I open my eyes and sigh as I see the all too familiar gray walls of my home.
I've been here for as long as I can remember. I never knew my parents, or any of my family, but the people who raised me say that the only family I have that's still alive is my uncle. But he didn't raise me because he's a State Alchemist.
I've been living here for twelve years now. But I have a strange feeling. A feeling that everything is going to change real soon.
I rise off of the bed and begin my usual daily chores. My life is, well, terrible. The only thing I do all day is chores and school, then more work. I only get the bare minimum amount of food to survive, but I'm still alive.
My only friends are a young girl who's in a similar situation to me, and a woman who lives across the street. They're both kind to me, but I long for real parents.
Still, I know something cool that no one else in this town knows: alchemy. I'm only a beginner, but I'm pretty good. I want to prove to my uncle that I'm good enough for him to raise me.
I sigh again, just thinking about my life, as I work on the front garden. Off to my left, I hear someone scream, then gunshots. People peek out of their homes to see what's going on. I myself stare to the left, wondering what could be happening.
A group of men come walking down the street, guns in hand. Every time they pass a house, a few men enter it and soon every resident of that house is standing on the lawn. One of the men, I'm guessing the leader, takes any young looking girl away from what I can see. Among the crowd of girls the men are hoarding, I see my young friend.
They've reached my house and the kind lady across the street's house. One man walks up to me and points his handgun at me. "Don't move." He orders in a gruff voice as two other men run inside my house. They bring out my parents and I look across the street to see Kimber, the kind woman, and her husband being dragged out of their house.
I forgot; Kimber is almost nine months pregnant. The baby should be coming soon.
The leader man walks up to me and my family and starts inspecting us. What are we, his prey? I ask myself as he looks over me. His gaze drifts up and down my body a few times, and it's making me nervous.
"Take her." He says nonchalantly before walking to Kimber and her husband. I watch him chose Kimber as well before two men take my arms and drag me towards their collection of women. Panic sets in and I try to break free as my parents simply stare in horror, not even trying to help me.
"No!" I shout, the panic rising. "No!" I look to my parents. "Please! At least tell my uncle!" I can only hope he'll care enough to save me.
Kimber's husband is fighting desperately to get to her, but one of the men shoots him in his left leg and he falls to the ground. "No! Marcus!" Kimber screams, and he reaches out towards her from the ground.
I'm pushed into the clump of about ten girls, and Kimber is pushed next to me. As we are herded forward, I take her hand and give her a sympathetic look. She smiles down at me sadly, tears in her eyes. I can only imagine the pain she's going through right now. Being taken away from her husband, when their baby is soon to come… I clench my other fist in anger.
After the men take every house on this street, they take us back to what I'm guessing is their main base of operation. Most of the men stand guard outside the filthy room we are all shoved into. The leader goes off into an adjacent room to do lord knows what, and I look around.
Fourteen girls in total.
This can't be real. It can't be!