They Will Speak
I live in an organized world. A planned out world. A world where making decisions for yourself doesn’t exist. You, are owned by the government. It’s all I have ever known but as I grow I’ve learned that the world wasn’t always this way. In another world we used to be able to make our own lives and decisions for ourselves. Soon enough, all rights were stripped away from us. No decision making, no freedom of speech, no choosing who you marry, no choosing where you get your income from... everything is tied back to the government. And now all of the new generations that have been born since then, have had ALL decisions about their lives made for them. Including me.
The decisions are made on your birth certificate. Of course as you grow older they analyze your behavior and thinking to determine what you would be good at and place you in the categories they think you would fit best in. Each individual certificate is marked with letters on each category deciding what your path or future will look like. Only the government is supposed to know what the letters on each category mean but, some have managed to debunk them. Recently a new president was elected his name; Dron Drump. Ever since he entered office he has changed the whole system and it has the world spinning out of proportion. He has made and passed horrible laws that have made the system a lot more unfair. Giving woman all of the stay at home jobs. Even women who show great excellence for a certain job categories like the medical, media or engineering fields, he makes sure there are more men seated in those jobs.
Many think this is unfair and have tried to march in peaceful protests as well as boycott, and participate in sit-ins but they all have ended horrible. Many were thrown in jail or killed for disruptive behavior. Recently, the government does whatever it takes to make sure you follow the path that they have set up for you. Before, they would be more open. When they saw something in you that they think you would potentially be good at, they would place media, objects and ideas throughout your life that trigger you to like what you do. And they knew it would. The government was smart. The shift in government has lead to people refusing to follow their paths leaving them with no choice but to either try to run away and get lost in the middle or act out and end up being taken out of the system completely. I know many have seen people others killed because of this bad behavior and many are so scared so often they try to adhere to the rules and pretend everything's okay, when it’s not.


C
My name is cassandra, my birthday is tomorrow! I’m finally turning 16 and the best part about it is that I am finally allowed to work, I will receive my first car, and advance to the next level of high school. I consider myself one of the lucky ones with a good birth certificate and reputation of good behavior. I owe it all to my parents, who are apart of congress and honorably serve the government in many ways. Sometimes however, I wonder if my parents see my behavior report and my birth certificate... I wonder if somehow since they are a part of the government they have found a way to edit my future. Even when I do something they would consider bad like stealing food from the cafeteria or not taking my medications and spitting them out, I don’t receive punishment like the others. The others are not as lucky. I have a bestfriend named Noah who has been by my side since we were babies. I tell him everything and we are very close. He has black curly hair and is tall with tan skin, complete with a caring and loving face. It saddens me that someone as great as him is not as lucky with the path he is given to follow. We have very similar paths but since he is always blamed for many of the things other kids do, because he is of a different race his behavior report card lowers even if the situation wasn’t his doing. This affects his family as well. For example when his parents were given the chance to choose a home to purchase, many of the choices for his family were not as great. They were dirty, not built well and unlovable. It needed a lot of work. In contrast there was my family who received choices of many different houses, all a lot more nicer looking and stylish than Noah’s family. I felt bad. Noah’s family is Mexican and my family is white. We are segregated, are treated so differently. What I didn’t realize was that the segregation was about to get worse.


N
My name is Noah. I live in hope that one day our system will change. Recently a New law has been passed and ever since all I wish is that my sister will be able to get the job she is meant for. She is 25 years old and now a housewife with an abusive husband. The worst part is, she can't do anything about it. The government's new law has now made it so that men are always right and superior. If she speaks out it will be her going to jail and not him. My sister was a great doctor, she was meant to treat people and create miracles that would make them feel better. She was taken away from that job and now her husband replaces her even after he has had no experience in the medical field. He was a car technician. And now it's my turn to be placed in a job and I can't help but feel bad. I should be feeling excited for myself because since the system changed I will be placed a bit higher but I can not be too sure because of my race. The president hates every race but the caucasian race. My best friend Cassandra used to have it so good. But since she is female when we get our jobs she won't be placed in any of the higher ranked jobs even if she was a star student and top in our class. Due to this new law we will all fall back and things won't work correctly. This is why I need to change it. I know that there is undercover matters in this government that haven't been let out. Dron Drump is a cheater, and a liar. Many have even found evidence of him sabotaging his birth certificates and behavior cards through his jobs in the government to get to the top. I happen to know people who let me have all of the evidence. And I intend to use it. Ever since my sister and now Cassandra are being taken away from even the little rights that they had I knew it would come in handy one day. Dron Drump is not going to make life a living hell for the ones who don't deserve it and have worked so hard to get to where they are.


