One to Kill

Into the Heart of Evil

"The world, is equal when power is equal. The moment something gains power over another we have the origins of inequality. True equality is hard to reach, especially when freedom is also in the mix. I think people can love but the world I, we, live in has been made into a perverse frenzy of conquest and subordination. The struggle at this point isn't so much about ideology, it's about the self. The perpetual subordination of others so that the empire can claim more power. Power has become a drug that is built on vice that allows a nation to enjoy super human abilities at the expense of justice and the sanity of that nation. The empire has grown so powerful that the only way for it to end is no longer up to an outside force but to the empire itself. Until the drug runs out does equality and true freedom for all arise. There is no other..."

I read this introductory paragraph to an essay, more like a book in my opinion, written by one of the last prominent political figures of my homeland. It's been a few months since his assassination, well more of an execution. My country was conquered by the largest, most terrifying empire the world has ever seen. This political leader wrote the essay I hold in my hands. The sides are torn and the pages have burnt around the edges. Only around fifty copies made it out to the public. The rest were burnt in a purge against my nation, to destroy any rebellious sentiment. This book was a huge argument against imperialism, or something like that, it was more about a philosophy of respecting each other, toleration, about the downsides of power and corruption, and how empires can be great without subjugation. Maybe some other things too I don't know, I haven't read all of it, either way it's treason for me to hold this book but I really don't care.

I have been separated from my family and I'm currently on a cold metal train to the imperial capital of the empire that recently conquered my homeland. It's the policy to do this so cultures can assimilate into the empire. The train is quiet except the loud screeching stops and the unloading of the other cargo at each station. Really I'm upset, as much as I didn't get along with my family, I still liked being with them. It sucks to be honest; to be dragged from my house and taken to some strange land. Especially when I don't know how my family is doing or if I will ever see them again, because I'm sixteen, the age to legally be able to be a head of household. Which really sucks because I'm not even married and I haven't even dated a girl in my life, not that I would want to. I'm on my way to a processing center where I'll be given a factory job and be expected to save up money, get a house, and procreate. In the mean time I'll be homeless I guess. Love my life at the moment. On the bright side I'm allowed to drink now which sounds like fun, only I have no friends where I'm going. The way I see it I'm probably going to be some drunk hobo who is drunk, but still really good looking if I do say so myself. Ehh at least I'm cute right, maybe I can marry some rich old person, only I don't see myself marrying a girl and homosexuality is banned in the empire because they need a bigger labor force to make guns and stuff so they can kill people. Kind of ironic they're opposed to gays because they are pro-life yet they're all for guns which are almost always pro-death. I guess I'd be fine marrying a rich old lady if that meant I wouldn't be a drunk hobo, I guess.

Fuck, the train stopped and I hit my head on the railing. Well life just keeps getting better. Someone sees me laughing and gives me the dirtiest look ever "it's not ok to laugh because we're in such a terrible situation and blah blah blah" I can already hear them say. To be completely honest I'm just going to accept that this situation is my reality and get on with it, no point in crying. Honestly who cares about happiness like what is that anyways? I think of being with my family, feeling loved and then I think of being alone.

I start to cry, then ball. Now granted I just was full of bravado planning on marrying a rich old woman and living a leisurely life as a good looking smart widow, but life really did suck. Life is really bad. I continue to cry for the remainder of the ride. I probably banged my head five more times, and at one point two girls started fighting over I don't know what, it looked kind of like bread. Other than that the ride went smoothly, a two hour delay after someone had committed suicide on the tracks, the passenger next to me attempted to propose to me, I honestly hope that was because they were delusional. The answer was no by the way because that's not the type of old person I was planning on marrying. Also my lunch was good, it was shared between me and a rat who stole around half of it. Gosh I was looking forward to eating that stale bag of chips.

The beautiful voice of an aging smoker cut into my quiet sobbing. "Imperial station, all Immigrants who have been blessed to" she or he broke into a storm of coughs.

The good looking military guard comes my way, he is tall and muscular his eyes were like water. His skin was nice, he was tan and he spoke with a really steamy deep voice.

"Immigrant Axel Reyes please gather your designated carry on and follow me to the processing center." I stood up and turned around to get my carry on from the metallic compartment above me. I grab my backpack, closed the compartment and turned around accidentally hitting him in the process. Of course.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry my bad I'm such a clutz" I try to say but I doubt he could understand over my stuttering. Gosh I'm bad at seducing people.

"Normally I would just have turned you into the military guard and have you charged with attacking an officer," he began, "but I'm in a good mood and honestly it looks like you have had a pretty rough ride". He smiles, showing some of the whitest most beautiful teeth I have seen. Oh my lord I think he likes me. I try to play it cool as he turns and motions me to follow him. I start to think maybe the rich old women will have to wait because this guy's butt is just perfect. My heart is about to explode when I trip getting out of the train, accidentally pushing him forward into this tall redhead girl. She stumbles a bit but still manages to to look graceful and stunning as she catches him in her arms. They look at each other. Her bright red lips were in deep contrast to her fair complexion, her eyes like the sky glittering with a thousand suns. Gosh was his but big.

"Sorry mam I think I tripped and" he started

"Don't even worry about it handsome, I'm just glad that you didn't hurt yourself" she said with a venomously seductive look in her eyes.

That slut! I thought to myself feeling like my world had just been stolen from me.

"Oh don't worry about me I'm glad I didn't manage to hurt someone as pretty as you"

What the hell, I thought as my future husband entertained this hoe's advances.

"Listen if you're free I'd love to go get a cup of coffee or something" she sang.

"Any time, but not now I'm on duty but I'll be right back after I drop this guy off at the center"

"I'll wait right here then" she was so perfectly full of composure and grace it was sickening. Her red hair shimmered as she sat on the metal bench a few feet away from the train tracks, she batted her ferociously sexy blue eyes and winked at him. Then my heart did explode, all over the floor. I had thrown up all over my shoes and the floor, I really should have let that rat finish those chips.

The guard said something into a walkie-talkie and immediately I was whisked away by guards who looked like they spend their free time getting hit by the ugly tree. They carried me to a small clinic in which this nurse spent almost an hour stabbing me with probes. It's all that redhead's fault too, what a slut, that guy could have been my husband. But instead I got a nurse who looked like an ex wrestler who spent her time in the jungles of Africa. A probe went a little too far into my abdomen. I screamed, to which the nurse laughed.

"Listen bitch I will fight you" I said. she just took the probe and pushed it deep into my skin with a smile. I screeched in agony. She twisted.

"This ones good to go" she murmured.

I passed out.