Chapter 1

  As a kid, I could never decide who was more evil—the deer running for its life or the lion hunting for its food. Still, I always felt a strange sense of relief when the deer was finally caught. At least then, neither animal was fighting for its life anymore, right? My dad used to say, “No animal is born inherently evil—if such a thing even exists.”

  2075 is the year, 50 years ago was the start of the war. It started with the citizens exercising their right to protest and using their voices to stand up to the government. The government had implemented a law enforcing the censorship of all it considered vulgar independence, freedom of speech, love, everything, The Silentium Act which means the silence act in Latin.

  Many citizens thought this was the work of some sort of terrorist attack because they couldn’t believe their government and the people they elected would do this to them, but unfortunately, it was not. It was our government fully turning on us. They realized enough work was not being done for each country. Nobody was producing enough products or, in turn, money. So, each country, one by one, joined the global unity directive or the T.G.U.D.

  It was established by a company named Land Tame, which was used for people to landscape big properties. From what I know it was mostly used by the extremely wealthy. The company was started by a man named Haller Kail. He, not surprisingly, was born into a rich family, having everything handed to him on a silver platter. He was very well known among the wealthy as to why his company became huge so fast, making him the youngest billionaire with a net worth said to be in the 400 billion. But people back then said he was not a bad man; he had donated millions to charities for the homeless. Although he did once say in an interview that he thought

  “The homeless were some of the vilest humans he’d ever seen” then saying how he “could never live such a disappointing lifestyle”.

  People looked the other way when that was broadcasted, though, because actions speak louder than words, right? Wrong because a few years later he would be one of the main reasons life for most people was miserable. He was why the average of missing people went up so much. It was all his fault. Good thing he died in 2055 from a heart attack in his sleep. Many people believe he was actually killed but that was never proven.

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  After every single country joined the T.G.U.D., the people started turning on each other, blaming the other for their vote of the people in power who had taken their rights away. So instead of being mad at the actual government who had sold them out for money, they took their anger out on their own people: Friends, family, everyone. A war started, the great war.

  In turn, millions of people died due to violence at the hands of their own people. The government took that time as an opportunity to sneak in and play the hero cleaning the blood off the streets. They then tell civilians about how the new system will benefit those who work hard, those who would give up their freedom for a hard life and an insured future for their kids. The people took that opportunity, and everyone eventually fell in line.

  Work, home, work, home. Over and over every day of every year, not one break, not until your fingers bleed and your bones stiffened, which happened at about age 55, but most died way sooner.

  Since they worked us to death, they made sure the food was at least somewhat nutritious. It was all manufactured and labeled as "packed with all the nutrients a person needs." But growing your own food? That came with a punishment far worse than death. You would be dragged out of your home at the busiest time of day by two officers, each with one hand under each of your arms. You would be pulled into the podium in town center as the leading officer would call out to people telling them to gather around. You then would be placed in front of a big wood table that’s in the middle of the small medal stage, made special for events like these. Your hands then slammed down on the table as an officer in a gray uniform rolled your sleeves up. The leading officer would then go up to the speaker at the podium and yell your name and then say

  “due to the crime of growing poison you are sentenced to 3 fingers chopped off and thrown into the dirt you claim can grow your food”.

  The officer who was holding your hand would then get passed a chef's knife by the other officer and would then hack down on your fingers. The crowd would look scared and disgusted hearing the bang of the knife coming down and the crunch of your bone. When it was done the citizens would then be forced to clean the table and wrap your now disfigured hand in thin gauze.

  They can only take up to 5 fingers so you could still work the fields or at the office. Although there have been times officers have taken things too far and took a whole hand, it's rare though, considering how they get tired of the screams.

  Officers aren't like us; there's nothing behind their eyes except obedience. Unlike the rest of us who only feel fear. The officers all wear this gray and black uniform with a hard mask covering all but their dead eyes. They all carry a gun on their back. They patrol the city night and day standing completely still until someone steps out of line. And if you dare to speak ill about any of the tragedies happening around us then they would take you somewhere (nobody knows exactly where). And you would then come back having no questions or answers. You would be a shell of your former self, numb.