C
I turn off the TV after watching the daily news. I now realize how real this is. Everything is coming into action and if I thought I hated our president before, I hate him now a million times more. This law makes me furious.
Noah came over to my house again a couple of times the week after my birthday and informed me more about the new law the government has made and how the changes will affect many people’s lives. He told me that I will most likely no longer be placed in the field I am naturally good at which is the engineering field. I am great at math and knowing how things will fit together in my head. I love to draw blueprints and make up drawings of places I would love to build one day. Like the big canopy luxury treehouse that I’ve dreamed about since I was a little girl. This dream will now forever be put aside and I will become a housewife. I will be taught and trained how to cook, clean, look after kids all and then when I turn 21 Immediately be required to marry and reproduce with someone arranged by the government. That is, if the law stays in action. But this is not the life I wanted or thought I was going to have. There needs to be a change.




N
“We need to do something about this” Cassandra tells me as she sits next to me at the kitchen table.
“I agree but what do you suggest we do? If we even try to speak out about anything we will get put into jail no exceptions.” I tell her.
She looks at me with a frown and goes back to doing her work. I start brainstorming, racking my brain on how we can possibly fix this. I look down at my world history book. It talks about world war I and how nations formed alliances with other nations to make a bigger power and suddenly I get an idea.
“What if it’s not just us speaking out? What if it's a bigger group of people doing it?”
I say.
“What do you mean?”
“You know how in world history, during World War I when Austria-Hungary allied with Germany and then on the opposite side the United states allied with France and Great Britain and they allied with each other to become stronger powers in order to be able to invade efficiently and get resources and the things they wanted from the opposite side?”
“Yeah”
“Well what if WE run away and do just that?”
“Run away?”
she says back, hesitant.
“Yes we can go to one of their allied countries and try to notify their government of how tyrannical our new president is being.”
“And what good will that do?”
“Well maybe they will get just as upset as we are. Because they are allied nations they will be upset that our nation isn’t holding the same beliefs as them which will influence them to agree to take over to hopefully return our government back to normal. Or even better, a government like theirs.”
“Okay... I’m following... what’s your plan?”
she says. I get up and grab some scratch paper from my history notebook and sit back down. We spend the rest of the day coming up with a game plan on how we're going to do this. After a few hours planning we head back to our homes decided. There will be big next few days in front of us.


