Chapter 1: The truth and the lies

Journal entry 1

I am Thomas. I am sixteen years old. I remember how it used to be. I was ten, my parents died fighting for freedom. They gave me 'new' parents, but they are not my parents. I have new siblings, they are meant to replace the ones I loved. They deny life before this. This hell. They are brainwashed peacekeepers. I hate them. They pretend to love me, they try to keep me in line. But they can't. I will never love them, I believe my real parents would think I am doing the right thing. I will destroy this government.

The rules above are how I am supposed to live. But I don't follow them. I am breaking about five of them right now. Of course I do that all the time, it is no big deal. But I have to tell somebody about what ACTUALLY happened. Most people have been brainwashed to think that this happened out of a peaceful agreement. But a few of us still remember. A few of us know still believe in freedom. I am one of those few.

Most of those who still believe this have been interned. Including my sister, my real sister. She was interned when she was 18, I was 11. She told me that I must keep up what she and my parents taught me. That I had to keep her memory and my parents memory alive. But I told her that she wasn't going to die there, she was too strong. All she did was smile and say that I could believe that. Right before they took her away, she gave me her cross necklace. She put it around my neck, kissed my forehead, and whispered in my ear,"Just remember God is always with you, no matter what they do." That was the last time I saw my sister.

This world has become what it is because of war. World war. My original country, the United States of America, was on the side of free will and democracy. The war brought disease and destruction. Then the war stopped. We hadn't won.

Half the world is in ruin, you could die if you walked out of your city from radiation. They keep the truth from us. They make the rule that we can't leave our city so we won't find out. We are like animals to them. Especially those of us that had lived in the USA. The USA is no more, now it is a prison. A horrible prison that you are are sent to for the ultimate disobedience, treason. You live there, surviving alone. Many war prisoners were taken there, now most of them are dead.

"Thomas! It is time for school!" My fake mom shouts.

"What school?" I mutter.

"What was that?" She says walking in the room.

I had already hid my computer on which I wrote my journal on and smiled lightheartedly," Nothing, I just said what school, because I stopped going yesterday. I graduated, remember?"

She smiled. I hate that smile. It reminds me of a snake ready to suffocate its dinner,"Oh, right. Today you start you apprenticeship at the newspaper."

I forced a smile, trying to seem excited, but I wasn't. Writing for the newspaper means lying, lying a lot.

"Now sweety, get dressed and grab your computer, I will drive you there." she says still smiling.

The only reason she wants to drive me was to show off. Any of my friends would scoff, they are as far in line for the US as I am, but I get better treatment because of who my parents were. If they can get the former president's son to believe then they have abolished freedom. Yes, the former president. My father was better than all the presidents before him, for he fought along side everyone and died for them. Anyway, I just nod and get ready. I am going to sneak out anyway...

"THOMAS!? What is the meaning of this?" My fake dad shouts.

I am on the balcony and realize had left my Bible out up there.