• Prologue
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    I stepped on the crushed gravel and dragged my arm along with me. I could barely feel my legs above the bone-chilling cold. The stench of dead bodies filled my nostrils, and I winced as the chilled breeze blew up against my open wound. I reached for my arm but stopped myself; I knew better than to touch an open wound with dirty hands. I stared into the black nothingness in front of me and the empty shell bodies on the ground beside my battered legs. I knew nothing of friendship, nothing of happiness, but every time that breeze blew by, I felt more and more alone. Loneliness seemed to be the only feeling I understood, considering the conditions our world is in… everybody only considered themselves. Nobody could blame them, when you need to fight against your own family to get the food and supplies you need to survive.
    The freezing breeze blew by yet again, and froze my very soul. I barely had time to blink when I dropped to the ground, on my knees. I have been walking for four days straight, with the occasional scuffle with a new enemy to obtain some sort of food. I literally couldn’t walk anymore; my will power was strong, but my legs were weak. If only I had the strength to cry, I would, but what would be the point? If anything, I would die here of starvation, or of Hypothermia. I laughed at the two possible death sentences, using up the last of my strength. I fell on to my face as blood spurted from the wound in my arm. Surprising myself, a tear formed on the edge of my eye and danced down my cheek, as if mocking me, telling me that I am pathetic, telling me that it IS over. Despite everything that was happening, I forced my sorry muscles to form a pathetic smile. I remembered my brother’s words to me, his last wish. I remember how the crude joke rolled off his lips like sand from a broken hour glass. A frown forced its way on to my face again and my eyelids slowly closed shut over my eyes, like prison walls: no light, no hope… NO future.