Freedom Fighters

When I Learned My Fate.

- One Year Earlier-

I'd never been a fighter. In fact fights made me nervous. That was before, when i didn't have anything to fight for. I used to be too arrogant to stand up for the pledge of allegiance. It was a simpler time in 2015.

The second semester of my sophomore year, in World History, a football player named Jay was called to the office. He had been in the office for about 15 minutes before I was called down. I immediately made a mental list of possible offences to the school handbook I could have made.  I also made a list of excuses for the things i had done.

When I had arrived at the office they directed me down a narrow, brightly light hallway to the guidance office. What could Mr. Jones want now? He never bothers me unless i ask him to review my schedule or talk about what classes I would have to take in order to graduate with my networking certificate. Had I been in any drama? No. Had I pulled my sleeves up too high, revealing the tiny cuts marking up my wrist? No. Did my mom and her husband break up again, resulting in a move? Possibly. Actually, more than likely.

But I realized, as I approached the room, that none of those things were the cause of today’s office trip. By the doorway I could see Jay sitting in a chair listening to what a man in a camouflage uniform and combat boots had to say. I took a seat on a chair outside the office.

What do Jay and I have in common? I’m a computer kid and he's a football player. I’m overweight and he's fit. I have short hair colored burgundy where as his is a sandy blonde color. We both had blue eyes. But so did half of the school. What could I be here for?

Apparently waiting outside was not what the man sitting behind Mr. Jones’ desk wanted me to do. I only sit there for a total of thirty seconds (maybe even less?) before he called me in with Jay. This day was not going the way I preferred. I would rather be in history, reading a book, then in a room with two strangers. Except there were more people in the room then I had originally thought.

As I stood in the doorway I looked to my left to see my mother, and two other people, a man and a woman, who I assumed were Jay’s family.

“Welcome Miss Alice Little. I am with the U.S. secret service. Would you please take a seat?” The man behind the desk asked, but sounded less like a question and more like a demand

I took a seat, but I did so nervously because the only seat left to take was next to Jay. As I took a seat I realized something important. I was only 16. Why would the army be talking to me? I thought you signed up when you were 18? And that was only if you were into stuff like that. I am not into fighting.

“Now, we have explained to Jay the importance of this visit. I will need to repeat it because we could not talk to you without your mother.” I looked at my mom who had blushed slightly. So she was late? Good. Maybe we could just go home and not have to listen to the man in the uniform.

”We need you to….” 

Let me know what you think. I'll update this on Monday's.

                                                -TJK