1 Prologue

It was grandpa's memorial night; dad threw a little festival in his laud. I couldn't continue till the conclusion of the festival because I had entrance examination the next day for the famous Brooklyn College, I had to leave for bed to be rested beforehand.

I was half awake when I found out a jeep pulled up at our front lawn, thus I reached out for my table clock to look at the time; it was 2 AM. Why were my parents still up? I thought. I stood up to look outside, and my parents weren't there, but I could see three men. It sounded like they were having discussions. Suddenly one got out a handgun and shot the other two.

After they were shot, I saw two figures get out of the jeep and they walked towards the door. That was when I realized that we were under attack and they had just killed my dad's men who were supposed to guard the front door. I tried to move quietly in a swift manner to warn everyone about the intruders.

When I stepped out of my room the power supply went off. Then they began firing. The gunshots got heavier. This woke everyone because I could hear people screaming downstairs. They killed people and shot at everything they met. It frightened me as I raced through the corridor to my parent's chamber, but before I could get there someone dragged me into a gloomy corner and the person had their grip over my lip to prevent me from squealing.

"I won't hurt you," she kept repeating. I could identify by the speech that it was a female.

They were close because I could hear the sound their boots made as it struck the tiles while they moved through the corridor. What about my parents? Can we not save them? All this was flying through my mind. I was about to lose my people, and I just couldn't tolerate the thoughts. When I realized they would reach the other rooms before seeing their chambers, I decided there and then to be with my parents, even if it meant dying simultaneously. My intention was to run to my parents once they move into any of the rooms, so I tried struggling with my captor to let me leave.

As I attempted to break loose from her grasp, the men walked past us, straight to my parent's chamber. I heard my mum scream. Later I heard gunshots, and that was it! I tried shouting but the strange lady got out a tape and forced it over my lip. Again, she reached for my arm and dragged me downstairs to the cellar. I didn't know what to feel at that moment. Were my parents dead? I could feel tears building up in my eyes, but I had to hold them back in order not to draw the attention of the armed fellows. I heard them on the lawn outside while we were in the cellar. When I peered through the window, I could see their feet.

"Where is she?"I overheard one of them shout.

"We've looked in her room and other rooms, she must have escaped."

"Escaped to where? I made sure all of them were at home. You can't tell me she escaped."

"I discovered something," I heard one of them say, and the others followed.

I feared what they discovered. Was there another path that led to the cellar or something?

"I arrived through the rear exit, so they will suspect you fled through there. They will leave for just a few minutes to hunt for you. Hurry and get a few items, let's go," the lady said.

I rushed back up to my room as my tears flowed freely; then I chose a handful of dresses and I shoved them into a sack and was about to leave when a thought struck my mind, then I ran to my parent's room. I put a palm over my mouth to stop myself from bawling because of what I saw; they lay in a pool of their blood. I stooped down with jittery hands to check their pulse, to know if they were even breathing. There could be hope, I said, seeking for solace.

"We don't have time for that!" I heard a voice from behind.

It was the strange lady; she moved to where I was and yanked my grip, but I refused to let go.

"They are dead. Come on," she said, tugging harder.

"Don't say that! We can help them," I responded, yelling at her. Again I held on to my parents, shaking them to wake up.

"They will be back any minute. Come on," she said, tugging harder.

She eventually succeeded to get me up from the ground, and then she nudged me out of the room. She made to leave the building and expected me to follow, but then I was reluctant. When she saw I wasn't following, she turned back and lugged me with her.

Where precisely are we leaving to? I questioned myself. My parents are deceased and I'm accepting an alien. She could be part of them. And why is she even helping me?

When we got to the roadside, away from the route to my mansion, she took me to a van packed besides the deserted building close by.

"Get in!" she commanded, opening the rear door.

I was hesitant at first. Then she yelled at me again. Well, I had no option, so I went into the car. She slammed the door and made to get into the driver's seat; she put the ignition on and zoomed off. With that we were on our way to wherever she was taking me to.

We were on the highway for roughly two hours, those moments seemed like hell to me. I was deeply uneasy, and I glanced back at every slight to be certain no one was tracking us. She made a halt at a house on the peripheries of the metropolis. Am I a fugitive now? What are we doing here? Why here? I shouldn't be like this! How long will I be here? These were the questions going through my mind, because they were the questions I wished to ask her.

"We are here," she announced as she opened the back door to let me out.

