BRIGHTFALL

I reached my house, gasping for breath, my chest burning with every inhale. My legs felt like they could give out at any second, but the fear pounding in my heart was louder than my exhaustion. I stood there, frozen, staring at the front door. My hand trembled slightly as I reached for the handle, hesitating. *What if they're gone?* The thought twisted in my mind like a cold knife. What if I open this door and they're not...

I swallowed hard and forced the door open.

The world inside shattered.

There they were—my parents, lying motionless on the floor in a pool of dark, crimson blood. My breath caught in my throat. No. No, no, no. My body moved before my mind could catch up. I dropped to my knees beside them, shaking their shoulders desperately.

"Mom? Dad? Wake up! Please!" My voice broke, raw and choked with tears. No response. Just silence, deafening and absolute.

I fumbled for my phone, my hands shaking so badly I almost dropped it. I tried to dial emergency services, but my fingers wouldn't cooperate. I could barely see the screen through the blur of tears. Focus, Leo. You have to help them. You can still save them.

But the numbers blurred. My fingers hit the wrong keys again and again. My whole body trembled with fear and grief. I squeezed my eyes shut, taking a shaky breath.

Get it together, Leo.

I forced my hands to steady, finally managing to press the call button. The phone rang... and rang... no answer. Not even an automated message.

Suddenly, a cold, metallic voice echoed through the streets outside, chilling me to the bone:

"You are now under the rule of the Vulsar Empire. We have released a deadly virus targeting all individuals aged twenty and older. From this day forward, your world belongs to us."

A wave of terror crashed over me. This isn't real. This can't be real. My mind screamed for denial, but the blood on my hands said otherwise.

Then I heard it—screams. Loud, desperate cries from children outside, pleading for help. My heart raced as I stumbled to the window, peeking through the blinds.

My blood ran cold.

Dark figures moved swiftly between houses, dressed in dark clothing that looked both noble and designed for battle. They kicked down doors, dragging children out by force. The streets echoed with their cries.

Four of them reached the house directly across from mine. They smashed the door in with terrifying ease. One of them stayed outside, scanning the surroundings… until his gaze locked onto my window.

He saw me.

I ducked, heart pounding so hard it hurt. I have to hide. Now.

I bolted up the stairs to my room, slamming the door shut behind me. My eyes darted to the large wardrobe. Without thinking, I shoved it against the door, my fear giving me strength I didn't know I had. The heavy wood scraped loudly against the floor, but I didn't care. I needed to feel even the smallest illusion of safety.

Next to my bed was my old baseball bat. I grabbed it, my knuckles white with tension. I stood in the middle of the room, bat raised, heart racing like it was trying to escape my chest. If they come through that door, I'll hit them with everything I've got.

Minutes passed. Silence.

Then… CRASH!

The window behind me exploded inward. Glass shards flew like deadly rain. I spun around, swinging the bat with all my strength. But before it even connected, a hand shot out, gripping the bat mid-swing, stopping it as if it weighed nothing.

My eyes met his—the same figure from outside. His dark clothes were a mix of noble fabrics and battle gear, a hood shadowing part of his face. Without a word, he yanked the bat from my hands and tossed it aside like it was garbage.

Before I could react, his hand clamped around my throat. His grip was like iron, and with terrifying ease, he lifted me off the ground as if I weighed nothing. My legs kicked helplessly in the air, my hands clawing at his arm, trying to pry his fingers loose, but it was useless. The pressure tightened, my vision blurring as darkness crept in at the edges. My strength drained away, leaving only fear and the suffocating grip of his hand.

No... not like this...

And then, everything went black.