The Freedom We Gave Up.
I open my journal to a clean page as I try to keep warm.
“ There is no telling when this well end. The screams seem to echo infinitely now. I can hear them even in my sleep. We are all haunted now; I think they wanted that more than anything?
I wonder, will today be my last?“
Laying in bed I can taste the scent of copper. Blood, is now the pollution of our lands, our own blood.
It’s an unusually a quiet morning. I roll over on my tattered mattress as I shut my journal. I curl beneath what thin blankets I have. A tin of water sits on the floor next to a small pile of uncooked rice.
I look at it, thinking of the days before all this. How water was so accessible it was in our homes. Springing from a faucet as if it would always be. But now, you have to make haste through a waste land two miles to get even a bottle’s worth.
Even then, you are not promised anything. You could get their and the pool of water is dried up. Either consumed by the sun or dried up by the S.F.F.A (Safety For Freedom Agency.) A political agency created back in 2025 to fight the growing “Individualist Terrorism.” Water is sucked up by their drones, when the weather is not beating harsh here in the mountains.
They will suck the pool dry, hoping to keep us dehydrated into death or bow before them and snitch. With a false promise of water if you do. I have seen my own neighbors try to turn me over.
But I had followed them the day they tried. I knew they were weak, they never did anything for anyone but complain others were useless and causing trouble for us all. They always seemed to get water when it was the least safe, when the weather was clear.
I watched, from a distance, hiding behind a broken brick wall, looking through a window hanging on like a crooked picture. Drones have trouble seeing through glass. Especially ones that have not been cleaned in years.
A voice came through the drone as its blinking red optical looked upon the Grosskreutz. The voice crackled through static asking them questions of anyone they know who is an “Individualists Terrorist.”
The Grosskreutz had only survived this long without being caught because their son is a politician in the Davos party. Their son Sam, knew S.F.F.A was evil, but the Davos party pays him well.
How do I know this? Well, we were once best friends growing up, but he buckled the seconded he thought his career was over if he did not obey. Truth is, it would have been.
Becoming a coward seemingly over night, he obeyed and the next day he joined the Davos party. The very day the S.F.F.A was born and over threw the current party system.
He tried to hide his parents up here in the mountains. He knows the mountains are the only safe place left, and he just happened to place them in the same town as me. I wonder if he knew I am here? I became a major target for the S.F.F.A All because of a political post of me questioning the true intent of S.F.F.A and Davos.
How quickly we went from freedom to slavery. It felt like it was over night.
I can’t hide for ever. But I will be damned if I let the Grosskreutz be my end. As I watched I could feel my heart racing. I felt betrayed, because they had no clue I was here until they said something.
I hid away here knowing how small the town was and remote. Connection for even satellites is difficult. The weather is quite unpredictable. The town was once a place of atmospheric experiments ran by the EPA, and I think they did a number on the climate for sure.
Staring through the window, the voice asked them questions as it promised them water. They tried to reassure the speaker on the drone, that they too were searching for “individualists.” That they were part of a small political party to stop “individualistic terrorism.”
The voice on the other end began to ask them about the political group and found nothing online. As any group, even a single individual, political or not with the objective to hunt down “terrorist” or support the government. Must be registered. If not, they are in violation of the 1st law.
“No individual or group may operate under the guise of political purpose without government approval. If found to be operating without legal government approval, they have 24hrs to respond and register or be labeled “individual ideological terror cell,” which is a 1st degree federal felony persecuted by death or ten year servitude under the S.F.F.A.”
The voice gave the notification of the law to the Grosskreutz. But it did not matter, they were neither in the social system nor the S.F.F.A registry. Having neither of those makes it as if you do not exist. A mere particle of dust upon the shoulder of politician. Rubbed off and forgotten in the same moment.
The Grosskreutz had no rebuttal. They even tried to say they were the parents of Sam Grosskreutz, but no they did not exist. And just before the drone was to execute.
They spoke my name as if be a saving grace. “ Wait! David Keen…David Keen, he is here! Don’t kill us.” Theraby, clasping his chest.
Silence stole the moment as the air seemed to draw cold. I froze, feeling a drop of sweat bead from my brow.
I watched in horror as the drone remained still. The buzzing of its propellers is all that could be heard.
Suddenly the voice replied, “Where is he?”
Trembling in fear Theraby pointed back toward where the once thriving town is. “He’s….he’s that way, about two miles, a house with a single white bricked painted just above the door. You can’t miss it.”
“Thank you.” replied the drone.
“Thweep.”
The drone killed them both instantly. In a split second a laser beamed through both their heads. Their bodies dropped, splashing into the mud.
Frozen in fear for a moment I starred in fright. The drone then quickly spun toward my direction. I thought it had spotted me. I slowly ducked against the brick wall.
The drone buzzed by and headed toward my home. Knowing best it would be bad to return I made my way to safe zone I had made a few months back when we had constant winds for weeks.
I had dug beneath an old tree and hid the entrance and spoke to no one about it. I stayed their for two days.
On the second day I carefully made my way home. I heard not a single drone or voice. As I approached the town I knew it was safe. I saw Sigfreed and Tam outside. They probably made the right decision and left that same day. They asked if I wanted to join, but I did not want to add trouble for them.
They had a shelter beneath their home to hide away. At that point this area was fairly unexplored. But after the Grosskreutz incident. It became a hot bed for the S.F.F.A. They had destroyed most the buildings, what little of buildings their were. Collapsing most the hiding spots.
They left my home up as if to mock me and show what they are capable of.
So here I am now, alone, as everyone else has either left or been killed. They have not gotten me yet by the grace of God. Any time my gut goes off. I hide, so far I have been right.
And each night I pray for the safety of myself and others. Those still alive, and by belief, it seems to help. Deny me faith and what is left in a man but a shell and a battle of logic against what cannot be explained by man.
But, I must leave soon or a I fear my death will come upon me. Something tells me their is still much for me to do.
(Should I continue this story next week or do you guys want something else?)
