"This is a cruel world, boys. Promise me you'll stick together and keep each other safe."
Caiden woke up suddenly. He sighed. 'Great. More nightmares,' he thought. He looked through the darkness at his brother Carson, sleeping soundly across the room. 'I should get some sleep. The factory will expect me to be at work at five.' Caiden lay back down and tried to get all the haunting memories out of his head. He wondered if his brother had so many bad dreams, so much trouble going to sleep.
In fact, he did.
Carson had always been known as the tougher brother. The one who was ready to jump to conclusions, ready to fight at any time. But he had one major weakness: his past.
As his brother tried to go back to sleep, Carson tossed and turned, his nightmares plaguing his sleep. He bolted up in bed, breathing heavily. His parents' voices still echoed in his head. Carson's twin noticed his quick movements. "Carson? Are you alright?" Caiden said, a great amount of worry in his voice.

"Yeah...yeah. I'm fine." Carson was careful not to tell his brother about his dreams. If he did that, his brother might not think he was so tough. Carson had a reputation to upkeep. "Go to sleep, Caiden. Marston will punish us if he finds out we were up this late."
"Right. Uh...g'night, Carson."
"Night, Caiden."
Both boys rolled over and fell back into a fitful sleep.

End Chapter One.