Eliot Strange and the Prince of the People

History Lesson One (as told by Eliot)

Author's Notes : The next few chapters are history lessons to catch the reader up to the story so far.

Just a little over six months ago, my best friend, Steven Lindquist, called Lindy by most everyone except me and his Nana, were typical seniors in high school. It was second semester, and we were doing what every other senior in high school does at that time of their senior year. If you said - counting down the days - you are wrong. We weren't counting down the days until graduation. We were already gone. Already gone in our brains and attitudes to our next place in life: graduation parties, beach trips to celebrate, and then college or whatever real world we were going to next. I say real world because everybody knows - high school is not the real world.

Our plans would not be swayed. After the next big senior event, the prom, there was not much left for us here. We were ready to go. Steven and I had big plans. We were going to the prom together, we already had the pink tuxes ordered. After that, graduation, a trip to Myrtle Beach, summer jobs, and college. Or, maybe a gap year? We dreamed of that, but were we brave enough? Maybe Steven, but not me. Though my dad was a world-renowned survivalist and trained me like the apocalypse was tomorrow, I was never a risk taker, never brave. Maybe, the reality of the world ending scared the shit out of me. Because, it could really happen, and it did.

The world stopped. Just like that. An Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) far north of us shut down the country and began the decline of civilization as we once knew it. Just to make sure we were thoroughly terrified, fires were set out west that are still burning today, half a year later.

Soon, a man called General Kerry One Nation, claimed his right to rule by destroying city after city with his One Nation Army. Every disaster ever documented in any work of apocalyptic fiction happened next: authority figures executed, the weak and the handicapped slaughtered, no electricity, starvation, death from lack of medicine, no milk for babies, and on, and on, and on until infinity. A Resistance rose up to fight back, but they were often out-numbered, out-gunned, and their proclivity to save innocents left them vulnerable. Things seemed hopeless.

But, there was hope. His name is Prince Torin Henry James Albert of Wales.

Prince Torin was stranded in America when the EMP shut down our country. He almost died before he found me, but he found me after many days of traveling south from Washington, DC to my hometown of Mount Airy, NC. He found the girl just like my mother told him to do. He found me, Eliot Strange. And yes, that is my real name.

Soon, Steven and I and my prince (I call him my prince now) joined up with The Resistance. The Resistance fought back. There was a battle, and we won. We retreated to a nearby farm/camp in the nearby town of Dobson where we were soon joined by refugees trying to escape the carnage.

My father, Joe Strange, helped us win that battle. He traveled all the way from the mountains of Sylva, NC to find me and my mother. My mother, Jane, is with General Nation who was once her college professor and then her boss. I have so many unanswered questions about her. Is my mother good? Has she infiltrated the enemy? Has she turned? Is she evil? Is she safe?

By all the evidence, my mother is not undercover, trying to fight her old college professor and long-time conspiracist, General Nation. She is, instead, by his side. Maybe, even his new bride, I just don't know.

No matter how angry or disgusted I am at her betrayal to me and our country, I can't hate her. I can't. She is my mama. I love her.

Mr. Clementine Thomas, my neighbor and a long-time friend of my mom and dad's, loves my mom too. I suspect his motives are questionable. Is he a traitor too or just trying to save my mother?

After they were separated, Torin's cousin and look-alike bodyguard, Jack Taylor, found the other girl - my beautiful cousin, Carli Cavanaugh. For weeks I wondered about Carli and Jack - were they good or bad, on our side or not? Now, I know for sure. I know they are on the Prince's side because they helped us escape from General Nation when Torin was captured and tortured in nearby Stuart, Virginia. Carli and Jack were the diversion so we could get away.

General Nation captured Prince Torin. He put a bounty on his head. His theory was that England would not send aid to America if their prince was his hostage. Or, even better, he could trade Torin in some mad-man's idea of blackmail and ransom. Two secret agents called Lancaster, sent by Torin's mother to find the prince and return him safely to England, helped plan our escape. Torin and I got away, but, we don't know what happened to the others, Carli and Jack, Gus and Reginald Lancaster and my new friend, Beth. I can only pray they are all safe.

My dad can't hate my mom either. He went to "rescue" her. He left with an army of real American soldiers to fight the enemy. There was a battle last night with the One Nation Army. We don't yet know what happened, so I add the soldiers and my dad to my list of prayer requests.

Patrick was with the army and my dad. I met Patrick before I met Torin. Patrick is a guy I kissed for a solid week before he went off to fight for our country months ago. Patrick carries a ring he plans to give me. He wants to marry me, or so he told my best friend, Steven.

I am only just now 18 years old, and before the world ended I had never really dated anyone. Now, according to Steven, I am in a love square consisting of me, Torin, Patrick, and Gus Lancaster (I forgot to say that I kissed him too for one entire night, not that long ago). Steven lives for this kind of drama. I will not hear the end of it.

I am not normally a drama kind of girl, but for now, it is a distraction from the crazy. I had rather worry about my boyfriend(s) than who might want to shoot me in the face, or who I might have to choke out for a scrap of chicken.

Times are desperate, and love, or the hope of it, makes me forget how desperate.

It has been two days since our escape. My prince sleeps beside me.