The Hidden Continent Book 1: The City of Dystopians

Chapter 1

I'm late Tracy thought as she hastily packed her things for school and thanks to that no good alarm clock.

Tracy zipped her bag and she says a quick good bye to her mother and goes off to school. She leaves their government-issued apartment.

Just like every other ordinary citizen of Newcity, they are given an apartment to stay. And unless you're someone prominent in society, you aren't allowed to have your own house.

When Tracy arrives at school she was immediately aware something isn't right but couldn't quite place it. She goes to her locker to pick up her things needed for class. She was just locking it up when the bell rang. She hurried to her class.

She enters her classroom and sits at the back corner. Her teacher for history class arrives and immediately launched into a discussion about how Newcity came to be.

"...society of the people from the previous era was faulty. There were those who were poor and those who were rich." Says the teacher. "Those who were poor have almost zero opportunity of progressing. And so, the idea of Newcity was born. A city where everyone has equal opportunities. Poor people can be rich and rich people has their wealth controlled..." the lecture goes on and on for an hour and Tracy spaces out...

...until her name was called. "Tracy," says her teacher "can you tell us what system is being used to control the wealth of rich people?"

"It's called the Reaper's tax." Tracy answers "it's tax that only rich people pay."

"And where does this tax go?"

"To the various research facilities." She answers "the research facilities spend it by researching or inventing things that'll make Newcity more progressive."

"Excellent, Tracy." Says the teacher though Tracy could detect slight disappointment in his teacher's tone.

Disappointed that you didn't catch me off guard? Tracy smirks to herself.

The bell rang and all the students started gathering their things. Tracy was also doing the same when, suddenly, the ground shook slightly, just slight enough to be felt. Then the lights went out.

"That blackout was a first, huh." Said Tracy's mom. She is in the kitchen cooking their dinner.

"That's what the TV said." Replied Tracy who is watching TV on the living room.

After the blackout, school has been canceled for the rest of the day and Tracy came home to find out that her mom's home since community service has been canceled too.

"Dinner's served, Tracy" her mom said before disappearing into her bedroom. Tracy sits on the table.

Tracy has almost finished her dinner when her mom came out of her room dressed as if she was going out. "Where are you going mom?"

"I'm just going down to buy something." She said. She wore her shoes and she goes out of the front door.

It was slight but Tracy caught it. Her mom was nervous and it showed in her eyes. No one gets nervous when buying at a store. Unless...

...Tracy was out the door before she could even finish the thought.

She's going to follow her mom. Though little did she know that a shady man wearing a trench coat was also following her.