Tragedy ✔️

Chapter 1

I hate the color red. Everything is red in our new home. Our house. The grass and sky. The people. But I got used to it.

I run downstairs quickly and grab a French toast that just popped out of the toaster. I quickly eat it and grabs the house keys. As I'm about to open the door I get stopped.

"Aren't you even going to say good morning? Or goodbye?" says Mom.

"Good morning Mom," I say, "but I have to go now because I'll be late for my first day of work."

Mom steps closer and embraces me. It has been a long time since I felt her arms. Since I was six when she died.

"I missed you so much Colin," she says.

"Me too Mom," I say not letting go of her.

"I'm just happy that we're together. Ever since you got here I've been more happy. It wasn't easy living alone in this place. Everything here is evil. But as much as I am happy to have you, why did you do it Colin?"

"Mom I have to go it's getting..."

"Why did you do it?"

Hot tears begin to fall down my face.

"Because I couldn't be separated from Annie. I didn't want to live in an orphanage. Then I thought, 'What good is it.' And I didn't think."

My mom sighs and says, "Well you're dead now. We all are. And if you don't want to be destroyed forever, you have to do what the King says okay?"

I sigh and my voice quivers as I say, "Yes Mom. I have to go."

My mom kisses me and I exit the house. Just as I am about to enter my red, old model car, I hear Annie yelling. I close the car door and sneak up to the house window.

"How could they make him do this," says Annie, "You've heard the rumors of the work the King makes them do."

"I have," says Mom, "but if he disobeys, the King will destroy him forever. You know the law. If you turn eighteen while living here you have to serve the King."

There's a long pause before she resumes talking.

"You and Colin got a second chance here after you died. You can restart your life. We are together again. And if you die in this world you can't ever come back. Then you will be nothing as if you never existed. "

"I was already restarting my life until Colin killed me. I was happy."

I fall back when I hear that. How could she be so selfish?

"You were happy being poor? Happy not being able to support your brother?"

"The truth is I was happy getting rid of him."

I hear a slapping sound and I look back through the window. Annie is holding her hand up to her cheek and my mom looks down to her red hand. For a second there is a look of regret in her face, but it quickly morphs into a hateful glare.

She look up to my crying sister and says, "Get out!"

My sister bolts onto my mother and grabs her by the neck.

"I wish you were dead!" she screams and lets her go.

"I'm already dead," I hear Mom whisper.

Mom falls to the floor and starts crying, her hand holding her neck which is turning red. More red than her already red skin. I hear my sister approaching the door so I get in the car and zoom down the road to my job.

I can't believe what I just heard. My family is separated again. Now that my sister is gone and my mother doesn't work, I'm the only one working. I have to sustain my mother.

What will Annie do? She doesn't have a job either. There is only one kind  job available here and it's my job. You're only eligible if you turn eighteen while living here. If you died after you were eighteen, you get a small amount of money from the King each month. But, its barely enough to eat.

I park the car in front of the office. I get off, lock the doors, and enter the building. As I near the front desk I see a sign hanging above the receptionist. It has the company's name on it.

6x3 Inc.

Underneath the company name is their motto.

Proud to destroy. Proud to obliterate. Proud to serve the King of the Dead World.