eternal behind her. Future meant life. She was dead.

The door opened. A man. The man. It was him.

'I am dead.' She didn't know why she told herself the obvious. The gun in his hand, the icy sensation of horror – there was no way she would make it out alive. An evil grin. Ice needles down her back. Ice-cold metal pressing against her temple.

"YMB AZUGR, you know what this mean, don't you?"

Yes, she knew. It meant death. She knew it, she really did know, but in her heart... hope. Hope despite of hopelessness...

"My name is Zoe Davis."

Laughter. Two black eyes, burning with both anger and amusement. A yellowish finger squeezing the trigger. A bang – and nothing more...

F&J F&J F&J F&J F&J

"Hurry Joe! We will be late for school!"

Eighteen years old Frank Hardy stood in the bottom of the staircase, an irritated twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Just two sec..." Joe shouted from the second floor. Moments later he was down, a half-open backpack thrown over his shoulder. Noting the glance his brother shot him, he smiled his trademark charming smile and asked innocently "Something wrong?"

"Not something, someone" Frank answered, rolling his eyes. Fortunately for the youngest of the two, the clock prevented them from any further discussion.

A quarter later, the school was in sight. Good, by the way, since the bell rang, announcing the first lesson was to begin. Joe had a Spanish-lesson, Frank a Chemistry-lesson. Taking of in different directions, Joe started running. Doing his utmost to set a new, personal record on 60-meter sprint, Joe remembered his old, strict Spanish-teacher. Not exactly the kind of person you wanted to annoy. From her dyed, flame-red hair to spring-green high heels she was by all means a unique lady. She never smiled, nor laugh. The only thing she drank was tea. In return, she emptied about ten cups of her greenish-yellow dishwater a day. The colourful lady also seemed to be really fond of lemon muffins. That was her daily lunch, except from on Fridays. On the last day of the week she always ate donuts to celebrate two days away from her beloved students.

As Joe forced every muscle to its limit, he didn't notice the girl rushing out of a door right in front of him. Not able to slow down, he crashed into her. Seconds later they lay in a heap on the floor, both a little shocked.

"Zoe!" Joe was even more confused when he realised who the girl was. Her name was Zoe Davis, and she went to the same Spanish-classes as him. Point was, it seemed like she was heading out instead of to the class as he was.