Prologue

The party started like any other would. A bunch of family and friends came early to bring a special dish of their own or to bring small gifts. Some came early because they had to leave early. Nobody knew it yet, but those people were fortunate they did.

At a large house that sat in the suburbs of Detroit, a going away party was being thrown for an average raven haired beauty named Shelia Go. The next day, Shelia would be heading for Upperton, Colorado where for the next four years she would be attending a university and earning a degree in teaching. It was very likely she would never be coming back home.

Shelia was actually looking forward to leaving. For all her life she had been the smart (both with her mouth and her mind) kid. She wasn't smart enough to skip a grade, but she was still an A+ student in all the advanced class available for her grade. That didn't exactly keep people away from her though, although it didn't help.

It was how people saw her treat others that even dared to say a word to her about how "uncool" she was or something like that, especially in junior high and elementary school. High school hadn't been so bad because you'd here people saying mean things and getting into fights all the time. The point was, everyone was scared of her because if you made her mad, you'd be paying for it and it wouldn't be pretty.

Besides that, Shelia was a good girl, and only her family and the few friends she had actually been able to make new that.

Now she was moving on, and would no longer be surrounded by people who cowered in her presence when all she wanted to do was get to know you. It frustrated her, and now she had the chance to get as far away from it as she could. She could start anew, make a change with her life, and she was more than ready.

Shelia made her way down the stairs and walked around the house just to see who all was there. She wasn't surprised when she noticed all the eyes that were watching her; after all, she was good looking.

She was wearing a short, strapless, light green sundress with her hair up in a pony, making it seem she was showing off more than she actually was. On her chest rested a diamond shaped emerald that hung onto a silver chain that was about an inch thick. To any normal person, she was simply one word…beautiful.

As she made her way around the house and the backyard, she smiled modestly; basking in all the attention she was being given.

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Most people had left by now, heading home because it was getting late. The only ones remaining were distant family members that didn't get to visit very often. Even those would be leaving soon though, because it was now bordering midnight.

Shelia knew that her three younger brothers would be forced to bed as soon as the last person left. Hector would probably do so too, but then again, maybe not. She just didn't know. Either way there was still on last thing she wanted to do with them before she left tomorrow morning.

Leaving behind her place next to the table where the abundant amount of gourmet foods had been (there were still plenty more for leftovers for at least two days), Shelia went on a search for them.

Melvin was rather easy to spot. Along with her, he was hanging out outside, although off by himself. From where she was, it was hard to tell what he was doing, but it looked like he was playing one of his video games.

How could a sixteen year old be so obsessed with video games?

Quietly she made her way up to him and sat down in a chair. "Hey, what's up?"

Melvin wasn't in any hurry to reply. "Nothing." He said still concentrating on his video game. There were a few more moments of silence until he paused his game and set it down on the table. "You came here for more than to just ask me that didn't you?"

"I was wondering if you could help me find Hector and the twins. I want to do something before I leave in the morning." She asked, looking out in the distance as she stopped talking.

Melvin looked at her funny, not understanding what she meant. He followed where her eyes were looking and finally got it. The place wasn't used much anymore, but there were a lot of special memories connected with it. Of course, being as old as he was and being a guy, didn't really care if he went up there again, but this was for his sister, so he could compromise. "Fine." He said getting up and grabbing his game. "I'll meet you over there in a few." With that he walked away towards the house.

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About fifteen minutes later they had met up at the tree house rooted in the far corner of the yard.

Melvin had found Hector talking up a storm with one of their cousins who happened to be the same age as him. It took a while to pull him away, but he came eventually. Their cousin followed them outside, claiming she wanted to see Shelia before she left, but was quickly distracted by something or someone as soon as they were out the back door.

For Shelia it had been a piece of cake. The twins had been up in their room with there slightly older cousin, showing her something on the internet. Right about when she told the two boys what she wanted to do, their cousins' mom came in to get her so they could go.

After they all got up there in the tree house, everyone took their places, more out of habit than anything else. Years ago when the house had been built for them, they had chosen a spot that they were comfortable in and they kept it to this day. Wendell and Weston had taken the east window, Hector to the right of the opening in the floor, Melvin the corner opposite of the twins, and Shelia at the other window next to Melvin.

No one in the small space even said a word before deafening screams reached them from outside. All five siblings surround the twins' window and looked out to see what all the fuss was about. On the ground were a bunch of people running in every direction away from where they were. What they were screaming at made the five turn pale.

Hurtling right towards them was a multi-colored, egg-shaped meteor. It was too late for them to flee now. All they could do was huddle together in Melvin's corner, the farthest away they could get from the window, waiting for their doom.

There was a sudden crash, and pieces of wood falling every which direction, but that was it. The only thing that survived was the floorboard they were all laying sprawled out on.

Shelia didn't even have time to look around before a green cloud engulfed her body. Slowly and painfully, as her body somehow absorbed whatever it was in the green stuff, everything faded away into oblivion and she passed out. The last thing she saw was the same thing happening to her brothers. Struggling to get it out, she breather, "I'm sorry."

This was the beginning of the end.