Exclusive Excerpt: Read the First Pages of “Under The Alien Skin”
Editor’s note: Science Fiction author, Visar Jonuzi has been kind enough to share the first few pages of his new book…enjoy.
“Hope” is the only thing that keeps us moving forward; without it, our souls would be shredded to wind, a lost energy.
Chapter 1: The Big Bang
Brus Brandt, a no one’s family member. Born somewhere, left near Kings Bridge in the Bronx, in a box with a letter writing just a name, a surname, and a date. January 5, 1918, is assumed to be his birthday.
It was evening, and a storm had just passed. The cries of the little infant allured some kids who were playing nearby. They opened the box and felt a sense of terror. The baby's skin had turned a bluish hue. They grabbed the baby and gathered near to keep him warm. One of the kids ran to call for help. A police car and an ambulance came in minutes. They thanked the kids and took the baby to the hospital.
Who would have thought that this baby one day would be the central piece of the puzzle to prevent a worldwide catastrophe?
Brus was sent from one foster home to another. He was full of life and energy, although he had no memory of a parent cuddling him, and no smiling face to remember, not even a single material piece that would bring him an emotion. He needed a grasp of love to hold on, a thought that sometimes, someone would miss him, but there was nothing.
The time passed, and he had grown into a teenager. With no fear in his heart, he had a strong body and mind. Motivated by organized crime, he never bothered to attend school or acquire an education. During that time, he thought of only one thing. “How to be like Al Capone”. He exercised twice a day when other kids played games. He stole from others' food and everything he liked or needed.
Brus was living with five foster kids at Martha’s home. Martha was a lady in her fifties with short, dark hair, and she always wore trousers. She lost her husband when she was just twenty-eight years old and never got married again. Martha never bothered to inquire about the whereabouts of foster kids in her care. She just minded her own business and kept reading the newspaper all day.
Most of his days, Brus stayed on the streets, fighting with people, stealing, and running from the police. There were times that he didn’t even come home for days, but nobody would ask why. As he grew, he began to be angry all the time.
Summer of 1934. Brus was walking near a glasses shop called Moscot’s. Angry as hell, walking with his head up high, dressed up in jeans and a leather jacket, which he had stolen from some kid around the block. With a knife in his pocket, just in case, as he always said, “Better safe than sorry”. He bumped into a middle-aged man who was exiting the glasses store.
“Sorry”
“Watch it, old man, you might get stuck in something”.
Referring to the knife he pulled out of his pocket.
“Sir Goldberg to you, young man”.
Sir Goldberg started walking in the opposite direction, smiling at him.
Brus was ready to go after him and punch him from behind, but he heard someone shouting.
“It’s him, it’s him.”
When he turned his head, there was a group of seven males running towards him.
One of these teenagers was pointing at Brus, accusing him of stealing his jacket.
“Look, he is wearing it right now”.
Brus pulled the knife out and started running towards them. He picked the one who looked stronger, and just like a cold-blooded murderer, Brus pierced him several times in the chest. The others froze as they sensed the devil itself. Brus released the body into the ground as the concrete started turning red. Covered in blood, Brus was staying there with a psycho smile on his face. It was unclear whether he enjoyed it or was unable to comprehend what had happened. Those present at the scene began screaming for help. In that chaos, two policemen on routine patrol arrived on the scene. They pointed the guns at Brus.
“Put the knife down and get to the ground”.
Brus was at peace. Slowly, he lay down. It didn’t take long, and the place was crowded with police officers. Surrounded by the police, something caught Brus’s attention. The man that Brus bumped into early was standing in the crowd, watching Brus like a baseball scout who had found the new star player. The police grabbed Brus and cuffed him, but still his eyes were fixed on the man as he stared back at Brus calmly. The Police took Brus into the car…
Check out “Under the Alien Skin” at: Amazon
Author Bio:
Visar Jonuzi is from Kosovo. He is married and a father of three. With a background in law and a full-time professional career, he balances structured thinking with creative expression through storytelling.
Driven by a lifelong passion for reading and writing, Visar finds inspiration in human resilience, imagination, and the worlds beyond the ordinary. His interests include football, animated films, and gaming, all of which influence his narrative style and sense of adventure.
This debut novel marks the beginning of his journey as an author, where creativity meets discipline and imagination challenges reality.
