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The buildings crashed down onto one another. dust flooded the area, smoke pooled into my lounges. my eyes watered as I coughed my throat dry it scratched and burned. I tried to call my brother’s name, but nothing came out. he had been in the building as it fell.
I pulled myself up from the stone cold ground and ran towards the rumble. a firefighter grabbed me as I tried to run passed. he gripped tightly around my waist.
"NO!" I screamed struggling against the grip. I thrashed and screamed.
"LET ME GO!" my eyes watered as I saw flames scorch the broken building in front of me. I pushed the firefighter, the faltered. I get free from their grasp and ran into the rubble.
"AJAX!" My voice cracked. I continue to search for him. there's crimson red blood on some of the concrete rubble, I scrunch up my nose in disgust.
"Tanner-" I hear someone call my name. I ran to them, they’re under a large piece of broken off concreate.
"AJAX! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" I scramble next to them heaving. I try and pull off the concrete but it’s too heavy. I lift it for a moment, ajax has enough time to suck in some air before I have to drop it back onto him. he grunts as it hits him, I start to panic my breath hitched.
"Stop, Tanner. it’s going to be fine." Ajax huffs out in pain. "no." I harshly state. I grab a fallen over pole and jam it between the crevice of the floor and concrete.
I pull down on it hard and the concrete lift off of my brother. I kick the rumble off of him, a relieved feeling wash over me. I rush back over to Ajax feeling next to him again. I pick him up by his shirt.
"It’s going to be ok!" I whisper to him. I lift my palm and cup his cheek. he in turn reaches a shaky hand and wraps it around my wrist.
I try to talk with him. my voice is filled with worry. Ajax smiles slightly before his hand drops. his eyes go distant, and panic instilled into me. my heart stopped.
"AJAX! NO- NO, PLEASE! AJAX!" I smacked his cheek lightly to try and get his attention. his head lulls to the side as I shake him. his body goes limp, and I pull him closer to me in a hug. I tighten my grip around his limp body as he leans heavily against me.
"I’m sorry..." I whisper to him my voice filled with inspiration. there are sirens around me, but I can’t hear them. my world stills as I refuse to take in what happened. my thoughts are only filled with my brother whose eyes are glossed and his body around me.
the firefighter from before rests a hand on my shoulder. his lips move but I can’t hear him. I blink, the next thing I know is that I no longer had my little brother in my hands.
I sat in the back of an ambulance, an oxygen mask on my face and a shock blanket wrapped around my shoulders. I blankly stare at the ground and let a stray cold tear fall.
NEWSLETTER. 19TH JULY.
ON JULY 10TH THE VILLAIN VLASTA DETINATED THE FAMOUS HOTEL PRISM.
THE BUILDING WAS RIGGED WITH C4, IT WAS DETINATED AT 4:21 PM.
THE HOTEL PRISM CRASHED ONTO A NEARBY BUILDING, THE TWO COLLIDED AND LIT A FLAME.
VLASTA'S LETTER CAME OUT AND SAID, 'IT WAS ALL FOR KICKS'. THERE WERE 31 CASUALTIES 22 ADULTS AND 9 CHILDREN.
FAMILIES ARE FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE AND HAVE STARTED PROTESTING IN THE TOWNS SQUARE.
WE ERGE ANYONE WITH ANY USEFUL INFORMATION TO SPEAK TO AUTHORITIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
My eyes watered at the reminder of my brother. a glimpse of his cold body flooded my mind. I dropped to the floor of my apartment, my hands pulling my hair. why did they have to take him? why couldn't it have been me. I would give my life a thousand times over just to see him once more. but this is reality I cannot. I yearn for him to come back. I almost have a sense of fake hope that he will waltz through that door and be as happy and quirky as ever.
I squeeze my eyes shut and curl in on myself. he's really gone isn't he? I let out a rattled sob, grasping my hair tighter. I feel someone grab my hand.
I look up, a familiar face comes into view, Moss.
"Tanner?" she's knelt down to my level. tears fill my eyes as I pull them into a hug.
"Oomph. oh, Tanner" they give me an apologetic look. they wrap their arms around me. she runs her figure through my untamed hair. she was wearing a black dress with flat black shoes.
"Come on, let’s get you ready." her voice is like honey.
"Ready?" I question back. ready for what?
"Have you forgotten?" she frowns at me. her lips perse as if she doesn't want to tell me.
"it’s your brother's funeral today.
" Oh- oh... "right." I say back. I get up off the floor, I look to her.
"I'm sorry, Moss." I apologise, this had been my fault.
