Hidden Bruises

Lucas Parker is slowly dying.
Quietly and unseen, he is dying, but he has a secret that could finally save him.

Some called the war "World War III" but its official name went down in history as the "War of Destruction" because of all the damage it caused. Twelve years of hard fighting and all that was to show for it was a fraction of the land that used to be and enemies that seemed to press in at all angles.
The people did not push towards peace, but towards hostility. Citizens of the States wanted to become so powerful that no country would ever dare try and fight them again. Schools were erected in the aftermath of the brutal war in order to train up the next generation of military leaders. Everyone built up their forces, as a nation and as individuals, planning for the inevitable.
Everyone save for Lucas and his mom.
For the first six years of his life, Lucas lived with his mother alone in a cabin, away from the new generation of bloodthirsty civilians.
However, when Lucas's mother is forcibly taken from him by death, and Lucas begins living with his father, a vicious military commander, he quickly learns that his father's expectations better be met... or else.
Lucas must find his way in this new and frightening world, or else succumb to the pressure placed on his shoulders, all while keeping the secret that could forever change his life.