You're It!" shouted Meg from the other side of the field.
"Not Fair, you cheated," Cameron yelled at her.
I couldn't help but smile. They were still young enough to be carefree, and not care about the outer world. What I would give to be in that position again, but alas, I'm nineteen now. Being the Son of the Village Mayor means a lot of work for me. Helping with Financials, thinking about ways of expanding our village. The List could go on for a long time, but just the thought of these tasks bored me to the core. Sitting here, underneath this old oak tree, bathing in the last rays of the sun.
Pure bliss.
But the feeling didn't last long, as memories returned about the Recent News Broadcast aired on live TV.
It went all across Panem, announcing the formation of the New Republic of America.
While it surely meant a great leap forward in our history, and the younger generation throughout Panem even now await the first decisions of the New Government.
This couldn't be said for the older population. The people that grew up under the rule of Snow, who fought against the vile dictatorship, and those that grew up on these tales.
My father was a part of this said group, and since that broadcast, I had done little work for him.
Not that I was against that.
For days now, the Mysterious Spokesman of the NRA, and the group of Governors who remained from the times of the dictatorship have been talking ever since. No news has come about these discussions yet.
Of course, those that feared the worst still held onto the hope that Governor Katniss Everdeen would make the right call. She had helped make the Peace last throughout Panem.
Then again, I was seeing more and more people walking strangely, in long coats, concealing relic weapons from the War of Freedom that they had bought for what was about to come, or digging them up from secret spots their Parents had originally hidden them now so many years ago.
"Hey! I touched you!" Cameron shouted.
"You did not!" My sister shouted back.
"Guys..." I moaned. The only thing that annoyed me was when they started arguing. My sister was generally wrong about things, but I had to live with her, so making the right decision was hard. "He did touch you. You're It." I told my sister.
"Fine." Meg huffed.
She gave me the look she always gives me when I go against her. The I-will-kill-you-in-your-sleep look. She would never do that, but I had already realized that her spirit and courage was something that regularly surprised the older folks returning from the pubs at night.
Too many times did I have to pull her away from the drunks, while she constantly berated them.
It slowly dawned on me that the Sun was indeed setting, and my mind connected it with something important.
I looked at my watch and instantly jumped up. It was a few minutes until Six PM, and my parents would kill me if I would be late.
"Kids, it's time to go, sadly," I called to them.
"Ohhhhhhh." Both of them said as one.
"Stop moaning," I told them, "Now get going."
They ran towards the small village of Rome. The place where we lived.
A name from a time now long forgotten.
Snow had kept many secrets to himself. Secrets of the old world that had been revealed once searching through his data storage units.
One of those was a coordinate leading to a large bunker under the western mountain range. The Rocky Mountains they were called, before the flooding and the Wars of the Old World.
The Bunker was a time capsule of sorts. Filled with Paintings, Statues, Books, Globes and other things that remained from the times of old.
Once these things were released to the public, the schooling of children began once again. Learning of things that were old way before the floods.
Since the Citizens of Panem were no longer required to live in the Districts, new Villages sprung up, naming themselves after Cities that no longer stood.
And so, we chose Rome.
The Two Kids were still playing tag in front of me, but I didn't let them wander too far now. I kept my eye on them right until we reached the front door of Cameron's house. After I knocked, Mrs. Daria Penschi, Cameron's mother, opened the door.
Right now, Mrs. Penschi was in pretty good shape, though that varied. Her husband, Cameron's father, had died in a helicopter accident. He had been the pilot of a cargo helicopter when the engine malfunctioned and his vehicle crashed to the ground.
"Here's Cameron, Miss," I said.
"Thank you, Jordan." She smiled, handing me five dollars.
"No Problem, I'm happy to help."
"Bye Jordan, Bye Meg!" Cameron said, and then the door closed.
"Come on Meg, let's get home before it's dark," I told my sister, tugging her on.
