The Land Before Tomorrow

Chapter 9

I stayed in the shelter for about a week before I actually got a job. I figured I would be there for a while before I could find someone to rebel against Akmondeza with. The funny thing is, I got a job at Piagette's. I got an employee discount so I was able to get new, wacky, colorful clothes for half off. Zander and I also kept hanging out. He would come to my room, and I would go to his, sometimes we would spend the night in each other's room. Eventually, I told him what was happening. The conversation went something like this...

"Have you ever heard of Akmondeza?"

"Yes actually, I used to... study it," he said. 

"Well then, can you keep a secret?"

"Absolutely. Anything." 

"Even if it is considered... breaking the law?"

"Yes even then. Unless you murdered someone, then I would tell," 

"Well no, I didn't do that,"

"Well then speak away," 

"I used to live in Akmondeza, and I 'won' a raffle that they have every year. I got to leave Akmondeza to go to- what they told us- was a new place. And they brought us here, to a building on Juniper Street where we all got in a line and took us in a room. Before I had to go in the room, I realized that when we went in there, we got killed." 

"See, the thing is... I used to live in Akmondeza too..." 

"Really?!"

"Really. And I won the raffle as well, and they took me to the same building, and I too realized what was happening and ran away. I went back to Akmondeza to try and tell my friend Serena, but she wouldn't listen to me, so I had to come here." 

"Same here! I went to go tell my friend Carter!" 

"I wanted to start an alliance, but I didn't think anyone would join or believe me. I also didn't have any friends."

"I'm so glad that we are in the same shoes because now we can work together to start an alliance!" 

"Actually, that isn't going to work..."

"Why? You have been waiting for so long!"

"I know, but... I just got over the PTSD Akmondeza gave me."

"What do you mean? I mean, I know things can be scary but was it really that bad?"

"Yes..."

"Care to explain at all?"

"When I was 10, my father was a farmer, and he was out in the fields working. I heard him yelling for me, so I went out into the field to find him. When I got out there, it was too late... He had had a heart attack in the field and died while plowing. The story isn't that bad yet, everyone loses loved ones in their life. The traumatic part about it is that I watched Undergroun officials take his body and put it on a wagon, and I had to watch as they cut it up on the way to God knows where."

"That is awful..."

"Yes, but I am trying to get over it." 

"Well, if you help me with the alliance, then we can get back at the Underground for that. Maybe we can even explain this whole thing to the Overground and they could help us!" And it was settled then and there. Zander and I were going to get the Overground to help us with an alliance, and takedown Akmondeza. For good.