"Penelope and Elsie!"

I was in pure shock. My Mom and Violet ran over to the sickly girls,

Kneeling down, my Mom helped up a weak Elsie.  Her legs were shaking and her eyes were barely open.

Looking over, Violet fell to her knees, her hands covering her mouth.  Her eyes widened as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"P-Penelope!" Violet managed to say, her voice cracking as she attempted to hold back her tears.

Looking up, Penelope produced a small smile, her dry lips cracking.

"We got to get out of here", Alexander said rather quickly, glancing around the room anxiously.

Running over to Penelope, Alex wrapped a hand around her thin waist, hoisting Penelope up.  Alex slowly walked back the way we came.
~~~
Walking out of the abandoned shack, a sick feeling washed over me.  I began to sweat, wiping my forehead.  I gulped.  With every step I took, my stomach turned.  Screaming in agony, I could feel my throat tightening.  My mouth began to water.  Swallowing once more, I could feel warmth course its way through my stomach, rising to my dry throat.  I wanted to call out, but I felt the weight of my head twitch unsteadily.  Looking ahead of me, I reached out with a shaky but clammy hand in order to grab someone for support.  Stumbling, I fell.  Wrapping my hands around my mouth, the taste of bile filled my mouth, making me gag as I attempt to swallow.

"Brooklyn!" My brother shouted, struggling to turn around with the extra weight.

Looking behind my brother, I could see a tall, slender figure, which was lurking behind a tree.  Its long claws were wrapped around the bark of the tree.  Gurgling noises were the only sounds I could hear.  A figure closed in on us.  My vision becomes blurred.  My stomach twist into knots.  My vision was clouded and my head began to spin, making me feel unsteady.

The man walked behind my brother and raised something in the air.  With all my strength, I screamed, pointing behind him.

"Alex!" I screamed in agony.

Alexander turned around, his eyes widening in pure fear.  The colour drained from his face.  It was too late!  The cloaked man grabbed Alex by the shoulder blade, causing Alex to squel with pain. The hooded figure pushed him down the hill.  Stumbling, Alex grabbed the man's arm and brought him down with him, the sound of twigs snapping from their weight, followed by the loud thump of the gloved man shoving Alex into the bark of a fallen tree.

"Alex!" my mom shouted, giving Elsie to Emily as she ran over.  A piercing sound of something sharp penetrating flesh is all I could hear as another tall cloaked person came from behind my Mom.  A trickle of blood dripped from my Mom's mouth as she hunched over and fell.  Holding her hip, she cryed out in pain.  She attempted to get up, but she ended up falling once more.  Blood dripped onto the grass, the once green grass had been died crimson.

"Mom!" I screamed, my throat burning.  I attempted to push myself up.  Pain shot through my leg.  My swallowing became more intense.  My throat tightened as it dried.

Looking over at my brother, I could see that he was struggling.  He was kicking and punching, but nothing worked.  He was grabbed by the collar of his blue shirt, which was now stained with blood from his nose.

The cloaked man made him stand on his feet, still holding onto his collar.  He lifted him up.  My brother was now kicking his legs frantically. The cloaked man dropped Alex, jumping on top of him.

He lifted up what looked like a metal rod, and slammed it into the back of his head.  My brother's frantic movements came to a sudden stop.  His hands fell from the grip of the cloaked man's jacket and fell with a thud onto the grass.  His head fell to the side facing me, tears falling from his greying eyes.  The colour of his cheeks faded, and his face paled.  Blood trickled down his forehead and onto his slightly open lips.  His eyes slowly closed until the last tear fell from his eyes.

"ALEX!" I scream uncontrollably.  My shoulders slouched as I sobbed.  I made an attempt to stand up once again but, to my dismay, I couldn't.  The same pain shot through my leg,. My stomach lurched in agonising pain.

"I'm useless!" I screamed, the soreness of my throat making my voice sound croaky.  I slammed my fist into the soil beneath me.  My chest tightened as I gasp for air between sobs.  Grabbing fists full of my short hair, I tugged.  Every inch of my body felt heavy.  My breathing became erratic.  My mind was chaotic.  Images of the past flashed before me, all replaced by the sorrowful look my brother gave me moments ago.  My face was streaked with dried and fresh tears.  My eyes and cheeks were red, and my breathing was shallow.  I looked up.

The thing that took my Mom was now staring at me.  From under its black cloak came two grey, long malnourished claws, from which droplets of red dripped onto the grass.

"You!" I shouted, my voice gruff from crying.  Anger coursed through every inch of my body.

There were now four hooded figures.  The one that attacked my brother had joined the rest.  Laying by their feet was a unconscious Emily and my Mom.  I could see her chest rise ever so slightly.

The smallest of the four hooded figures, who had a tight grip on an unconscious Violet, walked over to me.  Dropping Violet, the three other cloaked figures followed.

"Why are you doing this!" I clenched my fist in anguish.

The four figures stopped in front of me.  My hands began to tremble with fear.  Realising who they were, my heart dropped.  My breathing quickened.

"Hello, our dear Brooklyn!"

The gloved man dropped the metal rod and removed his hood to reveal a porcelain mask.  Around his neck was a pendant, which was identical to Dahlia's.

The hooded figure reached both gloved hands around the back of his head, and undid the knot that held the mask.

As the mask fell to the ground, my eyes widened with fear.  My lip quivered as I looked into his soulless eyes.

"Father!"

End of Chapter 28!

Ah, I can't believe it's Chapter 28.  This one was quite difficult to write, but I hope you like it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what played through in this chapter!