Desolate. A country stripped of its pride and its freedom. It had been three years since China had invaded us. One day you are sitting in your kitchen, drinking coffee and talking to your sister, then slam! Lights out. Everything gone.

* * *
Three years ago
2020


“Katy, Its time for school, lets go you’re going to be late.”

Mondays, the same old routine, every week.

“Where’s mom?”

“She went to work.”

Katy, a 16 year old girl with silvery, blue eyes and auburn hair. She was tall and lean, the envy of many girls.

I am her brother, Sam. I trained with the Coast Guard since age 17, eight years ago.

I poured a cup of coffee into the mug my sister had given me.

“Sam--,” she was cut off.

“You are not cutting school again,”

“Thats not what I was going to say,” she snapped, “I was going to say that ever since Dad left you’ve been there for us. You’ve always given up you’re free time so we could enjoy our lives. Thanks for that.”

The rain came down steadily outside, making a faint pattering on the roof and windows. It was very relaxing. Soon the bus would be at the driveway to pick Katy up and I would be alone. Left with nothing to do.

“Sam,” Katy yelled from the porch, “ come look at this.”

I walked out and as soon as I got to the hallway the lights flickered and went out, and a loud droning came from far above.
“Katy,” I yelled and ran down the hallway.
As I got outside I looked up and seen hundreds of Chinese airplanes roaring past. Little black specks drifted closer and closer. A parachute. Then thousands more. Landing and pulling their automatic weapons and shouting at the bystanders to stay calm. Saying they will not be harmed.
Katy gave me a fearing look and I nodded at her as we took off in a dead run to the garage.
Dads old Ford. Rusted and dented but it was our only shot.
“ Come on ford, I am given you a chance.”
I flinched as I started the rusted old truck and it started with a cough. Typical ford. I was always a Chevy person myself.
We headed for the caves.

* * *

So now here we are. Three years of our fighting against the Chinese. They have everything. They have taken everything, our families, our homes, our sense of security, and our freedom. Its time we get it back.
“Sam,”
“Katy, I am sorry I am being hard on you guys, I want my home back. I still don’t now which is worse, whether it was Obama, or these communist bastards. I just want to be able to wake up in the morning with you and Mikayla safe, and to now that we can live free. As a family. Mom would have wanted us to fight.”
Katy had tears in her eyes. Mom. That night of the invasion, she had been shot walking to her car to come home and spend the weekend with her kids. We always thought of her but we never said anything. Mikayla put an arm around Katy and they walked over to a fire.
I walked out to the trees. The sun was warm and inviting.
Droning. They found us.
“Katy,” I stumbled running, “ Mikayla, run, get out of there.”
Whipped by tree branches and weeds I fell into the cave. Mikayla and Katy, along with some other boys that had joined us laid in a pool of blood and machine gun shells. I dropped to my knees as i felt the cold metal of a gun barrel touch the back of my head.
“Shoot me you sick son-of-a-b****,” I growled at the Chinese soldier.
There was a silence drawn on through what seemed like hours, then all went black as I fell to the ground into a pool of my own blood.