“War does not determine who is right.

Only who is left.”

~Bertrand Russell

The droning of the distant bomb sirens drove a stake of fear deep through my soul. Just over the peaks of the neighboring homes, I could see fire rise with hunger where the napalm struck. Everything was enveloped by destruction. I backed away from my shattered window, the broken glass crunching beneath my shoes. My colony, my home country, the Motherland... It was falling apart.

Mother had told us about the safety cupboard when the Dark War started. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I could see her filing my brothers inside, one by one. Vova, the oldest, whom which I favored most for his mature attitude towards everything in life. Then Yaromir, the quietest of us all, and most independent. And Kazimir, the hyperactive troublemaker of our family. Even he was silent, and not once have I seen such fear in his eyes. Mother followed close behind them, and the door became part of the wall as it shut behind her. They would be safe from the bombs for now.

I hoped the Valin wouldn’t find them.

If they did, there would be nothing left to save.

Father appeared, beckoning for me to follow. He rushed off to the kitchen. Father was always a strong, independent man. His body was strong, but his mind was stronger. He was part of the town’s militia, the best sharp shooter known to our little homestead.

Father dashed round the corner and into the kitchen. Reaching above the pantry, he pulled out an ancient looking rifle. The word “Mosin” was engraved into the wooden butt. He pulled the bolt back, shoving the clip on top, and pushing the bullets into the chamber. The house shook with great intensity from the bombs. Father shook his head.

“They’re here.”

The Valin are the world’s worst nightmare. They are the reason the Dark War started. They have no mercy for anyone, even for those who support them. Nothing satisfies their hunger for power. Even if they had the world in their hands, they still wouldn't be satisfied. They believe that by destroying the world as we know it, they will be able to create a new one, one where everybody is treated equally. This equalizer is known as death. And Father, he is asking me to protect our family? From the greatest force of evil to the modern world?

It was as if he pulled my thoughts from my mind and read them. “I know it seems impossible, and it might just be. We’re all that’s left to defend our family. The odds are not in our favor, but something is better than nothing. I would rather die trying. Come now, Viktor.”

With that, he slung the rifle over his shoulder and bolted up the stairs. They creaked under his weight, and he then called down to me; “Reach atop the pantry, and then join me.”

I reached on the top pantry shelf as he said to. I retrieved what was there, and it revealed another Mosin rifle, and attached, a 8x scope. My name was carved into the barrel, the engraving glistening in the light. I went upstairs to join Father. He was kneeling near the far window, aiming his gun down the street in front of our house.

I knelt beside him, and looking through my scope, I saw what he was aiming for. There was a Valin officer in bright yellow, directing soldiers into our neighbor’s houses. They dragged out my friends, neighbors, and family. One by one they were filed out. Mr. Kupkoveet, Ms. Salastia, even Dame, Brakov, the toddler twins. The soldiers serving evil forced them upon their knees, hands behind their heads.

Some cried, others looked down, accepting their terrible fate. A woman held her child close, and as a consequence, was struck with the butt of a gun. She fell to the ground. Her child sat next to her, attempting to shake her back to life. Another citizen tried to flee, only to be mowed down by machine guns. He now lays still in the street, a puddle of crimson spreading from his pale body.

One man was struggling against a soldier, and this man lashed out at the Valin with animal-like ferocity. The rebel pulled a stun baton from his belt. The soldier tried raising his rifle, only to be struck in the head by a steel rod. The victim tried to raise his head once more in defense, only to be struck one more fatal time. The soldier slumped to the ground, his helmet caved in an unnatural way. The nearby Valin Officer saw this act of insurgency, and drew his pistol, taking aim at the man who caused such turmoil.

“Not today, you Valin scum…” Father whispered.

Father drew in his breathe, and the world around us seemed to slow down. He took aim, adjusted for the wind, and squeezed. The rifle kicked back, and the blast left my ears ringing. The officer’s hand blew off in a grand spray of blood, the pistol clattering onto the street. Smoke rolled from Father’s barrel, rising up to the roof and lingering. The Officer screamed in pain so loud that I could hear him over the sounds of chaos around us.

The rebel tackled the officer, and they both tumbled to the ground. They fought one another, fists flying into his shattered body. Some soldiers tried to save their leader, only to be beaten back. It took several Valin to rip him off the already crippled officer. They held his arms while he thrashed about in a barbaric rage. A group of soldiers pointed towards our house, and began charging in our direction. Father cursed at them “Damn it all…”, then lay on his belly and crawled away from the window. He put a finger to his lips and moved his lips as if to say the word “Quiet”.

I nodded, understanding his brief order. We heard the front door come crashing down below us, and the disturbing shouts of the soldiers. I could not understand them, as they spoke to one another in English. They were ripping our house apart in an effort to find us. Father had never had such focus in his eyes before. He crept into the hallway, so silent I wouldn’t have known he was there. I followed close behind, my rifle at ready.

We reached the bottom of the stairs to find our dining room empty, and the safety cupboard ajar. Mother’s eyes glistened from the dark, cramped space, and Father tried to signal for her to close it, that it was not safe to come out. I saw the sparkle of a tear glide down her cheek.

Had only I seen the Valin in time, maybe I would have been able to save my Father. Of course I didn’t see the dark silhouette of a man emerge from the doorway behind Father. I didn’t react fast enough to warn him of the danger. I couldn’t try to save him as the figure struck the back of his head with his gun.

I could only watch as Father fell to the ground, shaking the floor beneath my feet with his weight. As Mother emerged from her hiding spot, trying to retrieve her fallen husband. The Valin seizing her, dragging her away, beating her until she could no longer stand. My brothers being captured and punished the same brutal way Mother was. It all happened so fast, it was all so surreal, that I discarded all self preservation.

I roared at the evil surrounding me, and emptied an entire clip from my rifle into the soldiers in a fit of rage. The soldiers fell to the ground, dead as a doornail, and I looked around for a new victim.

One Valin laid in the corner, holding the bullet wound in his gut that I had made. His hand was drenched in blood, and more continued to pour out onto the floor. I lurched towards him. My arms outstretched to meet his battered face. I struck him again and again and again. My knuckles grew bloody and raw as they met flesh and bone, but I did not stop. I was mindless, animal like, as I reduced his face to a beaten pulp.

“V-Viktor?”

I turned around to see who the voice belonged to. Kazimir stood behind me, sobbing at what I had done. His eyes were streaked red, and skin as pale as paper. I reached out to try and hug him, but he shook his head and backed away. He began whining when I walked towards him. I forced him into a corner, and tried to reassure him.

“You’re safe now, брат (Brother), the Valin are gone now…”

He continued to sob as I drew closer to him. I put my hand out to stroke his hair, and he screamed.

“Shhhhhh, it’s o-”

I was cut off by something striking the back of my head. I was forced onto my knees by the tremendous pain. I tried to look back, only to be struck again. I was left on the floor, vision hazing, as a squad of Valin came into my home and began to drag the bodies away. I tried to get onto my feet, to stop them, but the pain was too much. I slumped back onto the floor. The pain grew more intense while the Valin picked up my frail and beaten body.

Then, darkness.

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*Current editing point, more to come!*