The five hours had vanished like smoke. Tohi stood upon the high wooden platform, looking out at a sea of a thousand faces. The crowd was a blur of cold eyes and judging whispers.
Two hooded executioners grabbed his arms, their grip like iron as they forced him toward the center of the stage. The rough hemp of the noose was lowered over his head, the fibers scratching against his skin. As the rope began to tighten around his neck, the world seemed to slow down.
Is this it? he thought, his heart thundering against his ribs. Is this the end of the Kanisi line?
Images of his family flashed before his eyes—his father's warrior stance, his mother's smile, his sister's small hand. A sudden, burning heat erupted in his chest. It wasn't fear anymore; it was pure, unfiltered rage.
I don't want to die, his mind screamed. I don't want to die like a criminal for a crime I didn't commit! I want justice. I want revenge on the King who calls me a monster, and I want the blood of the demons who tore my world apart.
The executioner reached for the lever. The rope went taut, cutting off his breath. Just as the floor was about to drop, something inside Tohi snapped.
Suddenly, the rope and the crowd vanished. Tohi was back in his kitchen, the air smelling of his mother's cooking. His father was laughing, lifting his little sister into the air. The warmth was so real that Tohi collapsed to the floor, sobbing with relief.
His mother knelt beside him, her face full of concern. "Tohi? What's wrong, my son?"
Before he could answer, a familiar knock came at the door. It was his friend, calling him out to play. Tohi wiped his eyes, a desperate hope rising in his chest. It was a dream, he thought. The fire, the King, the rope—it was all just a nightmare. "I'm okay, Mom," he whispered. "Just a bad dream."
But as he turned to follow his friend, a cold shiver ran down his spine. He looked back at his mother, wanting to touch her one last time. He reached out, his fingers brushing her shoulder.
In an instant, the warmth turned to ice.
His mother turned around, but her face was now a mask of gore and blood. Tohi stumbled back, tripping over the bodies of his father and sister, who appeared suddenly at his feet. They were exactly as he had left them in the ruins of Kasoi.
"You killed us," his father's voice rasped, his eyes cold and accusing. "By staying alive, you failed us. You couldn't protect your family... you couldn't even protect yourself. You are nothing but trash."
His little sister held up her mangled, broken arm, her voice a ghostly whisper. "We can't play anymore, big brother. You let them break me."
"No!" Tohi screamed, clutching his head as the walls of his home began to crumble into ash. "No, it wasn't me! It's not my fault! NO!"