In a few minutes, we were already stepping inside our own house. It was large, compared to most houses in the village, and we had two cars parked in front of the house, more than most Villagers could afford. Then again, with my Father being the Mayor of Rome, and my Mother working for the Panem Administration Office, we weren't exactly begging for money.
They were both staring at the TV, looking at the news. This had been going on ever since the declaration of the NRA forming.
My mother was laying out plates for dinner. As the door slammed shut, my mother managed to tear her eyes from the television, and looked at us, smiling.
Father, on the other hand, reacted as if he hadn't heard anything.
"And now for some special news!" The newsreader said, "We have Gotten Information that the discussions between Governor Everdeen, Mellark and the NRA Spokesman, Alexander Creek. Tomorrow, we will be getting to know what the conclusion to these discussions is. Be sure to Tune in to the News tomorrow. The Panem News Team wishes you a good evening!"
The Screen showed the logo of Panem, with a small jingle playing underneath it.
"The NRA is up to no good, I tell you." My Father Said.
"Yes dear, I know." My mother replied, while sighing, having listened to his ranting for the last few days. While her tone and demeanor could've come off as simply not caring about the happenings, she too shared that Paranoia with Father, though she wasn't as vocal. Both of them had a reason to be the way they were. All of my grandparents had in some shape or form taken part in the rebellion that brought down Snow's dictatorship.
Both of my Father's Parents had died in the fighting.
Standing up from the couch, he turned around.
"Ah, Jordan, you're back." He smiled as if he had only just noticed me enter.
"Daddy!" My sister squealed, running forward to hug him like she did every day.
"Hello, Cupcake." He laughed, lifting her up. He grunted a bit but said nothing.
Once Meg let go of dad, she turned to mom and gave her a squeeze too.
I walked up and squeezed the hand of my father, and then gave my mom a kiss on the cheek.
"How was babysitting?" She asked.
"Fine," I said. She knew I wasn't much of a fan of that job, but I couldn't complain. I was getting paid for lazing around all day, watching over a few kids.
"You two arrived just in time. Dinner is ready. Come, sit down."
My stomach rumbled in anticipation. I hadn't eaten much today. Some bread with cheese and that's about it for lunch.
I sat down, my sister doing the same beside me. Uncovering the platter, I couldn't help but smile. The Smell wafted over me, making my stomach complain even more. Venison steak. It wasn't too chewy, and the seasoning was amazing.
Eating my fill as fast as possible, I quickly cleaned up after myself, thanked my dinner, and ran to my room. Finally all by myself.
This was my kingdom. Machine Parts were strewn on my desk. Forgotten Projects. The one that I had worked on the last time was a gutted holodisk, used by Rebel Officers during the Rebellion. I was trying to rebuild it, seeing if it still contained secrets.
My wall was covered in posters. Some of them were from the Old America. Tens of thousands of songs had been found in the Vault up in the Rocky Mountains. They had been made available to the public, and I had quickly gotten hooked to a few bands that I had heard.
I sat down at my desk, thinking about what to fiddle about with, but my mind was blank.
"Oh well..." I muttered, flopping sideways to land on my bed. In no time I had fallen asleep.
"Rise and Shine!" Said a voice, shaking me awake.
"Mom!" I moaned, feeling like I had only slept for a few seconds.
"Come on, I even let you sleep for longer, now wake up!" She ordered.
"Fine..." I grunted.
She left the room, having done the deed of waking me up. Slowly, I sat up, rubbing my eyes. With much grunting, I managed to stand up and get dressed in some clothes fit for a day of relaxation. No babysitting, no Jobs! I had planned a meeting with a friend of mine. He had a fuse that I needed for the holodisk, so I would buy it from him. While I was with him, we could take a closer look at the device. Grabbing my briefcase, I filled it with tools, the Holodisk and other parts that I might use during the day.
