Controlled

Prologue

~not edited

"Haley!" I hear my best friend scream from outside my apartment. I put on the last bit of makeup for the day and head out the door. She smiles happily as we walk to work together. A perk of living right next to your best friend is that we can do almost everything together. Ashlynn and I have been friends since the beginning of high school. Ever since then, we have been hooked to each others arms for dear life. We work in the same building, therefore, we head to work with each other as often as possible. We do almost everything together. She not only is my best friend, but she creates a feeling of safety for me. She was there for me before the world messed up. The world has begun to be a frightening place. So Ashlynn and I have learned that staying groups, no matter how small, is much better than being alone.

We live in a world where finding a man driven by the government has begun to be normal. I use the word driven very heavily. When one has been taken over by the government, they begin searching for those who have a large bulk of knowledge. The current world is now obsessed with acquiring knowledge rather than money. The want to be like Albert Einstein has fallen over everyone in the world. Therefore, the government sends workers in effort to gain as much knowledge as possible. The current government is taking over the world one by one. They send people out to become friends with possible candidates for their theory. This then sends an epidemic of fearing the government. No one wants to be controlled. Instead, they all want to be in control. For everyone in this world today, knowledge creates power over people.

The paranormal and movie dramatic scenes have started to seem normal. But everyone's main concern is to stay safe in this crazy world. Walking through the city to calm one's nerves is now a strange concept. Some people are even too scared to sit down in a restaurant for dinner. But if everyone is this cautious how can the world be covered with fear? Well, some people aren't even fazed by theses new day to day activities. Normally, those who aren't fazed, know this new government controlled environment by heart. They grew up in this sort of chaos. This chaos controlled their childhood and adulthood. Once one puts all these pieces together, they learn that those who aren't fazed are considers the government to be family.

I walk in the front door of my workplace smiling at my co-workers. They smile back gently attempting to create a sense of normality. Normality is a feeling that many search for nowadays. Nothing will compare to the days before this government epidemic. The days where one could walk around completely carefree. Some people still walk through the world carefree, but others, they walk around numb to their thoughts and feelings. I, like others, continue to walk around the world today and talk to strangers. I act the same as the days before this problem, but I have become quieter and conceal more of my thoughts. In this world today, we can never see the real characteristics of a person until we are hidden from the world. Our houses are the only bit of safety and privacy from the world we have at the moment.

I sit down at my desk and begin to plan my boss's party. As his assistant, I help with his every move and action. I plan all of his fancy invitations, parties, outfits, and styles. But I can't understand why a big shot like him would ever have someone make every decision for him. In his mind, he has the money so why not? I'm definitely not complaining considering he pays me, but all the planning and extra hours are a pain.

"Haley, can you come down to my office please?" I hear my boss say over the intercom in the phone. I press the button and tell him that I'm on my way. He hands me a pink piece of paper that explains who is being invited next week. "Have them all be invited in two days, okay?" I nod my head in response and head back to my office. I set the long list of people down on my desk and continue to make the invitation. Once I finish, I begin to send out the final invitation to everyone and inform my boss, Mr. Parker, that I have finished. He grins with the news and instructs me that I have to join him for dinner tonight.

I open my mouth to question this event but before I start to speak, he hands me a paper. I look down at the paper and see the reason on why I have to go. This paper also says that I have to meet him at his apartment two hours prior. He wrote the reason for me attending as trying to become acquainted with his colleagues before the party. He smiles smugly and waves me out of his office. I sigh and walk into the cafe for my lunch break.

I sit down and let out the sigh that I have been holding in, "I have to go to dinner tonight with him and his friends." My best friend and co-worker, Adam, laughs slightly and pats me on the back.