" No need, you haven't done anything wrong. go get dressed, I’ll be waiting for you." she gives me a weak smile as I walk to my room.
I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. my face is red and wet from the tears. I don't look good, my brown hair is a mess and I have bags under my eyes. I sigh and get dressed into my suit.
-time passing-
we make it to the funeral just on time. there are at least 27 people here, some of which I have never met. people are dressed in all black, there are tears in most of their eyes.
I straighten up and stand tall, my wind wonders around as moss guides me through crowds of people. we sit at the front, the casket was open, and I catch a view of my brother’s pale face.
I stiffen at the sight and almost relive that unfaithful day. I sniff trying to hold back tears. my breathing fastens, it’s too loud in here. people are loudly chattering, somethings drop making a loud thud sound I jump from my seat.
people’s heads turn to me, their all staring at me some faces blank some with worry. I turn and leave vastly walking out of that anxiety endorsing dom.
Moss cases after me but I leave too quickly. I wonder through the forest. I wonder over to a clearing, a large rock sits in the middle. I sit down on the rock, my hands in my face as I sob. I take in a rattled breath.
-Almost year passes February 5th-
I spent most of my days researching and somewhat stalking the villain Vlasta. I've found out that she was only 2 years younger than me 22 and what street she uses to get around town.
I stare at her from the top of a building, she looks harmless from up here. like a bug. I almost laughed when I first saw her, her figure was small. I overestimated her.
I don't let my eyes off of her as I follower her above, jumping from one building to another. she enters an alleyway, I drop down behind her. her white puffy hair flung as she turned to face me.
"I was wondering when we would meet." she gave a grin-ester smile.
"That makes two of us." my voice is stiff as I say the words, I glare at the villain who took my brother’s life. she laughs.
"So you’re the 'mad driven' vigilante I've hear so much about!" she lifts out her arms in a joking embrace.
I tilt my head and death stare them "no."
"If you’re not doing this because you’re crazy, then why? is it for love?" they shook their head and giggled to themself "overrated" they laughed. they look so calm in this situation, so relaxed yet I have them cornered.
"July 10th." my voice is stern.
"July 10th?" she tilts her head repeating my words, they looked visibly confused.
"Prism hotel. it collapsed onto another building... my brother and I were in there, he didn't make it." I explained through gritted teeth. they villain tensed up in remembrance, she put her hands up at shoulder level in a surrendering position. her eyes watered a little
"I didn’t know..." it was barely above a whisper, but I still heard it. I step towards her my fist clenched.
"31 casualties. 22 adults and 9 children." I grimace. she giggles a little bit, she fixes her mask.
"Not my best, nor my highest." I pull out my knife and slam her against the wall. their head hit the bricks and blood trickled down her forehead. she looks so much like ajax in this moment. their blue eyes and fluffy hair, hell even their smiles look the same and for the first time I hesitated.
"awww~ what’s wrong? having trouble killing?" they mocked.
"Shut up" its barely above a whisper.
"Are you okay~ your hesitating~" I immediately push the knife closer to their throat. a streak of blood drips down her neck
"don't underestimate me villain, I’ll kill you where you stand" my voice is deep. She scoffs.
"You and I are very alike, how about you join me? who knows what we could do together~" her invitation sounded almost flirtatiously.
"You and I are nothing alike! you-" Vlasta cut me off.
"oh~ aren’t we? we've both lost loved one. we've made our way up the food chain, people fear us! were both villains~" she tries to convince me but my grief for my younger brother holds me like a noose, I've already snaped my neck with grief.
"Join me~" I let my grip loosen from the blade, I let go of the villain. she smiles and reaches out a hand for me to shake. I take her hand and read her closer to me, their body flung towards me.
"July 10th." their eyes go wide as I tighten my grip around the knife. I swing the knife slicing their throat clean. her flesh teared and the blood ran down her soft pale neck.
she fell to her knees, their hands holding tightly around their neck in a weak attempt to stop the bleeding. they look to me in fear for a moment then her body fell to the pavement. blood pooled around her socking her long white hair crimson red.
I sadistically laugh as I see her struggle. she reaches a hand out to me before going limp. I nudge her body and it rolled over. I reach a hand out and pull her mask away. her face was covered in blood as was the mask.
I step back recognizing the face. gasping, I almost let a tear slip. "What have I done? Moss!" I yell picking her fragile body up off the ground. it was too late, her eyes had already glossed over.
Sirens sounded in the distance and at that moment I knew that nothing would ever be the same as it was.