C
The next day I am packing my backpack with the necessary things we will need for this trip. Water, first-aid kit, flashlights, money, blankets and pillows, navigation materials; GPS & extra batteries. Food, a small tent for emergency shelter, and extra clothes for both kinds of weather, cold and warm. I am all set. I Try not to pack too heavy because we will be doing a lot of walking after we get to the border. But either way the backpack still feels a bit heavy. I decide to deal with it later because the fury inside of me is what will keep me going on this trip. If no one can speak up about the things happening... we will. I finish packing and take all of my things to Noah’s house.
I arrive and knock on the front door. I hear footsteps running towards the the door and it unlocks and opens. Noah stands a big smile on his face, wearing jeans and a wool t-shirt. His backpack is nicely hung on his shoulder and tennis shoes nice and tied. I smile back.
“I told my parents I was going to go on a school field trip for a couple days and surprisingly they didn’t question it. What about you?” He asks.
“They weren't home. Like always. I left a note saying I will be staying at Angelica's for a week while they were working. They probably won't care either since I do that all the time. We’re all set!” I say back enthusiastically.
We hurry and jump into my mom’s spare car and drive towards the neighboring ally country Jubra. Their Capital city is in a city called Theoles about 3 hours out from the border of Jubra which is about a 25 hour drive from Obrus, Odrain where we currently live in. Our plan is to drive to a hotel inn near Jubra which will allow us to leave the car and the travel by foot to the border. From there we will “pretend” to try and cross the border illegally, which will result in an officer watching us and asking us for documentation which we don't have. They will ask us why we are trying to immigrate and when we refuse to tell them and add a few details here and there to make them upset, they will take us to their holding stations where we will be questioned on our propositions. There is where we will tell and show them everything. The evidence that Noah has, the newspapers and clips of the news I have saved and more. Obrus, is a country where there is no dictator type of government. Everyone is free to themselves and everyone does everything at their leisure. No one is choosing for them or making them do something, they all live their own lives. That is how our government used to run but the many dictator presidents we have had allowed the government change severely to how it is now. I pray that hopefully they will be interested and furious enough to inform the rest of their government, i.e their president.


N
We are currently 10 hours into our drive to the border. This car ride has consisted of a long playlist of Bruno Mars, Panic! At The Disco, a mix of more alternative and of course spanish music, some naps and playing I Spy and 20 Questions. I forgot how nice it was to be with Cassandra, and how even because of our differences we are still so much alike. I forget how much I truly love her and appreciate everything she does for me. I take another nap.
I wake up and check my watch. 10:46 PM I look over as Cassandra and she looks tried. Her eyes are sunken in, fighting to stay open. Her driving is still consistent though. I speak up.
“Hey cassie are you okay? Do you want to sleep?” She doesn't respond for a couple of seconds and we sit there in silence, the sound of the car on the road is the only thing that persists.
“Yes i'm fine, but sleep would be nice.”
“Okay, well pull over somewhere and we can set up the blankets in the back.” I say. Cassandra drives for a bit more until reaching a small town. She pulls over into a park. There is a lot of green space and a canopy of trees surrounding the main playground. She parks and takes off her seat belt. I get off the car and head towards the trunk and start pushing the seats back to set up the blankets and pillows we each brought to form a makeshift bed.
“Come over I’m finished!” I say as I place the last pillow.
Cassandra walks over she had already changed into her pajamas and was eating a peanut butter sandwich we packed. I chuckle.


C
Noah laughs. I look at him and smile. I love the way he laughs. The way the corners of his eyes crinkle and how his eyes light up. He had set up our pillows and blankets in the back and I can't wait to sleep. I climb in and get under the covers and he does too and lays on the opposite side. It is quiet and all I hear is the sound of crickets and the rustling of trees. We left some of the windows of the car open to let air in and I shiver. It is probably 52 degrees outside and the blanket is not warm enough to help me, but I deal with it.


N
I see Cassandra shivering from the corner of my eye and I don't know what to do. I don't want her to be uncomfortable...
“Cassandra are you comfortable?” I say.
“Yeah I am, just cold.” She says. I look around to see if there are any more blankets she could use but no luck. I decide to scoot closer to her and hug her for warmth.
“what are you doing?” she says surprised.
“I'm gonna hug you so we can both be warm. It's okay.” I say.
“okay” she says back.
I settle next to her in a comfortable position, her body limp in my arms and she falls right to sleep. Soon I start drifting too and it is all a blur.


