Branded

Chapter 1

Cleveland had been without sunshine since the incident. The day that Ohio refused the government. The day the world learned what malignant powers they could use against us. The government, or as the world knows them, The Change Makers, had taken over the world. They assassinated the President and the Vice President and everyone else who tried to stop them. They took everything away from us, our pets, money, food you name it, they took it. Oh. And the worst part is that we are branded. When you are born, a barcode is tattooed onto the back of your neck, containing all your personal information, a camera-like thing that watches us all the time and adds information to our file, kept by The Change Makers, and a tracker that kept us from running away from our corrupted world, even though I have no idea where the Change Makers don't control.

I remember the incident well. The bombs falling from the sky, the fire burning up my city, the sounds of gun fire, the infinite amount of blood flowing into the streets, and the screams. Oh, the screams that haunt me in my nightmares, the nightmares that I have no one to comfort me after I wake up terrified. I am the only human left in Ohio. I know that The Change makers are watching me, knowing that I will have to leave soon, join a new state, but it is impossible. Then, they will pick me up and force me to work for them. I never will, yes food is getting scare, but I will never work for the insane monsters in the capital. The same monsters that murdered my family. I don't know how I survived, but somehow I did, and I will keep living so that I can get my revenge on The Change Makers. My sweet revenge.

Many people in the capital probably think I've gone insane. It's possible after living 8 years in the wilderness, starving by yourself after a traumatic event, but I don't think I'm insane. I eat whatever I can find, mud, worms, bugs, plants, and maybe if I'm extremely lucky a rodent. It's no way to live, but I need to prepare myself for when I have my revenge on The Change Makers. Oh, but I would die for some real food, pork, beef, mutton, duck. My stomach starts rumbling. I try to tell myself that those foods are too rich and will make me sick, but it doesn't work. I want them too much.

Its been a long time since I've heard my name. Emory Hunter. I miss being called that, now I can only pretend that I can hear it from the howling winds, calling me. Sometimes I really believe that I do hear it. I am practically fearless, living alone in the wilderness for 4 years. I only have one fear. Death. I can't deal with it. The thought of killing anyone or someone I love dying terrifies me, but I don't love anyone. No one matters to me and I am determined to get over this petty fear. This fear is in my way of defeating the capital!

I curled up on the dirt and try to fall asleep on the hard, cold ground. I try to think of my revenge on the capital, how I am going to rebel against their cruel laws. I will destroy them forever. As I drift off the sleep, I hear crackling. I sit up and turn towards the forest. The forest was on fire! I jump up and run to what I believe to be South-West, but I don't have a compass, so I am not quite positive. I am leaving Ohio, sooner than I thought. I cross the border into West Virginia.

Sorry this is