I do not earn any legal payment for this literary composition, thank you.

.oOo.

Chapter I

A Cruel Fate (part one)

It only takes one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to insanity.

That's how far the world is from me.

One bad day.

~The Joker

.oOo.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was the day that my life turned upside down.

WWIII broke out on Thursday, June 22, 2062. It was 10:27 and I was just getting out of school in my home town in Darien, Georgia.

They let us go early, which was very strange since we had a lot of end of the year testing to do.

'Maybe they had this planned all along' I thought, but when I walked out side, however, I knew that wasn't true.

Cars were every where, lined in every driveway and even some were up on the sidewalk. Parents were rushing their children inside their cars and vans, not even bothering to make sure their seat belts were on, and even with cops in the parking lot, drove off at a speed well over the limit.

Teachers were helping students find their cars and parents; practically dragging them away from the school in an almost panicked run.

I stood in shock for a moment and stared at the chaos until my Mom's voice shouted above the havoc, "Eleanor! I'm over here!"

I looked to see she was one of the cars on the sidewalk in front of the school. She was frantically waving at me as she got out of the car. Her shoulder length brown-grey hair was swaying slightly in the wind and her bright green eyes were flashing fearfully.

Not knowing what to do I just ran over to her and she shoved me into the back seat without a word. Quickly returning behind the wheel, she shifted the car into reverse and backed off of the sidewalk. Once in the driveway she sped onto the road not bothering with smoothing out turns.

"Mom, what's going on?" I said from the back seat.

She gripped the steering wheel, "Do you remember your father and I talking about the political issues yesterday?"

I nodded at her reflection in the rear view mirror.

She took a deep breath, "The negotiations escalated this morning and the president was shot and killed as a result."

I sat forward my eyes wide in shock, "What?"

She sighed, "But that's not all. The Vice President was assassinated shortly after while taking the oath of office."

I sat back in shock then sat up again, "What about William, and Lewis and Michael? Are they ok?"

"Yes, as far as I know. I got a call from William this morning around 9:00. They are just being sent to keep the peace in DC." She looked back at me, "Don't worry, everything's going to be ok." Her smile didn't quite make it to here tear brimmed eyes though.

She looked back to the road, "Everything's gonna be ok."

The rest of the car ride was in silence. I looked outside of the window at the trees covered in Spanish moss. They were old and strong and very tall, I've always enjoyed climbing them, to sit in their branches and dream.

I felt the car turn as we drove onto our driveway. Our gravel driveway seemed to make a louder sound than usual as the wheels of the car rolled along it.

We lived in a thickly wooded area, with neighbors a fair distance away. Our two story house stood like a white ghost in the middle of a green clearing. The flag of our country was fluttering lightly in the breeze.

Mom put the car in park and quickly got out, me following closely behind, "Where's Dad?"

"Out getting supplies." came her frank reply.

We approached the front door and Mom opened it up.

"When is he going to get home?" I inquired further as I walked inside and shut the door, which she quickly locked and dead bolted.

"In a few minutes." she said while hurrying into the kitchen.

I set my stuff down on the couch in the living room. "I'm going to go out for a walk." I called to her.

"No!" her reply made my hand snap away from the door handle. She came rushing into the veranda, "You can't go outside right now."

"Why? There's something your not telling me isn't there?" I crossed my arms.

She rechecked the dead bolt then turned back to me with a worried expression. She absentmindedly tucked her hair behind her ear, "Honey, please. Things are very unstable in the country right now." She gently took hold of my shoulders, "Your father and I will tell you everything tonight. Trust me."

I reluctantly nodded my head. I needed to think, but I suppose my bedroom will have to do for now.

Mom walked back to the kitchen and I picked up my bag from the couch and hopped up the stairs to my room.

I tossed my bag onto my bed and sat on my window seat at the far end of the room. I leaned back on the wall and stared out into the mystical forest that was my yard. It was the same as always.

I looked over at the picture on my desk. It was of me and my three brothers, William, Lewis, and Michael.

William is the tallest in the family. He has dark brown hair and greenish-brown eyes, and now he has a scruffy beard.

Standing on his left is Lewis. He's the second oldest and twin to Michael. He's the prankster of the family. In the picture he's making bunny ears over Will, making William's semi serious face look rather funny. Lewis has dirty blond hair with mischievous green eyes. The picture was taken at Christmas so he had the ugliest sweater on for the celebration.

Next in the photo is Michael, the third eldest. He looks exactly like Lewis, but his personality is almost the exact opposite. He prefers dry humor and quick-witted snarky comments other than pranks. In a way they compliment each other, but it's in the worst way possible, for other people that is.

And there I am, getting sandwiched by the two twins. My straight brown hair is wild from playing tag, and my eyes are a dark brown but bright with excitement. Dad says I inherited his mother's eyes. Which I am very proud of.

