Part 1: Crevice

Record #01

I saw a rabbit from behind the bushes I stood by. Next to me was Jul, a twelve year-old boy I addressed as my brother and the oldest of the kids I lived with. He was paying attention to my movements as I taught him how to hunt with just a small dagger of the size of his hand. But he was still too afraid of it: killing an animal.

I had to force myself to do it. It has been four years since I’ve been doing this: haunting. Else, who’ll bring food home? I was the oldest of the five kids I lived with. We lost our real families four years ago, when everything in our world collapsed bit by bit.

We live in the Northern Senrate of Arbem, which it’s divided into other seven sectors, these mostly addressed as Senrate, besides North. It used to be a peaceful and pretty tranquil place to live in, may be due to the fact that our sector didn’t have as many inhabitants as the others. We were known as the smallest Senrate in Arbem and also popular due to farming. North still possesses such a variety of fruits because of the huge woods surrounding the area, our civilization.

And yet, I saw North falling apart at the young age of twelve when the haunting for Hybrids began at its maximum.

If one was suspected to be a Hybrid, you were killed. If someone’s family happened to be hiding one of them, they were assassinated. Anything or anyone related to a Hybrid, must be exterminated; those were their cruel words, the words of our leaders, Arbem’s Government.

And I was one of them: a Hybrid.

I discovered it when I was six, when I was able see further than anyone could. Later I realized I possess an overdeveloped sense of vision, even more evident at night. I’ve never met my real parents but my adoptive ones, a couple kind enough to let me live with them. They found me when I was a baby, around six months old. They couldn’t have a child; my mother wasn’t able to, so when they saw me they thought it was the perfect idea raising me. But they didn’t know the cons of having me, to raise and live with someone like me, a cursed by birth.

After I discovered I was different from the rest, I was afraid to tell them the truth. I was scared to death to reveal my true identity, but my mother was the one who noticed them: my powers. She wasn’t afraid, both weren’t afraid of me and my capacities. She always protected me from people who suspected and I loved her for that, as well as my father, who was the one who taught me all I know. My father taught me how to haunt, how to build a spear with a piece of wood and the upper part of a dagger, throw knives with accuracy, and how to climb properly even if I was too slow for his taste and mine. And unfortunately I still am. He taught me how to survive by myself, to defend myself.

They took good care of me until they were gone, until they were assassinated.

And I will never forget the words they always told me as I grew. “Don’t tell anyone you are a Hybrid. Life for you will turn dangerous if you do so.”

I didn’t completely know what it meant when little, but as I grew older I understood.

Twenty five years ago when a rare virus spread in Arbem; distrust and fear grew to its top. Because we were born amidst a virus named Kangren. Scientists and doctors have failed to eliminate it even after all these years that have passed by and are still trying. Due to this virus Arbem population almost vanished completely because it spread through air. People’s blood couldn’t bare the contaminated chemicals, which led to their veins exploding or convulsing. Weirdly, pregnant women weren't affected but their babies. The babies assimilated the virus into their system creating what we are: Hybrids. And after all this years, Arbem is still trying to overcome this catastrophe. Because not only had the virus spread and took lives away, but animals hidden in each sector’s woods also assimilated it and started attacking civilians. I remember seeing photos and videos of how the Arbem army from all sectors were battling these beasts, they even sent bombs down, which not only successfully killed them but the people around too. And the houses, buildings, farmlands, and else turned into ruins.

Nobody knew how it started, how the virus expanded, and who to blame? Who would the survivors blame? Us, the ones who have Kangren running through our veins. Because we are the vivid memory of the catastrophe which took away those relatives lives.

I saw parents selling their own kids to the North Senrate because of what they were. I saw the rivers outside the city full with blood and little corpses of children, babies and fetuses; and felt like throwing up. Just because of what we were: cursed kids, as they love to address us.

“We just need one more rabbit and we’ll go, ok?” I told Jul when I heard his growling stomach. His skinny complexion made his eyes look bigger and his smile wider. He possessed the usual characteristics of a Northern; pale skin, dark hair, hefty dark eyes and a fragile aspect.

