The world ended on a Tuesday.
It didn't scream or shatter. It tore.
One moment, I was perched on the orphanage roof, patching up a leak. It was relaxing to do. The kids in the orphanage were all in the yard, playing as Sister Mary watched over them. It was like any other day, the sun high in the clear sky, the cool air that lessened the heat of the sun.
Then i saw it--- a beam of light, shooting up into the sky some miles away. The clear skies immediately darkened, the wind howled furiously to say a storm was coming. The sister hurriedly herd the children inside. I tried to get down when the air shifted.
The wind stopped, mid-breath. The trees froze—not a whisper, not a sway. Even the birds in the sky seemed trapped in time, wings locked in place.
I froze mid climb, unease crawling over my skin.
That's when it happened.
The sky to the ground split.
A jagged seam of violet light opened across the heavens, burning through clouds like a blade through silk. Thunder didn't follow. Instead came a low, grinding hum that vibrated my bones, like the earth itself had been cut and didn't yet know how to scream.
Soon after the split, the earth rumbled and shook violently like it crashed into something. The ground trembled. Buildings shuddered. I raced inside. Sister Mary met me at the door.
"Get them to the basement!" she ordered. "Now!"
Then the bleeding began, not with blood. With creatures. The rift spat out beasts made of nightmare and madness—hulking shadows with bone-masks, serpent wings that blotted the sun, and crawling things that moved like thoughts too dark to speak. They fell on the city with no mercy.
One crashed into the orphanage.
In a single, horrifying moment, it sliced Sister Mary in half.
The kids screamed.
We all froze—paralyzed by terror.
They watched critter with lots of teeth gather the corpse of the sister.
I was knocked out of the paralysis with a rumbling. The critters immediately ran causing him to be wary. I dragged the children to the basement and shoved them in.
They were crying and Allen reassured them, "Come on guys, Don't cry," I told them, forcing a smile. "Your big brother's going to get help, okay? Just wait here."
Some of them stopped while some others wailed even louder. I managed calm them down and after a little while, I left, closing the door.
I was about 8 feet from the basement when the rumbling became violent. A sand wyrm, massive and grotesque, burst from beneath the orphanage. It tore through the building—through the basement.
The screams of the children immediately vanished with the wyrm going back into the ground.
I fell to my knees, hot tears running down my face. My eyes filled with pain and grief. I crawled to the ruins, blood pounding in my ears. Tears spilled freely. My hands shook. I who was abandoned at the door of the orphanage, this was the only family I knew and now they are all dead.
I picked up a jagged metal rod and pressed it to my chest. There was nothing left to live for. But was stopped by someone calling his name.
"Big brother… Allen?"
I stopped.
I turned to where the voice came from and there he was, Matthew—one of the youngest—was trapped beneath a slab of rubble, Alive.
I dropped the rod and sprinted to where he was. I pushed. Pulled. Clawed at the rubble. Nothing moved.
Matthew whispered with a smile, "Its okay, I already made my peace. I am going to the big house in the sky.", His voice weak "I am glad I got to see you again Allen"
"Shut your mouth" I growled. "What does a kid know about making peace and dying? I'll get you out of there, just you wait"
As if on cue, soldiers filed into the streets, firing at a monster. I ran out for help to find the soldiers firing at a green monster with round nose, long ears and a huge build. It looks human like and carried a wooden club riddle with tiny metal spikes.
The bullets from the soldiers assault only left scratches on the body of the monster.
Other soldiers saving people stuck in houses and encircled by monsters.
I ran to them.
"Please! A kid—he's trapped! You have to help—"
Orders changed.
The soldiers began to retreat, only grabbing those they deemed "savable." They pulled me with them.
I screamed. Cried. Fought.
Then the airstrike came. Fire and steel rained down on what was left of my home.
Totally destroying everything in the area closest to the tear. I watched, far away from the blast radius.
Matthew never stood a chance. I screamed at the sight but the explosion drowned his voice. My family is gone for good.
The next day, we were processed into a military-run refugee camp. I couldn't sleep. Couldn't speak.
After the chaos died down a little, I search for an official. Eventually, I found a corporal and demanded answers.
He looked at me with tired eyes. "I'm sorry. The government marked them as unsalvageable. An acceptable loss. Minimal casualties." He said with the most sincere look he could muster.
"I am sorry for your loss"
He pats me on the shoulder and walked away.
I stood there, numb, still processing the words that came from the corporal. I could not believe the words I had heard, Rather I didn't want to believe it.
Then I overheard two soldiers talking.
"I seriously don't get the higher ups' logic. First they delay our deployment, then they pulled us back when we were in the middle of a search and rescue." Said one soldier
"They probably have a reason, our job is to follow orders and get paid." said the other
"True but I still feel bad for those that were left there. I think i saw a kid stuck under something, he was alive."
Both soldiers walked past.
My world went quiet.
I began to shake, not from anything but from rage. My hands curled up into a fists, nails digging into his palms.
"Acceptable loss."
"Minimal casualties."
My family.
My little brothers and sisters.
Gone.
And no one cared.
"First they didn't respond early, then when they did, they pull out and order an airstrike."
" They say its an acceptable loss."
"A minimal casualty."
"Orders from above."
My eyes widened with grief and anger.
"I'll make them pay, both the monsters and the government."
"The price for killing my family is steep and I am going to collect the debt in full."