I am regrettably the shortest person in the family. I didn't even get to my Mom's height, and that's pretty bad in of itself. But it's like Michael told me one time, "Your short, but no less dangerous than a giant." The context of that statement is, two years ago I was getting harassed by a bully at the ball park, and before my brothers could come to my "rescue", I had already broken his nose with my fist. To say the least, after that incident all of the guys at my school were afraid to come within two yards of me.

Anyway, all three of my brothers decided to follow my grandpa's example and join the military. William being very logical was put in as a strategist. Lewis and Michael are both field men. They're all very good at what they do, but I still worry about them a lot, and now that all of this is going on, I'm worrying about them even more.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out. It was a message from Lewis.

Lewis

Hey kiddo.

How are you holding up?

10:49 am

Me

Just fine.

How are you?

And why do you keep calling me kid?

10:50 am

Because that's what older brothers do.

And I'm as well as could be.

Everyone else is too.

10:52 am

That's good.

When are you guys going to come home for a visit?

It's already been so long.

10:53 am

I don't know.

Things are pretty hectic here.

I only have a few minutes of a break and

then I have to get to work again.

10:54 am

Lewis

what's going on?

Mom is really worried

and I don't know why!

Won't Clancy be sworn into office
sometime today?

10:55 am

It's more complicated than that right
now, Ella.

Just keep smiling for Mom and Dad.

Will you do that?

10:57 am

For me?

10:58 am

I'll try.

11:00 am

Good.

11:01 am

I'm sorry but I have to get back on the job.

I'll have Will text you later.

11:03 am

Ok

Please be safe.

11:04 am

I'll do my best, Sunshine.

11:06 am

I laid down my phone and looked out the window.

'How did this ever happen?' I thought.

Wheels on the gravel signaled an approaching vehicle. I looked back out the window to see my Dad had parked his truck next to the car and had started to unload groceries from the back seat.

I got up from my perch and jogged to the stairs.

"Myrtle, I'm home." Dad's voice echoed up the hall as he came in. Myrtle is my Mom's name, William is my Dad's. They named my brother after my Dad, but instead of William Jr, we just call him Will.

I hopped down the stairs and turned the corner, "Hey, Dad."

"Hey, half-pint." he said while ruffling my curly hair.

"Dad!" I ducked out of reach swatted his hand. "I'm eighteen now!"

"So you are." he laughed.

My Mom came into the room and gave him a smooch. I looked away obviously grossed out.

I quickly looked back at Mom, "Ok. Now that Dad's home will you tell me what is going on?"

"Right to the point. Huh?" she sighed. "Honey?" she looked at Dad.

He took a deep breath, "Well, shouldn't we sit down first?"

I slightly nodded and followed them into the living room. I sat on the couch while my parents took separate seats.

Dad took another breath, "As you know there have been rising concern about Communism here in America."

He waited for me to nod then continued, "This morning Communist activists detonated bombs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and... Washington DC."

"What? But William, Lewis, and Michael are there!" I exclaimed.

"Calm down." Dad ordered, "The bombs went off before they were sent there."

I sighed in relief, "So why can't I go outside?"

Mom spoke next, "Because we don't know who is a Communist and who isn't. It's very dangerous right now. You can't go anywhere alone anymore. Do you hear me?"

"Yeah. But what about my friends?" I argued, "They would never side with Communism!"

Father sighed, "Not even them. I'm sure what you say is right, but it might not be true for their parents."

Another car's wheels on the gravel out side could suddenly be heard. Dad jumped to his feet and looked through the blinds and out the window, "It's a deputy. He coming up to the door." He looked at Mom, "I'll get it." Then walked to the door around the same time as the deputy knocked.

Dad opened the door as Mother walked to his side.

"Mr. and Mrs. Rose?" he asked in a formal way.

"Yes." Dad answered.

"I'm sorry to bring you this news now, but it's my job." he stated sadly.

I got up from my seat and walked behind my parents.

"I regret to tell you that both Major Lewis Rose and Captain Michael Rose have both been killed in an explosion while on duty in Washington DC. Again I am deeply sorry for your loss..." his words faded into the background as my hearing and sight failed me.

'They're gone.'

I heard my mother's anguished cries from the doorway as I fell backwards a few steps.

'They're dead.'

I felt a warm tear slip down my cheek, and I saw Dad shakily thank the officer and quickly close the door.

He looked at me and I heard him call after me as I ran up the stairs and into my room, locking the door behind me. I fell in a crumpled heap on the floor and numbly felt myself take out my phone. I scrolled to the bottom of the text feed to Lewis' last words to me.

Please be safe.

11:04 am

I'll do my best, Sunshine.

11:06 am

The phone slipped from my fingers, and I hid my head in my arms and cried there, lying on my floor, for what seemed like an eternity.

The moment of Lewis and Michael's deaths was 11:07 am.