Chapter 1 - A New Dawn

Everything is calm and beautiful. The sun is shining so bright, I can feel it on my skin; I can even breathe it in. The birds are chirping, and the grass tickles my ankle just enough to make me smile. Still, something seems a bit off. I take a final deep breath from the beautiful field before a loud alarm rings in my ears.

I open my eyes and quickly snap back into reality right before I smack the ringing alarm clock on the nightstand to my left. As I lazily sit up in my bed and rub one eye with my wrist, I look out the window to my right. After double checking the alarm clock, I notice how the sun should have already been up by 7:17 AM.

The mornings have slowly been getting darker every day since the war started. Thick, grey, foggy pollution blocks out the sun more and more each day, with new nuclear weapons being tested daily. I remember catching bits of information about the current state of the world. Things about breaking points, bombings, terrorist attacks, and many other things I either didn't care about, or didn't understand. Maybe both, in some cases, as a ten-year-old.

I quickly shrug the thought off and decide to get ready for school. A joyful moan leaves my mouth as I sit on the edge on the edge of my bed and stretch my limbs. I then get up and walk towards my wardrobe, which is located right next to my currently closed door. Without hesitation, I open its doors wide and put on my favourite long-sleeved shirt.

The sleeves are red, but the rest is black, so it looks like there are sleeves coming out from under a regular T-shirt. Then, I put on the dark blue jeans before I head to the other side of the room, into my bathroom to wash my face. If nothing else, the lack of warm water wakes me up a little. I pick up my dark red backpack from the foot of my bed. It's heavy, since I not only have to bring books to school but survival equipments too. I double-check if I packed everything, then head downstairs.

Leaving the door to my room open, I make my way down the stairs. I keep staring at the entrance of the house as I do so, then turn left and walk into the kitchen to find my breakfast ready on the table, but my parents are nowhere to be seen. I drop my backpack on one of the empty chairs and hear some quite chattering behind me, from my parents' room.

I turn around and make my way across the living room towards their bedroom. After knocking politely a couple of times, I put my ear to the door.

"Come in, honey".

I push the door open to find my parents sitting on the edge of the bed and watching the news, which is muted now.

"Unbelievable. I'm telling you, Greta, the government isn't in control anymore, and I wonder if they ever have been. We are this close to having a nuclear war; just take a look outside!" My dad turns the television off and rubs his eyebrows.

"Calvin..." My mother stops for a second and looks at my dad. "Everything is fine. It is perfectly safe to go outside. The government keeps everything under control". She gives my dad that look. I know that look well. They do that something is probably not exactly the way they tell me it is, but even though I know that, it still feels good to hear that everything is fine.

"Come, honey, there's no time for breakfast. You should have eaten instead." My mother rubs my head, and they escort me to the kitchen. I shrug a little with an empty stomach and head towards the door with the backpack in my hand.

"Hey, son! Didn't you forget something?" My dad walks over to me and pushes a small, thick, yellow card into my hand. It emits a loud beeping sound, and a green light suggests that it's on.

"This is the second time you've almost forgotten to bring your identity card. If they ever catch you outside without it, they will either take you to the refugee camp or implant it under your skin and seal it around the chip so it can never be taken out. Do you want any of that?" My dad rubs my back after he finishes.

Ouch. I have heard stories about that. It's not the implantation process that hurts, but the sealing. Especially if I attempt to take it out. "No, it won't happen again. I'm sorry" I say and open the door to leave.

"Take care, honey, and be good today, I'm making your favourite meal for you. We love you," My mom says.

"Yup," My dad adds, now sipping coffee.

"I love you, too, Mom and Dad." I smile, and with that, I close the door behind me.

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