The Art of Expression

Chapter Two

NOT EDITED

We were a close group when Brianna was still with us. She kept us all together and we don't get along as well without her, especially Brandon. They were twins and had always been supportive of each other but then Brianna started to see our government in a new light, and it wasn't a good one. She wanted to change everyone's views to be like hers, against our leaders. She would dye pieces of her hair but cut it off as soon as she finished. She tried changing and coloring her clothes. She just wanted to be herself.

Soon enough Brandon and Brianna started arguing just to argue, Dakota was totally against her views on our country and started ignoring her so Brianna took refuge in my friendship. She started coming up with crazy ways to make everyone revolt against the government and even tried to take a bomb to The Capitol, before Brandon stopped her and locked her up in his closet. We all thought she was going to be put in prison or killed for her actions, but then she started getting quiet and started staying home for days at a time. A few weeks later their was a gas explosion at our City Hall. They claimed it an accident and everything went back to normal, whatever normal is.

The officers around the city increased and were all on edge and when Brianna finally left her house to go get the weekly rations she made one fatal mistake and was shot by an officer. Her mistake? She was singing while walking down the street. She was singing and they killed her. See what I said about no self expression, it's all true.

I got off easy yesterday I could have been beaten or killed, but things have calmed down since then. The leaders still try to strip us of our personalities. Just last week they let out a nationwide list of the only legal names you can name your children going into affect next month. Thankfully I was born when I was. My name, Jacqueline is not on that list and you can't have names that can be nicknames, so I wouldn't have been able to go by Jackie if I was born next month. Thinking about this is making my head ache, I need to get out.

I head out my painfully average door and down the cracked sidewalk. I looked down my narrow nose at the ground around me, dry dirt yards and broken pavement surrounded me. We weren't aloud to tend to our yards, grow grass or flowers, and our houses were a tan-gray brick. As I heading closer to the city road and sidewalk condition improved, but everything was just as dull, even the skies were gray clouded by continuous pollution.I shuffled past a small set of officers patrolling around the edge of our city. How could they have murdered someone for something so small? I bet they wouldn't even do anything if I sang right now. I followed a big group of lifeless bodies into the city, many going to relieve others of their stuffy jobs and others going to collect their family's rations.

I was almost to the center many people looked forward, each focusing on their daily tasks in their empty brains. I softly hummed to my self various heads snapping in my direction. These people needed to be exposed to something that wasn't in their everyday life. Each face provoking me, each stare begging me to shut up, each turned down mouth condemning my action made me what to finish what Brianna had started even more than ever. I sang an unknown song I had heard from Brianna in past years. Making quick footwork I headed around the main building of the city eventually finishing the song, feeling better than I had in a long time.

Shouts came from a crowd behind me. I circled my body around and saw a city guard grasping a woman by the color of her monotone tunic.

"You know exactly what you were doing ma'am," the man sneered. The lady looked in her fifties with wrinkles forming under her eyes and around her mouth. Her hair was dark gray getting lighter at the tips, her "uniform" was severely worn, but she looked calm and relaxed.

"I clearly do not know if I have to ask, sir," she retaliated.

"I could throw you in jail for what you did, thy would probably kill you there. Would you like to bee killed? Think about your actions before you do them."

"I could not care less about dying, I have lived a boring life, but I am concerned because I will not be thrown in jail for something I didn't do!"

"Miss, we all watched you open your big mouth and sing, which you cannot do."

Oh no. This is my fault, but I can't rush up there and take blame. I am a horrible person. I need a plan and it needs to come to me instantaneously. I lingered slowly towards the woman and officer and justs as she was about to get hauled away by the officer I jumped in front of them.

"Stop!" I shouted, "It wasn't her."

"Then who was it, you?" the officer's thin lips twisted into a wicked look of amusement. His expression caused my knees to look with nerves as I tried to stand my ground.

"I never said it was."

"Well, than how do you know it wasn't this streetwalker?"

"I know because I watched the girl who was singing sprint off in the other direction as soon as you started making accusations."

"That still doesn't mean the two of you get off without penalty, next time one of you make the smallest mistake I'll be there and you will be finished." he stated, stomping off as if he was a toddler who didn't get what he wanted, poor baby. After the city guard left the crowd that had formed, dispersed into mummers. I turned my attention to the woman next to me and soon began rambling nervously.

"I am so sorry, it's all my fault. You see my friend died because she was singing and I wanted to see if the authorities actually cared and I'm totally against not being able to express myself and I didn't mean for you to get-"

"No need to explain, I completely understand and I most definitely feel the same way about this country."

"Really? I thought all adults loved the way things were controlled. Oh by the way my name is Jackie."

"Oh no dear we dislike it as much as you, and I'm Carol."

Did you like it? Not edited so leave any mistakes you find down int the comments thanks!

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