Kyh’yea glanced inquisitively at her surroundings.

‘Gran’pa?’ she asked puzzled, ‘What are we doing here?’

‘I don’t know ‘Lea,’ the patient elderly man replied, perplexed himself. The census wasn’t to be taken for another seven or so years. He racked his mind to think of any plausible reason for gathering all the townsfolk into the town Square like this.

Suddenly soldiers appeared on the roofs of the buildings surrounding the Square swiftly encompassing the bewildered people.

‘Draw your weapons!’ a voice commanded.

‘Gran’pa what’s happening now?’ Kyh’yea asked again as she watched her Grandfather with intense curiosity trying to pick up cues from his expression. A flutter of opaque fear rippled through the clustered people and soon they were shoving at each other.

‘Fire!’ the same voice commanded.

Abruptly Kyh’yea felt herself being pushed roughly to the hard packed ground. Confused and a little winded, she curled herself into a small ball as loud cracks were heard upon the air immediately followed by screams. Suddenly she felt heavy weights drop upon her, she suppressed a small scream. Hot sticky liquid began to drip all over her and then… it was over. An eerie silence descended. Kyh’yea was being crushed under the weight of all the bodies but she was too shocked to attempt to move. The scent of fear and blood and the weight of all the corpses were taking their toll: she began to suffocate.

Unexpectedly the weight began to lessen and she caught a waft of fresh air. Bile began to rise in her throat and it all went dark.