The shattered city

Forget me not

           It was a beautiful morning and all was well in Param. Tia woke to the sound of birdsong underneath her window, mingled with the morning announcements that blasted through her small radio. "Tia, breakfast!" Her mother's voice called from the kitchen of the small apartment Tia and her family had been assigned. Tia pulled on her government issued uniform and skipped into the kitchen, backpack in hand. "cheerful as usual I see." Her mother said with a small smile, handing Tia a plate. "Morning announcements said they were doing welfare checks at schools today. Are you ready?" Tia nodded, mouth full of toast. She'd never encountered problems at welfare checks. Those were only to check on the troublemakers, the ones who didn't like Param for whatever reason. Tia have never understood that, Param was perfect. Right? She scarfed down the rest of her breakfast, glancing at the clock. " I'm gonna miss my train! I'll see you tonight, love you!" She called as she rushed out the door. She must have imagined that flicker of sadness in her mother's eyes as she left. Why would she be sad? Their life was perfect and it always would be. The association of Param made sure of that. Thanks to the re-education facilities everyone agreed and life was simple. Tia wouldn't have it any other way, disagreements simply made everything more complicated. 'Yes' she decided 'I must have imagined it, there's nothing to be sad about anyways' and with that she dismissed the idea from her mind and went on her way.
The rest of the day went normally, welfare checks passed without a hitch as Tia knew they would, and her brain buzzed with ideas for her upcoming science project as she took the train home. But the feeling of normal simplicity went away in an instant as Tia open the door to her home. Things were strewn everywhere, plates broken and couches overturned. Tia cautiously stepped through the doorway, heart racing. 'What happened? something must've happened- maybe it was a rogue, or-' her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps towards the back of the apartment. "Oh thank goodness mom I thought you were-" the rest of Tia's sentence stopped cold as a figure stepped through the doorway, city badge glinting in the fading sunlight. "Citizen F 2171 your parental figures F 98998 and M 75453 have been charged with treason against the book and by order of the association of Param you are being sent to a re-education facility." He said in a robotic voice, entirely devoid of human emotion. Tia started, mind racing. 'What?!' "But we love Param! I swear-" she stammered "there must be some mistake, just let me explain!" but her words had no effect, the official must have heard them thousands of times. He had no way of knowing that this time they really were true. There really must be some mistake and Tia had to fix it, but she could fix it right? Before she could think Tia darted out the door, breath coming in panicked bursts as she sprinted down the street. Sirens wailed behind her and Tia darted into a doorway just as the official sprinted past.  She slid down the wall, eyes filled with tears, more hopeless than she had ever felt.