He giggled shyly and nodded at me. We, well I, had hunted three rabbits so far. Jul was carrying all of them.

I returned my gaze towards my prey. It was about four and a half meters away from me. I took the small spear I had made, directed towards the rabbit's head from my spot and threw it. It hit the target and I sighed in happiness. Even if I had already done this multiple times I still felt the nervousness traveling through my body. I stood up, walked towards the lying body of the animal and took my spear back, whose point was dripping of its blood. I lifted the rabbit towards Jul and smiled. He ran to me with a smile played on his lips, like he was proud of me.

“Today’s dinner is served,” I told him.

We walked towards our cabin hidden in the woods. We had once found it abandoned and decided to stay there, because all of us knew staying in the city would be more dangerous than living here, even if the forest was filled with wild animals.

And besides, the city brought us awful memories to all of us.

How I met the other four kids I live with? Thanks to my parents. I used to babysit them and I can proudly say I saw them grow strong and happy. Even if we didn’t have much, they didn’t complain. They made tantrums from time to time, they cried and we fought multiple times, but it only made us grow stronger.

But in comparison to me, they were normal kids.

I stopped in my tracks when I looked towards the town. It was far from where we were but because of the weird noises and the sudden smell of smoke rising I sensed danger.  We walked faster, each time getting closer to our cabin and the city too. I gasped and my hands trembled once we were a few meters away from it. I was able to see it properly now. People were getting attacked by Hunters. People were getting killed unmercifully. The sight of people being shot was getting through my eyes. The sight of the place filled with innocent blood made me shiver. People were running for their lives. I saw desperation and despair in just a few seconds.

They were attacking not only Hybrids but also normal people. Why?

And it made me wake up from my thoughts when I saw the Hunters running towards the woods fully armed to the other families hidden here, towards our cabin and us too.

Soon the sound of people’s wails echoed between the enormous trees.

“Eunbyul, what’s happening?” I heard Jul ask nervously. He was as frightened as I was.

I knew they were getting near. The Hunters were about fifteen meters from where we were.

“Jul, listen to me,” I grabbed his shoulders firmly. “You have to run, ok? The Hunters are back and they are targeting us. Run as fast as you can towards the cabin and protect the kids.”

“But what about you?” His eyes were in the verge of tears. “I won’t be able to defend myself without you.”

“Yes, you will,” I reassured him. “Remember what I taught you.” I handed him one of my spears and whispered my last words before I ran towards the opposite direction. “Be careful.”

I heard some Hunters behind me. They started shooting me and I screamed as I eluded them. I sensed arrows directed to me and dodged them.

I ran and ran. I hid myself in the woods as the moon appeared. The dark surroundings helped me stayed covered. I turned towards my left and hid behind a thick old pine. I heard them passing by, their strong voices echoing in the background. I held my breath when I felt them behind the pine I was.

“Escaped,” I heard monotonously.

I turned my face softly to my right and saw them running back to the city.

Their white puppet-like masks made them look hideous and wretched. And behind those white military uniforms there were hidden their true natures, their humanoid forms, with electrical copper conductors running through their limbs mixed with pure red blood and their poor and small created brain that emitted just short answers.  

I sighed when they were far from me and noticed the night before my eyes.

I went out from my hiding spot silently and turned to where my cabin was supposed to be. I took a few steps as my eyes showed me the way back, but I stopped when I saw it all.

I sensed the Hunters getting back and grew scared.

I just ran. Ran as fast as I could. Ran as my legs hurt, until I didn’t feel them anymore. Even if my eyes were bursting in tears, I ran wherever I was able to. I knew I was getting way too deep in the woods, but I didn’t care. I needed to save myself, as selfish as it might sound.

I stumbled and felt. I tried to stand up, but my legs hurt so much. I looked at the trees and realized I had to hurry. I got the daggers I always hid under my clothes and started dragging myself up. As I nailed once at a time in the