Don't Let Them See You

Chapter 1

The sky was darker than the shadows creeping throughout the night. The vile smell of blood, smoke, and ashes was impossible to ignore. The bodies that had once moved in joyous light now lay bare and alone as the creatures of the night fed on them like freshly made meals.

In the sight of "the new world," there was nothing to behold. No remains of the peace that once existed were left among the people. In every direction laid a consequence of greed, the actions of evil leaving citizens in turmoil.

Innocent beings lay still like offerings; the cold air shading them a hue of blue. It was as if the night sky marked them as its own, claiming them as if they belonged nowhere else. It portrayed the story of their fate, in which they would soon be discarded to join the moon up above.

Resting under a run-down building with a green blanket wrapped around her brother, Armineh found solace in his small, even breaths. As she settled for the night, she stared upward, wishing to end the nightmare for him and herself quickly. Sulking at the thought that his pure eyes had to set upon the destruction that formed before them.

She couldn't wipe away the painful memories of the monsters they faced that rainy night when their precious loved ones fell into their hands. To this day, such things still haunt her, and she can’t take away the pain of the past. The memories haunted her ruthlessly, only allowing room for worthless hope. Yet gratefully it established her will to live and gave her a reason to fight, so that both her brother and she could have a place to call home.

As a result, before they could be found in that wrecked home, Armineh cut her hair and took on a masculine style. It hadn’t been long since she started to work out, building her muscle mass up to that of a man's standard.

Day by day, with her brother in her arms, they weaved through the troubled crowds, growing closer to being away from the darkness, pushing themselves further from the evil that lurked the streets. They brought themselves closer to a new and fresh start, a better beginning that looked promising for Aadil and her.

It had been four days since they set off. Her feet were swollen, her mouth growing parched as seconds turned to minutes and hours went by. “Pain is only a figure of your imagination,” she would often tell herself. In order to survive, she’d change the definition of what is considered "painful”, so that she had the strength to press on.

Armineh always kept a knife in the back of her pocket, a sharp steel object, a gift given to her from her father. In their case, it was useful for fending off the drunken men that prowled daily on the streets. Sometimes they would face dangers in which being weaponless could end up being futile.

Their luggage was light, only the true necessities were brought with them. Each carried their own single bag, though they had plenty of room. Her bag contained small handy guns, food, and water. She stole the guns from an old battlefront not so long ago.

Reaching out of that situation alive served as nowhere near an easy task. In fact, the scar on her right eye and the left one on her leg remained as enough proof of the dangers she faced. They ran deep and could cause quite a shock, considering that she was able to see or even stand without fault.

Though she was proud to say those scars only added to her attempt at being a man. Armineh's once refined womanly features were slightly faded. The care it took to hide them was tremendously tiring. If not careful, her gender identity could be found out in an instant. Such chaos would dim her chances of success, greatly putting both Aadil and her at a high risk of imprisonment or even death.

It was just another burden she had to bear along her shoulders. After all, women were seen as creatures far below men. They were to be used and then disposed of once one was satisfied. Their desperate efforts to stay alive only fueled the greed and power of the demons.

In this era, men could control when women gave birth. They could add up to how many they would conceive from a single woman alone and kill her off if she failed to do so. The wealthier the man, the more women he could have. Any of the offspring was meant to be used in the war to fight.

Men that had children in the war would gain profits off of them. Children were used in the front lines as bait and distractions for their enemies. Though the enemy was usually themselves, rebels attempted to get their government in order. Their rebellious acts within their own government occurred because of how corrupt their society grew. Since the beginning of the war, the fight for power, positions, and money never planned to come to an end.

Long ago, their great leader was murdered by a discreet assassin. The cause of death was unknown, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that he was killed by another man. If that wasn't the case, they would not be stuck in such corruption, as a back-up man would be set in place. The grand opening of his death allowed room for powerful men known as the N.C.O.D (New Country Order Defendants) to sense their opportunity and gain even more power than before.

Though the name seemed innocent, these men were far from it. The group, made up of rich nobles, held to the highest caliber. They were men that, if messed with, could cause an innocent person to fall victim to their unthinkable actions. It was no surprise the damage they were able to create, seeing as they held just enough power to do so. When you have money to throw everything at, it's not like it's really you getting your hands dirty, or so they believed.

She could say that not all the nobles were evil. Some truly wanted people to prosper and grow together as one. But anyone that opposed N.C.O.D was assassinated without question. Eventually, due to the number of deaths of the good nobles, some either stepped down, were murdered, or traded sides in an attempt to survive.

It was a kill-or-be-killed situation. The classic cliché of fight or flight. In order to survive, drastic measures have to be taken. Of course, people would let it all go to their heads. The trauma lingered along with them. Some just ended their suffering, giving up on the chance to live, but she wouldn't let herself break down knowing she had her brother's life in her hands.

Her people were suffering in great despair, and she, with her brother, fought hard trying to find a way out of it all. She had to uphold the safety of her brother and the brightness of his future. It was her solemn goal, her only duty, to protect him. How hard could it really be? Of course, such a question contained many answers, some which were not as delightful as she would want them to be.

Knowing this, she held herself to a standard. One that would help her fight for their lives. “If you don't let them see you, then they surely can't ever stop you.” This became the reason for her to live on.