1925, New York City

After months of suffering and fighting in the Great War I was more
than ready to return home. I felt a wild rush of euphoria as I stepped off the
train, a slight breeze running through my dark brown hair. Nostalgia
overwhelmed me when I heard the familiar crunch of the loose
cobblestone path I had played on for so many years. Already accustomed
to the jolt of fear each time the war alarm rang, I wondered what it would
be like to finally return to normal life again.
Yet despite all of my overflowing excitement and relief, I could not
help but feel as if there were an ominous cloud shrouding my hometown.
The once busy city jostling and buzzing with the life of merry people
seemed to be silenced. Sounds of children shouting gleefully, the pitterpatter of dozens of feet walking on the stone pathway, and the distant
rhythmic hammering of the stone cutter were all nonexistent. Something
was wrong.
A slight whiff of smoke lingered in the air. The second I caught sight
of my once intact hometown, I felt my heart drop. My temporary elation
was wholly dashed at the dreadful view of the flattened, demolished city.
Ashes and blackened craters spotted the upturned rubble. Immediately I
became anxious over the thought of my family--Where are you? Please be
safe!

With that thought I quickly made my way through the destroyed city
to what I used to call my home. But in the corner of my eye I caught sight
of a subtle movement in the shadows under a pile of debris. By squinting, I
could make out the shape of a mother and her child huddled together in a
pitiful bundle shaking with what I assumed was from the cold but could
have also been out of fear. Fear of what exactly? That's where my theory
comes up short. There's no indication anywhere as to what could have
caused this tragedy; but I'm now determined to find out. I heard the mother
quietly whisper,
Look at that foolish man, he is doomed to be taken by the government!
Finding and confirming my parents safety was my first priority so I
resisted the urge to ask questions and delved deeper into the wrecked
wasteland. Something unknown about the eerie atmosphere triggered my
defense instinct, pressuring me to brandish my shotgun at anything
moving, but I did not want to appear as a threat to the survivors.
As I gingerly stepped through the wreckage, I could feel dozens of
pairs of disapproving eyes glaring at my back from the shelter of shadows.
I spotted a woman about ten feet away from me, grime covering what I
could only assume were once beautiful features. Once I got close enough
she hissed,
What are you doing? Do you want the government to find you, not
to mention all of us? Go on get out of here before we make you. I wasnt

used to such hostility, thinking back to my time here before the war I can
remember only smiles and friendly faces. I eagerly made my way home,
still offset by my confrontation with the woman, tripping over my own two
feet and the rubble in my path.
As the same with the surrounding houses, my familys home was
stripped down to nothing more than a piled jumble of shattered concrete,
bricks, and masses of wire. My mother and sister were nowhere to be
seen. In a panicked frenzy, I feverishly began to dig up the rubble with my
bare hands in the ridiculous hope of uncovering their bodies until I heard
uneven footsteps behind me. Turning my head, I saw what looked like two
walking ghosts staggering toward me. It was frightening at first, but as I
looked closer, I recognized the pale, familiar faces of my mother and sister.
Finally...after so much time my mother croaked, mustering a
weak smile. When I approached them, my immense relief transformed into
horror at the sight of their drastically changed appearances--blackened
burns covered their arms and legs. Their wan, translucent skin was
stretched tightly over their cheekbones as if they had not eaten for a week.
I am so glad to finally see you, I affectionately said, But..what...is
all this? To my surprise, my sister, Lucille, suddenly burst into tears. She
usually kept a stoic composure and hid her feelings--I had never seen her
so distraught.

Oh Henry! she wailed, clinging to my sleeve, You wont believe

whats happening! After the Japanese dropped a chemical bomb here, the
government decided to take advantage of the survivors! I--Ive seen so
many children being taken away by the governments soldiers--
What? Where are the survivors being taken?
I-I dont know! Apparently its top secret--but when my poor friend
Rebecca was captured, she never came back!
That is why everyone is hiding! I discovered, agitatedly glancing
around at the survivors crouching in the shadows. Thats when I noticed
that a small boy was desperately mouthing words--directed at me?
Confused, I eagerly tried to make out was he was trying to say:
Run.
Before it could register, I felt a searing sharp pain at the back of my
head, black dots spotting my vision. My sister screamed, futilely struggling
against the armor clad arms that were currently holding her in place and
dragging her away. The blow was painful, but it was nothing compared to
the feeling of having my family taken right out of my grasp. With a burning
determination, I withdrew my shotgun, aiming at the soldiers heads with
expert marksmanship. I pulled the trigger many times, but heard sharp
tings that indicated what I feared most--bulletproof helmets and clothing.
Frantic, I threw down the gun in a panic. If a gun didnt work, I would
have to use my bare hands. With three of them and one of me, I was

utterly outnumbered and overpowered, but I would do anything to save my

family. I shakily rose to my feet still dizzy from the hit to my head. The
soldiers scoffed .
Before I could reach them, the loud bang of a gun sounded and I fell
on my knees as an excruciating sting jolted through my leg.
Henry! my mother managed to shriek before being muffled by a
clot soaked with Ether.Her body went limp.
Stop! Please, take me instead! I shouted, groping the air.
Should we kill him? I heard one of the guards quietly say.
Nah, just leave him. In his state Im sure hell be dead just as soon
as we put a bullet through his head. the other one gruffly said.
Lucilles feeble, scrawny body was no match for the brawny soldiers.
One of them effortlessly slung her over his shoulder, proceeding to
abandon me bleeding there on the ground as they dragged my mother
away.
Stop! Stop, please! Lucille sobbed, pounding the soldier with her
tiny fists in vain. The last I saw of them were my sisters face wet with tears
rolling down her cheeks, the cold, merciless backs of the soldiers, and the
slack, white face of my mother.
I couldnt save them. The words swam around my head and I saw them
whenever I blinked, written clearly in what looked eerily like blood. My

mother and sister's faces were there too, crying out to me to go help them
and save them. Move! I tried to command my body but it wouldnt budge.
The governments taken over the city? The same one that vowed to protect
its citizens above all else? This entire situation is unfathomable to me. It
was all a big nightmare, it can't be real. No it wasn't real. This is what I kept
telling myself to keep sane in the last few hours of my life, but it was all in
vain. I have trouble accepting the fact that I risked my life, alongside
millions of other men to be replayed like this? I can't help but feel
completely at mercy to all of the technological advancements. In the past,
sickness and man themselves were your only enemies. Now I'm fighting
blindly against dark shadows. I wonder where we will stand a hundred
years from now. Maybe there will be some type of technology where
people don't even need to be near each other to be able to communicate.
With that, slightly disturbing thought I let myself drift away no longer having
the energy to fight an inevitable battle that I was more than likely to be
vanquished.