C
The next morning I wake up. Noah has his arms around me and I faintly start to remember what happened. He is amazing for doing that for me... I brush off my thoughts and get up and grab my backpack. I go outside to change out of my PJ’s and brush my teeth in the park restrooms. I come back to the car and take out a water bottle, chips and granola bar. This is my breakfast. I hear Noah stirring and wake up
“Good morning” I say. His hair is messy and his eyes tired.
“What time did you wake up?” He answers.
“Maybe like 20 minutes ago, I went to go change and brush up in the park bathrooms down the path if you want to go.” I point towards the restrooms in the distance.
“Yeah I’ll go right now.” He says. He grabs his clothes from the day before, and his toiletries and heads to the bathroom. I stay and eat my chips and granola bar.
A couple of minutes later he comes back, looking a lot more put together than when he woke up. I give him a bag of chips, granola bar and water bottle as he approaches me.
“Eat on the way we have a little bit of driving left to get to the border.” I say. He nods. We both get up and walk over to the car to take our seats. We head off 5 hours left to get to the border.


N
“In 1 mile turn left into Jubra Border Embassy Motel Inn” The GPS says. Cassandra turns into the motel, parks and we get out of the car.
“This hotel is a 30 minute walk from the border if we walk fast we can get there 30 minutes before 5 which is the time the borders patrols start leaving and the borders become less secure. If we want to purposely get caught by the guards we need to get there fast.” I say. We walk for 30 minutes and get near the border fast and get to the border. The border is tall black aluminum fencing but he sticks are wide enough to fit through. We start running around the fence calling to get noticed and we do. Suddenly we hear a deep voice yelling
“HEY STOP RUNNING” We run faster and soon many guards are chasing us, we start running out of breath.
“If you get tased, let yourself go limp!” I yell out to cassandra. Suddenly I trip over a wire and I feel an electrical shock, I go limp.
C
We are running. “GO LIMP” is all I hear from Noah as he falls to the floor. I turn back and they are handcuffing his hands behind his back. I stop running and let them handcuff me too. They carry Noah and lead me through the borders into a car that takes us to Border Security Center. There we are both put in a room, and sat in chairs. I scoot over to Noah and slap his face lightly to wake him. He wakes up.
“Oh my god, are you okay?” I say.
“Did we make it?” He asks.
“Yes! We did Noah we made it in! Your plan worked!” he smiles, that warm smile I love and he sits up. He grabs his backpack from his shoulder and takes out a water that he brought with him.\
“Want a sip?” I nod and he hands me the water and I take a couple gulps from it.
Suddenly an officer opens the door and comes in very loudly. He is rough looking and obese, black hair and a scruffy black beard. He sits down in his chair and faces us.
“Documentation and Passport please.”
Noah and I pretend to look around in our backpack a worried look on both of our faces.
“I can’t find it I don't think I have it I must’ve left it at home.” Noah says.
“Why were you two trying to cross the border?” He says. His voice booming loud in my ears.
“We were running away” I say.
“And why exactly were you running away? Are you two immigrants?”
“Not exactly.”
“We come from Obrus, Odrain. We were running because we wanted to get away from the dictatorship and torture we were being treated with there.”
“Dictatorship? Torture? Odrain is an ally country of Jubra we have the same government what are you two mutts talking about?” He says a concerned displeased look on his face.
“See for yourself.” Noah says. He takes out the news articles, we show him clips of the news and proof of Dron Drump’s Dictatorship. He is furious.
“ I need to show this to my master come with me.” He commands. We stand up and he takes us on a bus that takes us, like we predicted, to Theoles, The capital city.
N
We are transferred to another building after we get to Theoles and Cassandra and I are very excited. I can't believe my plan actually worked! We enter yet another building and are greeted by another man. We show him the evidence and documents and this man is also very amused and upset. We later find out that he was the prime minister. He let the PRESIDENT know of what was going on in Odrain and they started coming up with a plan.
“We will soon let you know what our plan of action is but for now, you will be held in the ALC for your behavior at the border.”
“What?!” We both shout. We are taken away and put into another car and transported to the ALC Once we arrive we are put in a cell that looks like a prison. I am worried for how long we will be here. And what will happen to us once the plan of action is released. Will Jubra invade Odrain and change the government like we thought? Will we be let go? Or will the whole plan fail and will Jubra just use this information to their benefit? At this point we don’t know anything.