Chapter 1: The Smoke's Call

The navy blue haze leaks slowly from the keyhole, signaling trouble.

I'm starving—famished, really. It's embarrassing to admit, yet here I am, ribs protruding beneath my shirt, while all around me, those within a thirty-mile radius of this transfer station suffer the same fate. We are all succumbing to illness, poisoned air, and tainted meat from diseased animals. Each year, our world deteriorates further. On June 23rd, however, there is a brief reprieve, a restoration that lasts a month, only for decay to resume once more. Our town bears the brunt of this decline; others enjoy more than a month of health. What we need is a Snatcher—specifically, an Unusual Snatcher. Only they can revitalize everything in the area. Unfortunately, just because we need one doesn't guarantee that The Land Above will send it.

Three years back, I made a grave error, one I can never forgive myself for. In a desperate bid to save my own life, I sacrificed my older brother. I was aware of the dire consequences for him, yet my will to survive overpowered my judgment. Now? I find myself in need of his help once again.

It was a Sunday, and we'd spent hours weaving in and out of keyholes, or key ports. I was reckless, transforming our flesh into smoke and entering the key ports that dotted our doors. In vapor form, our essences displayed distinct colors—mine was green, while my brother's was blue. These key ports allowed us to travel anywhere we wished: home, school, or The Land Above. Yet, no one willingly travels to The Land Above except for Snatchers, who are the only ones to return alive.

On that fateful day, I broke a rule my mother and brother had instilled in me: don't push against the portal. I understood the risks but did it anyway, pressing against the pliable vortex until I began spilling into the Nothing.

As soon as I entered the Nothing, my essence retracted. My skull solidified, heavier than usual. My brain rattled inside my head like a small boulder, the fluid around it straining to remain liquid. My skin slowly enveloped my muscles, and I felt goosebumps from the cold. Agony coursed through my nerves as my soft tissue toughened. The pain was overshadowed by a profound emptiness. The Nothing drained my emotions, ripping them away. Before fear faded completely, I cried out, "Help me!" My brother possessed abilities that others did not.

The Nothing continued to pull me out, tearing my shoulders against the portal's walls. A wave of calm washed over my upper body, while panic twisted my lower half. Gathering what little terror I had left, I attempted to cry out again, but I could no longer speak, breath escaping me. My brother would save me—he always did. Within the portal, he performed an extraordinary feat that no one else could. He extended his arm into a firm grip while still inside the portal—an uncommon act. He pulled my legs back, something unheard of; no one could manipulate another person's smoke. With a grunt, he yanked me back in.

The portal shut more swiftly than it had opened, my arm slipping down into the Nothing, severed and lost to me.

Late