(A/N: Vicky) Okay, sorry for not updating, you guys! I have been terribly booked with high school, Drivers Ed, boys, drama, and of course, homework! I haven't had anytime to write... at all! And on top of that, my laptop broke. I had to dip into my car insurance money to buy a desktop.

So yeah. Sorry for not writing in so long.

But, you guys want to read the story, not me chatting, don't 'cha?

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BANG! BANG! BANG!

The ringing of the shots rung in my ears long after they disappeared. Running through the screaming crowd of people on the walkway, I managed to make some distance between myself and the firers. I was running for my life and I didn't care if I ran over several little kids in the process of making my escape.

Who were these people?Why were they after me individually? What did I do so wrong to deserve being shot at? These questions swam around in my head. My thoughts were so loud that I couldn't hear my footsteps against the wet pavement any longer.

Then, another shot rang out. This time, I felt the impact. My right shoulder lurched forward from the bullet entering my arm. The sharp pain only lasted a few seconds as I stumbled my way into a dark alleyway. My arm was completely numb at the moment, but I couldn't think about that at the moment. If I didn't run now, I wouldn't have time to worry about it later.

Once in the alleyway, I ran to the nearest dumpster and threw a few garbage bags onto of my body to hide myself from the enemy. I sat there, still as a door frame, and waited. And while I waited in those few seconds, I shifted my head just enough to see the blood running down my arm in dark rivers. My body was still in shock, but I'd be feeling that in a couple of minutes.

With my luck, three men ran past me, going further into the alley and out the other end. They turned a sharp left and I could hear their footsteps get farther and farther away from where I was. Once I didn't hear them any longer, I pushed the bags off me with my good arm and legs. I stood up and leaned against the cold brick wall behind me.

I banged my head against the wall once and tightly held my limp arm. The numbness was wearing off and I started to feel the pain shooting through my whole body. Who knew getting shot would hurt so much?

I thought I was going to die just then.

I thought I was going to die all alone.

I wouldn't have time to say goodbye to my brother, sister, or my friends.

My older brother, Joshua, took care of both me and my twin sister, Victoria. Ever since our parents were murdered by some thugs that broke into our home while all three of us siblings were at school. Almost exactly two years ago to this day. My mother, Angelica Lee Orchard, and my father, Alexander Mark Orchard, were the happy parents of all of us kids and they were killed horribly by strangers who had nothing better to do with their time than ruin families.

We were one happy family. We came from Tecumseh, Michigan (United States) and moved to Tokyo, Japan. In Tecumseh, we had a big house with really cool rooms. Our parents had really high paying jobs, but none of us knew exactly what it was they were doing. So, we were the rich kids in town. People thought we were snobby and stuck-up, but we were raised to be better than that. Other than the other kids' opinions, we lived a happy life in our gorgeous house.

Until some strangers tried to take Victoria and myself away from the rest of our family.

I remember that it was a warm, summer day and that Vicky, Joshua, and I were at the park playing. The park was right across the street from our house, so it wasn't like we were off gallivanting. The sun was beating down on us, and so we decided to get ice cream from the local 'Frosty Truck' that went by at precisely 1:30. The problem was, the truck stops on the other side of the park, the side where our parents couldn't see us. We sat underneath a nearby tree.

Suddenly, we were alone. Every kid went off to go play on the jungle set, which was were we came from to begin with. And we decided to take a break from playing for a while.

But we weren't alone for long.

Three strange men approached us. They seemed only to be around their early twenties and they told us that if we followed us to their van, they would give us candy.

But, Joshua was smarter than what they depicted him to be. The other day, our entire school learned about stranger danger and loudly shouted, "NO!"

He yelled for help, but before anybody could even start to run for us, they grabbed Vicky and I and carried us, kicking and screaming, to their van. Luckily, our local sheriff made it to our aid. The mean dropped us and ran for it, totally forgetting about their transportation.

Our parents, being over protective and concerned about our well-being, decided to move. And where to, exactly? Well, around the world, of course! Tokyo was the 'safest' place in our parents heads. And plus, there was an office for their work there, so it worked out for the better, I guess.

Okay, so we lived ten minuets out of Tokyo, but either way, we lived in Japan now. Good thing us kids were young and were able to learn their language semi-quickly. Our parents always said that they were sure to not follow.

Drastic, I know.

But, that was years ago.

And I was fourteen when Angelica and Alexander Orchard were killed.

We had a half day at school due to remodeling. We ran all the way home for a day full of games and laughter. But, when we reached our house, there were ambulances and cop cars everywhere. Some lady came up to us and took us down to their station once she found out who we were. She then told us the horrible news of the event that had happened just hours earlier.

But, that was two years ago, and Joshua was eighteen and Vicky and I were now sixteen. Joshua was so young to have to watch us and take care of us all the time. We were extremely lucky to have been able to stay together to begin with, though. So I didn't complain. We just had to have a supervisor check in with us every week.

Joshua matured within a couple of days, but me and my sister stayed the same, crazy kids we were. We should have been more responsible. We should have been more in line.

They would be better off with me gone.

I stepped out of my thoughts for a moment to check my surroundings before sinking to the ground in pain. I was reliving a horrible dream inside and outside. Too bad my thoughts about my siblings kept forcing its way to the front of my mind.

Vicky and I always got into trouble and Joshua would have to come get us out of it. Mostly because the kids here would call us 'crackers' and 'Yankees' and Vicky would beat the shit out of their little asses. He would scold us, even though he doesn't like to. I feel like I'm always a burden to my older brother. Not that I always got in trouble, it was that I would ruin a pair of jeans in a couple of days of recieveing them. I didn't like to be indoors; or my sister for that matter. I liked to be outside running around with my friends. Not only that, but Vicky and I ate us out of house and home. We were growing, so we ate a lot. Most of our brothers paycheck went towards food.

I got a job, and so I started to buy my own clothes. But I still feel bad. Joshua doesn't go on dates anymore because he doesn't have any money or the time.

I felt so guilty. I ruined my brothers life until I moved out.

This is why I'm out here in the rain. I ran away from the guilt. I didn't want to see him sad anymore; I couldn't bare it any longer.

The only thing I had left to my name was a picture of Vicky, Joshua and I, one hundred dollars (in American terms) of my own money, and the clothes on my back, which were now soaked by the rain.

I was cold, wet and now crying on the dirty, alley ground with a bullet in my arm. I missed my family and the warm, safeness our house held. At the moment, I wished I would have never have run away in the first place. I don't know what I was thinking only a few hours ago. I have nowhere to go for pete sake!

Suddenly, I heard someone entering the alley.

My mind and heart started to race. I wasn't hidden enough! How the hell did they find me?!

SHIT!

I looked at the ground and saw a trail of blood. Is this how they found me? Ignoring that I may have just given my hiding place away, I picked up the closest thing to me, which was a crowbar, surprisingly. I carefully picked it up without making any sound as the figure neared my hiding place.

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Next chapter out soon, hopefully!

~*V.O. and V.O.*~