Outlaw

A little known country 'Phoresia', away from land on all sides in the middle of the pacific, had been declared independent as of 25th February 2023. The streets were filled with glee. After a decade of Chinese occupation which began with its trade agreement with U.S.A. The U.S. had run the government of 'Phoresia' for a century before that. On 25th February 2013, in the name of freedom, Phoresia was handed over as a token of understanding. A 'statue of liberty' of the 22nd century, it was termed. For generations Phoresians had been living under sanctions. Sanctions ranging from what grains to grow to what taxes to collect and finally, which God to believe in. After a century of modern slavery, they were thrown out to be ravaged by China. After a hundred and ten years, they were finally free. The trouble was that they didn't know what to do with it. Freedom surprised them. It had been a dream so old, that no one related to it anymore. But they wanted to make a statement. We will stay in ruins, they decided. We will rise again and show the world what we have suffered, they agreed. We will not be forgotten and tossed aside, they united in a vision. And so was announced to the public in the first presidential speech for Phoresia. That day was 25th March 2023. On the 26th, an earthquake shook all corners of the little country.

And here we begin our story.

The flat paneled structures left behind by the Americans broke down; people ran on to the streets and covered themselves under trees. Roads cracked and the heavy vehicles travelling on them swirled and turned over. Animals ran from the woods, whatever was left after the occupation, into torn houses, and men ran off to the forest. The earthquake, it was found out, was of the magnitude 7. The aftershocks notched 4, 3 and 5. The last one almost knocked their communication off. But it didn't. Pictures of the devastation were all over world media. 'A population cut by a quarter', 'Sad freedom' and 'Wrath of God' headlines streamed through TV sets around the globe. Urgent conferences were held by the Chinese and American consulates to Phoresia, from their home countries. It was clarified that they were deeply disturbed by the occurrence. And further on specifying that they had already vacated that country so they couldn't officially propose any help unless it has been authorized and agreed by the Phoresian government. Of course they would set up such a discussion in their next diplomatic meeting with them. But both the previous occupants shied away from any responsibilities citing that Phoresia was a sovereign nation now. Behind closed they pretty damn glad that they got out when they did.

The Phoresians were left to fend for themselves. And they did. The streets were cleared and homes were rebuilt. A body count was stated of over half a million, dead and missing together. It was a much smaller number than the quarter of the ten million population as expected before. The work continued but regret and anger grew among the masses.

We move to the inner working of the newly formed government to take the story ahead.

The president, Antonio Shareef, sat with his associates in the House of Commons, which for now the buffet hall of the Hilton they took after the occupation. A round table conference was in order. The chief secretary, Sherri Rodriguez, stood to address the gathering. "We have a dire situation on our hands. Even though we have just about managed to scrape through this disaster, we have significantly eaten into our reserves. The Phoresian dollar has just dropped 25 points since the event". Joseph Khan, the foreign affairs minister put himself in the talk, "Our latest discussions with the Indians didn't seem productive. They have differed their decision over the setting up of its cotton plant here". The president sat silent as his minions argued the absolute banal. Farooque Kausar, the Chief Justice, brought the argument to a pause when he slammed his fist on the table, "God damn it!"

The president looked up and smiled as he drummed his fingers together, "Precisely".

The story moves then to a courthouse in Sojourn, the capital of Phoresia.