Once ready, I rushed downstairs to have breakfast, carrying my briefcase with me. My sister was already sitting on the couch next to father. The news was once again on the TV, and I thought about whether my father had even gone to sleep last night. My Plate was the only one still on the table, so I quickly sat down, grabbed the biggest piece of leftover Venison I could find and started chewing vigorously.
"Slow down, Jordan. I know you'll be meeting friends, but that doesn't mean you have to choke on your food." My mother said from the sink.
I hummed in agreement and chewed a fraction slower.
Looking at my watch, I saw I had more than Thirty Minutes until the meeting.
Perfect!
Walking to the place where I'd meet up would take ten minutes, so I sat down beside my father.
"This bloody parade is shaking up the Capitol more than the Great Fire." My father grunted.
The Great Fire was really just what the name suggested it was. In 2248, Twenty Years before I was born, a massive had started and spread throughout the Capitol, destroying nearly every building in the City. Hundreds had died, and damages are still visible if you ever visit the place, though most of the City Center is as New as it could ever be, and only the very outskirts of the city still showed signs of damage.
"Ah. I've just gotten the info that the Spokesman is about to say a speech. We'll be cutting over to Charlie, who is currently on-scene."
The Picture switched to another man.
"Yes, that's right Richard. We're here live, and- I see the Spokesman."
The man cut off, and a Camera zoomed to the Balcony of the Panem Central Governing Agency.
"People of Panem, I welcome you to this new Era. An Era where everyone will live like Kings and Queens! Our plan isn't to Govern but to expand. We'll restore the power of Panem to such an extent, that it'll rival that of the Old World's America. Panem will be Greater than ever before!" Cheers rang out from the crowd gathered in front of the Spokesman, Alexander Creek.
My Father perked up as he listened.
"However, every road has a few potholes, and we've reached one such pothole that managed to cause damages. I can tell you, it won't be easy to fix, but every mechanic has to start somewhere."
Two White-Cloaked Peacekeepers walked out of the door behind the Spokesman, each carrying a person. The people were visibly tied up.
"What in the hell..." My Father trailed off.
"Our greatest, most beloved Governors have Betrayed us. They have tried killing me in my own chambers after I invited them over to discuss things peacefully. I am a Patient and Forgiving man, however, this: this cannot go unpunished."
A Cold shudder ran down my spine. Something wasn't right. The entire house was silent as we continued watching the news. Even the crowd that had been cheering only a few minutes ago had gone quiet.
"Isn't that right? Governor Katniss Everdeen and Governor Peeta Mellark."
A collective gasp came from the crowd, and even I drew in a breath.
"You have been found guilty of Attempted Murder against the Leader of the NRA, and therefore the punishment is death."
The spokesman drew a pistol from inside his suit, and turned towards them, holding it right up to the head of Governer Mellark.
An audible bang rang out, quickly followed by a second one. The Struggling governers now lay still, the Peacekeepers dragging them away.
"A lesson, for all those that try and follow." He said, putting away the firearm.
It was all too shocking. No, this must be a dream, right?
It wasn't.
The spokesman kept talking.
"For easier administration, we're going to impose a new system. Every small village, with less than Five Hundred Citizens, will be evicted, before the remains of the villages are burnt to the ground. In the Span of a few minutes, Peacekeeper units will arrive. If you live in one of these Villages, I have one thing to say. Do. Not. Resist. They are authorized to use lethal force if necessary. Please comply with everything they say."
"To Hell with that." My Father snarled, jumping up from the Sofa, and running up the stairs.
"For the Good of Panem!" Then the screen went black, along with all the lights in the house.
In no time my father was running down the stairs again, holding an Assault Rifle. A real-life Assault Rifle from the Rebellion.
"Where did you-" I tried asking.
"NO QUESTIONS. GO."
He kicked open the door and started rounding up everyone that was close enough to our house. People were on the streets, all of them having seen the news. I was seeing quite a few with weapons in their hands, or fingers twitching near their pockets.
"To the Forest! It's the only way out!" He yelled, and without hesitation, those that were close enough ran for the trees. Those that hadn't heard soon realized what everyone was doing and followed their lead.
