Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONEI woke up to screams. Loud, bloodcurdling, horrendous. Ibolted off the bed in horror and made for the door, slipping on my bedspreadthat had fallen from the bed, along with my sense of security. A morbid viewgraced my vision as I saw my twin brother, Kwame, twitching in a pool of bloodwith worried but curious spectators all around him. I fought through the crowdto get closer, nearly breaking my ankle. When I could finally see him properly,my face twisted by itself into horror, and I gave a scream, just like the onesthat woke me up. His body lay on the floor, spasming, his stomach perforated bycould most likely be a sharp object, obviously a knife or worse, and a bulletlay buried deep into his abdomen. Blood erupted suddenly from his mouth as hecoughed violently and looked me in the eye.“Am…a, A…ma…” he struggled, blood bubbling in his throat. Iimmediately rushed out the crowd and into my room. Taking my smartphone fromthe nightstand, I ran back to Kwame and squatted. Pats from the sympathizingcrowd embraced my back, urging me to take strength. Swallowing my emotions, Idialed the emergency number. Beep,beep, beep. The air became tense as we waited for whoever to pick the call.“18555, Police and Ambulance, what’s your emergency?” a steady, male voiceemitted from the phone’s speaker. Sighs of relief whispered through the crowdand sang a tune of light hope deep in my heart. “Uh…yes. Ayoung man, my twin brother, has been severely injured by an unknown assailantand we need urgent medical and security assistance, sir.” I spoke, trying tosound formal, my voice, however shaking when I mentioned ‘twin brother’. “Ei!”The man’s voice boomed in exclamation. I looked at the phone screen, confused.“This is the fifth report of a similar report in your jurisdiction this week!Or…aren’t you staying in Bantema?” I stuttered, my unsure voice perfectlymirroring the thoughts in my head. What did he mean ‘fifth case’? My brotherwasn’t the only one? “Yeah,I am. Uh…Nor…North Suntreso, to be exact.” “Wow.” He continued. A short pause. “Sorryeh, didn’t mean to sound informal.” He rasped, his voice hollow, as ifapologetic for speaking that informally. I glanced at my brother and he seemedto slowly ebb out of existence. My heart quickened, pulse racing, voiceshrilling. “Please hurry. My brother doesn’t seem to have much time left.”“Rest assured, ma’am. I am contacting the troops and we’ll be there soon. In fact,consider it as we’re already on our way.” The voice concluded, soundingconfident and steady, stirring extra hope into me. I sighed and clasped Kwame’shand in mine. He weakly glanced at me assuredly, before shutting his eyes, hisbreath noticeably slowing.
