Alto

Alto packed his childhood up and threw it away the day his parents died. Commonwealth Outercrafts had dropped bombs everywhere and his parents were messengers trying to get everyone to the safe house. He remembered his dad carrying him, he was only 3 years old. His dad was doing everything he could to shield Alto from debris and dirt. Smoke filled their eyes and it made it hard to see anything. Even though Alto had no idea what was going on, he could feel the sense of urgency and his dad’s heartbeat quickening by the second. Treyton and Charmaine Queensley were screaming directions to the safe house for people to go to. The bombs were getting closer to their area and the Outercrafts were getting louder, chaos erupting as people no longer cared about each other, but only for themselves. Then, Alto heard a thump and a scream right beside him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that his mother had fallen. If he had cried or screamed in the moment, he didn’t remember anymore. Time felt like it had stopped in place as his dad slowed down to help her up. She had broken her ankle and there was nothing left for her to do. She sobbed and screamed at Trey to go but he never left her side. In that split second, Lucas, Treyton’s best friend, was running past. Alto saw that his dad had pulled Lucas down a little, and spoke to him sternly.

“Luke. Give my boy to Rudy. I don’t have much time left.” In his haste, Lucas only nodded and patted Trey on the back in sympathy. Then he pried Alto away from his dad’s arms and ran into the safe house with him. Alto caught a final glimpse of his parents before the smoke and debris engulfed them and a loud booming sound followed. He remembered babbling and screaming, wanting his mom and dad. Lucas calmed him down and told him that they would be back. Alto wished they would be back. He wished for so long. He wished every night for 6 years. Then he and Nile got into a fight and Nile blurted out the truth. That his parents were dead. Alto didn’t talk to him for a year after that. But Nile eventually won him back. Alto vowed to himself that he wouldn’t let anyone do that to him ever again. Not after ULTRASONIC. Not after Nile. He was never going to trust anyone too easily ever again.

But then came Janus. Janus was different. He was like Alto and his story was similar. Alto felt like they could really understand each other. He needed someone to understand him. Janus couldn’t die.