Not a moment later, two APC's came rumbling down our main road, stopping a few meters from the Main Square, where most people had gathered. The Doors opened up, and dozens of Peacekeepers poured out from it, and without warning, the electronic zing of Gauss Weaponry started ringing out. These soldiers were here to execute people, not save them.
People were collapsing on the floor, but now the weapons, previously hidden, were being pointed at the Peacekeepers. Two were downed before the rest managed to get to cover, and Panicked people filled the streets. Roman Citizens and Peacekeepers were exchanging fire, and it wasn't going well for us.
One of the Peacekeepers mounted a Machine Gun, and fired upon the Fleeing Citizens, killing many of them.
It didn't last long as Mr. Polker from the Third House of the Main street hit the Peacekeeper in the chest. Red now colored the white armor of these murderers.
Then my father noticed we were still just standing there.
"I SAID FUCKING GO!" He yelled at the three of us.
My Mother nodded and grabbed my Sister's hand. As I turned to follow, I felt someone grab my shoulder. My father turned me back around and looked me in the eyes, smiling.
"No matter what happens, I will always love you guys. Defend them." He handed me a pistol and two magazines. "NOW GO!"
He gave off two bursts towards the APCs.
I ran.
Three Peacekeepers noticed how many of us were escaping and ran towards us.
Instead of shooting, they tried grabbing kids and women.
The Villagers rushed to help those that were being pulled away, hitting with fists, knives, and bits of iron they had brought as a weapon.
Two Peacekeepers quickly died, but the third held a kid with a pistol pushed against his temple. Cameron Penschi.
As I watched, Mrs. Penschi ran up to the Peacekeeper, but she was struck unconscious with the pistol.
Cameron didn't like that, and turned around, kicking the Peacekeeper in the groin. The man groaned, curling up, but as he did that he shot with his pistol. Hitting Cameron in the head from point-blank range.
I caught my breath, and I felt my anger swell.
Running up to the peacekeeper, I slammed my Briefcase, which for some reason I still carried, into the man's head. I then shot him twice in the chest, and he stopped groaning.
Just as I was about to run along, I took a glance at Cameron's body, a tear running down my cheek. Mrs. Penschi was being carried by two men.
"Strong Resistance. Withdrawing. Commencing Fire Bombing." That was the Peacekeeper's Radio. That wasn't good news.
For Good Measure, I slung the Rifle He carried onto my back, and took his pistol and ammo.
"HURRY UP, TO THE FOREST!" I Yelled.
Already in the distance, I could see black dots, which I knew wouldn't turn out to be birds.
The APCs came to life with a roar, and they started backing away from our Village, going back down the Road.
The men that had stayed to provide some cover fire were now running towards us, though with fewer numbers than when I had last seen them.
With a sigh of relief, I noticed my Father amongst the crowd, carrying Mr. Treniller, who had been shot in the leg.
"We aren't safe yet Son, get going!" My father yelled.
Each of them carried at least two more weapons, scavenged from the Peacekeepers.
By now, the bombers were getting louder, until they were drowning out the APCs.
"We're gonna make it!" Mr. Polker yelled joyously.
Then he stopped, and I glanced back for a moment.
Blood was trickling from a hole in his forehead, and he collapsed in that second.
"They have Snipers! Get Going. Trees will give us cover!" My father yelled.
We were the last ones to enter the forest, leaving behind easily fifty dead civilians.
I smiled at my father, who smiled back.
Before I knew what had happened, my father was gone. A thin red mist hung in the air where he had stood.
He Lay on the floor now. His Head leaking blood.
"Grab those Weapons and Run!" Mr. Jaelm Cried, sprinting after the other Villagers. Mr. Morris and Mr. Hordon picked up Mr. Treniller and ran too.
I had to be dragged from the body of my father, by Mr. Bireli the shock still heavy on my shoulders.
My Father. Dead.