"Where precisely? Who are you?" I demanded for an answer.

"How do I explain? Uhm, how about your guardian angel? "

"Guardian angel? pfft You are right, why didn't you spare my parents too if you are one?" I replied with furrowed eyebrows and a crossed arm.

"And jeopardize your life? ...." She was speaking when I cut her brief.

"My life in peril? What could be worse than this? At least we would all be alive, or you should have let me perish with them," I said as tears rolled down my cheeks.

"I wished to save your parents as much as you loved to."

"Lies! You don't even know them. So why would you choose to save them? Tell me who do you work for? This was a rivalry attack, right?" I yelled at her face.

"You are such a selfish rascal; I shouldn't have set my life at risk to free you!"

"Yea... You shouldn't!" I yelled, attempting to run away to, I don't know where.

But she seized my hand roughly.

"Let's move inside…. Quickly!" She said, moving her head to the direction of the house.

It sounded more like a threat this time, and it made me petrified. This caused me to conclude that they probably kidnapped me. I loosed myself from her grasp, then I went over to the van and pulled out my sack and I trudged inside.

When we went inside, she showed me the room I would live in and I realized this would never feel like home. I thrust myself on the bed and buried my face in the pillow, shrieking. The universe wasn't being straightforward with me. Everything was gone in the twinkle of an eye.

"Food is ready!" she called out.

I must have dozed off while crying because the sun was up and the rays captured my face like the flash from a paparazzi camera.

I compelled myself to get out of bed, then I went downstairs to what I guessed was the dining. A dish of newly prepared spaghetti was on the table, and I presumed it was for me.

We chewed in silence for a moment before she spoke.

"We are leaving this residence, tomorrow,"

"To where? You have no right to take me anywhere! And what about my exam tomorrow,"

"Exams you say? Are you fucking kidding me? You just lost you are parents and I know you are hurt. We both know that if I let you, your performance would be low, so quit acting tough!" She said, raising her tone.

I was silent for a moment, trying to fight back my tears; she was right but she shouldn't have said it that way; it hurts.

"We are traveling to Australia. You will establish a new existence, as from now you (Mia Carter) perished with her parents after the house slaughter." She said, pointing at the television, which I didn't note, because the volume was low.

The headlines said "Lucas Carter, son of one of L. A's a top drug dealer, Brad Carter discovered dead with his wife Maria Carter and their employees after a memorial dinner at his place in laud of his deceased dad, while their daughter Mia Carter remains missing. "

I rushed to my room with tears, as I couldn't hold them back anymore. I didn't finish my meal because I had lost my appetite. How did everything change overnight? I had been consoling myself with the notions that my uncle would receive the broadcast. He would search for me. I won't last here and I won't have to travel to Australia, I said to myself.

I said a very short and silent prayer, hoping all would turn around quickly or maybe I would wake up and realize I had been dreaming, but none of this seemed to happen soon.

I could not make a call because she did not allow me to take my phone with me. She smashed it yesterday before we even got here. I lay down on the bed thinking about how I lost all I cared about a few hours ago.

When I woke up; I noticed I had dozed off repeatedly, and it was then 4 PM. I peered out of the window and it was drizzling; some kids were dancing peacefully in the rainfall, and though they had little or nothing, at least they had their parents.

"Supper is ready!" she shouted.

I hadn't really eaten anything since dawn; so I strolled to the dinning to have supper.

She sounded pretty nice. She never ordered me to work, but I still had to be vigilant because I could count on no one at the moment and she was just an accidental stranger who I'm yet to be certain of the reason she rescued me.

As I sat down to eat, I checked out the dish stuffed with Mac and cheese in front of me. I started eating immediately I finished the meaningless inspection. I was starving, and I didn't wish to find out anything that would disturb my dinner, so I didn't say a word to her as I devoured my meal.

"What's your name?" I asked as I ate the last spoon that was left of my food.

"Why do you ask?"

Wait, did she just ask me that? I thought.

"Yes, I did," she said.

"Did I just state that out loud? You know what? Never mind, who are you? Why are you taking me to Australia? I have other relations who are still very much alive."

"Relations, you say. Who are they?" she demanded.

I was mute for a moment.

"My uncle he lives here in Los Angeles too. You can't take me anywhere. I bet he has received the broadcast and is searching for me."

She let out a boisterous laugh and was mute for a moment.

"What?"

"Yes, he is searching for you, but what drives you to think he wants you alive?"