The Ashes like Snow

Full Summary: Two families, one world and a constant battle of violence and death. It isn't safe for anyone, you speak out and you are assassinated. If you are seen with the suspected enemy, you will be hung, If you harbour fugitives, you and your whole family will be shot. This is the way the world we live in works. Bella has never known any different. She is at the core of the Swan's, one of the two battling families, but when she finds herself in a terrifying situation, will she find that what she has always been told, isn't always true.

Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

Hermann Goering

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For hundreds of years, maybe even thousands; a war has been waging on the face of our very own Earth, polluting and damaging the gift from our dear Lord. This war has resulted in millions being killed and slaughtered, by genocide or just simply blind hatred. You see children scream for their Mother and Father, as they witness their parent's body's drop to the floor, lifeless. These children usually end up joining the armies at young ages, fighting in vengeance for their families and also protecting their honour.

Poverty is at its all time highest, with more than half of the world's population dying on the streets from hunger and various diseases. The small amount of people who are lucky enough to have protection and money, see this happening, but do nothing about it, as they are scared to get involved and not wanting to leave their safe comfort zone.

However, not everyone felt like that. My own Mother decided to stand up against this and do something about the hardship, but from that I learnt that if you rebel against anything you disagree with; you will not make it out alive, even if it is one of your loved ones who has to do the unworthy deed.

I was seven years old when I saw my Father shoot my Mother in between the eyes, making a small bullet wound in her forehead, blood running down her face, coating her pale, creamy skin with a dark red sticky liquid. Surprisingly enough though, I didn't scream or cry when I witnessed this act. As far as I was concerned, my Mother had betrayed all of us and she deserved what she got. But as I got older, I couldn't ignore the empty void of missing a mother figure during my teen years, when I needed her the most.

So, you're thinking: Why would a husband shoot his own wife if they loved each other? Well, the answer to that is quite simple; that is just the way the world works. If anyone you know spoke out against the system, that was it. End of, but also because my Father had to set an example for other people. If it was seen that he wouldn't hesitate to take out his own wife, then that must mean that he meant business.

But it was even harder for me and my Father than other people. So I guess I should tell you about the roots of this war.

There are two large groups, mostly made up of two families, but sometimes there would be the occasional helper from the outside. For as long as history has been recorded, these two organizations have hated each other, resulting in violence and death. It has nothing to do with racial differences or religion; it is just an ongoing feud that can never seem to be stopped. I guess you could say that they were fighting for power or world domination, but that part could never be figured out.

My Father and I were part of one of these organizations. Heck, we are the core of it, my Father being the leader and all, which also meant that I was in constant danger of terrorist attacks or being assassinated, just because of my blood line.

There have been many protesters, demanding peace, but whenever everyone tries to come to an agreement, it all falls down again like those building blocks I played with when I was younger. You think you are getting somewhere, but it all falls down at the last minute. In the end, everyone decided that it was no use, the two families couldn't co-exist with each other, it was inhumanly impossible.

However, for the last 5 years, things had been pretty quiet on the war front. There had been no attacks from the Cullen's – or more commonly known as the cold ones. But my Father still told me to be on the lookout, silence usually meant that they were planning something, waiting like lions crouching behind the bushes; waiting to pounce when we least expected it.

At the moment us- The Swans, were in power, making sure that everyone kept to our laws and any Cullen's that could be wormed out were arrested, tortured and sometimes even murdered with capital punishment.

So how did this small feud become a worldwide problem? Well most of the battles and fighting that is occurring isn't directly supported by us. Mostly they are branch groups from our organization, trying to stir more trouble than there already is.

But that didn't mean that it wasn't there.

I had seen countless of orders my Father had issued to his workers – or as I like to sometimes call them; mindless minions- commanding them to slaughter villages throughout the world that were suspected to been harbouring Cullen fugitives, or conspiring against us. I had heard radio broadcasts from such places, recording the terror that was engulfing people. But I never thought twice about it, which was the way I was brought up, I never knew any different so why should I care?

However, don't assume that our entire world strived from this violence. Usually, if you lived in the developed countries like America, Canada, Europe and so on... You were reasonable safe as long as you ventured far from the fighting, it is better to be safe than sorry.

I stared out of the window, fingering the swan pendant around my neck which symbolised who I am; watching the storm that was raging outside, lightening flashing in the sky and thunder rumbling so loud, it sounded as though a jet was roaring over your house, rain dropping in heavy bullets onto the ground, drowning plants. This kind of weather had been around before I was born, as the sun never shines here. It was called pathetic fallacy; it reflected the mood of which our city constantly lay in; moody, glum, anger...

I wonder if this war will ever end. And if it does, who will be the ones to end it?

I am going to regret starting another story in the morning. But sometimes, I just can't help myself. Well this is my first M rated story for violence, and later chapters. So you like it? Good? Bad?

Review!! I need to know your thoughts :)

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