“It Was Just a Normal Day”


It started out as just a normal day. The sun was shining. The date was June 13, 2097. My brother, Peter, and I were at the beach. We skipped school but know one really cared our parents had died when I was three, Peter was six. Our parents were murdered for no particular reason they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. When they died me and my brother were sent to live with our grandmother, but she passed away earlier this year. Now we live alone, just me and Peter, who’s nineteen right now.

The government had been getting really strict. You couldn't do anything wrong, but no one thought it would come to this. A normal Friday afternoon was turned completely upside down. It started with all the billboards. Instead of playing nonstop adds, they turned to the governor who was sitting at his office desk. Then the police came down everywhere in the city with the sirens telling you to watch the billboards. Apparently there was a message from the governor that everyone needed to hear because it was that “important.” There happened to be a billboard in the middle of the beach parking lot. Damn things are everywhere. All eyes were plastered up on the billboard as the governor began to talk.
“Hello, citizens of Perth. I have a few things to inform you that there will be some changes being made to the government and the way it is run.”
We could all live with a few changes are good right? But nothing could have prepared us for what came next.
“Along with a lot of little changes there is going to be one drastic one. Instead of being a democracy we're going to be a dictatorship. I know this must come as a shock to you, but you are getting way too out of hand and it is putting others in danger. Changing this community to a dictatorship is just a punishment for your ridiculous and foolish actions. Also on a happier note, I, Governor A. Rowell, am your new dictator.” He proclaimed with a sarcastic tone.
Jaws drop and mouths hang open as the word dictator left his mouth.
“Many of the rules that you are all so familiar with are going to be changed. They’re going to be a lot more strict. You will not be able to get away with the things you used to be able to. Don’t think I’m doing this for my own purposes. Don’t get too upset, this is all just meant to keep you safe.”
Everyone knew that wasn’t true, Governor or Dictator Rowell almost had to be kicked out because he was and, apparently is still, completely insane.
Thoughts race through my mind about who would let him turn the government into a dictatorship? That’s right no one would. Everyone knew he was still completely insane. Rowell was doing something to the people he works with, nobody would let him turn the government into a dictatorship, right? So what is he doing to them? Is it Poison? Mind Control? Threats? Or even worse death? Someone had to figure out what was going on .

My thoughts were interrupted by the stupid, idiotic words coming from Rowell.
“Now that everyone is aware of how things are going to change around here. You all have to go to city hall and pick up your new work schedule and your uniforms. Now I want everything picked by tomorrow at noon anyone who is not present by then will be suffering severe consequences.” After he said that the billboard went back to showing ads, but everyone was still staring at it in disgust, or maybe confusion, or I don’t know. Going to city hall to pick up my uniform and work schedule. Anyways going to city hall to pick up all that junk will be the perfect time investigate a little, you know scope out the place.
On our way home I decided to talk to Peter about it.
“You think anyone is actually going to go along with this?” I asked in a questioning tone.
“Lukas, you heard what Rowell said. If you don’t, you’ll suffer severe consequences. I’m sure everyone will go. It doesn’t seem like a joke,” Peter stated in a strict father-like tone.
“So does that mean we have to listen to everything that Rowell says? I mean come on, Pete. He’s insane,” I said.
“I’m sure that everyone will listen to him,” Peter uttered.
“Dude, that wasn’t my question. Do we have to listen to him?” I stated, getting a little annoyed a little annoyed.
“Oh, of course not,” Peter laughed.
“Wait, if we’re not going to listen to Rowell, why are we going to pick up our uniforms tomorrow? Isn’t that listening to him?” I asked a little confused.
“Because it’s the perfect time to scope out the area. I mean, you know, the other people in the government,” Peter began, sounding slightly sinister.
“Would never let him do anything like that,” We both exclaimed in unison and started laughing.
We had to go pick up our uniforms. It was 9:37. Most people were so scared they probably went at 1 A.M. just to be safe. On our way to city hall we had to figure out a plan. Like what we were going to do to look around, what to do if we got caught, things like that.
“So, Peter, how are we going to go at this? We definitely need a plan.” I said hoping he had a plan because I didn’t.
“ Well I was thinking they didn’t say where in city hall to go, so we could say we got lost when we look around,” Peter said, sounding proud of his plan.
“But what if they have signs or something then we can’t say we got lost?” I asked, feeling bad for poking holes in his plan.
“Ugh, that’s true. Um, we could just look around when were there, and we’ll go back later tonight and see what’s going on,” He mumbled, sounding a little puzzled on what to do next.
“What if we looked for a place without security cameras then we could hide there tonight?” I suggested, and Peter liked it, so it was settled. That was the plan.
Peter and I now have to work in mines that this city apparently has. They’re like a billion years old, that’s not safe.
It was 12:13 A.M. Peter and I were getting ready for our secret “spy” mission. We were both dressed in all black, just like in the movies.
“Okay, if one of us gets caught just scream,” Peter dictated. We popped a basement window open and crawled through. No one is in the basement, or at least we thought until we tripped over something on the ground. Peter took out his phone and shined a little light, it is a grave. The rock the was in front of it has a name of the front of it, Mark Brolie, he was one of the government officials. In the basement? Really? That’s gross.
As we climbed the stairs slowly, we noticed the room at the top has a light on. Peter was at the bottom of the staircase so I just slowly peered through the window. The “Dictator” was in a meeting. We were trying to listen and hear what they were talking about.
“As you may know I am the complete ruler of this city, and I think the citizens need a little push to do their work. One person from each family must die,” Rowell stated to whoever is in the room. I caught a glimpse of Peter as he was looking down to make sure no one was there down at Peter, I don’t think he heard that. He was my only family. “The first person you see from each family, you kill. Got it? If you do not complete this mission you will die, too,” Rowell said and there were footsteps coming towards the door.
We ran down the stairs as the door creaked open. Rowell was looking down the stairs like he heard something, but he continued walking. Peter moved his hand, the cue to move up the stairs. Slowly we ascended the stairs. There was a scream from down the hall towards us. Someone saw us. I looked at Peter and we both started running down the hall as fast as we could as they chase after us. The only place we had to go is up the stairs, we ran and ran, but we reached the last stair case. Both of us ran down the hall, but when we reached the end, there was no where to go. I looked at Peter and then everything went black.
When I woke up, I was in a very open room, one barred window near the top. The room was dark I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t even move my hands, they were tied, or handcuffed. The first thought I had was where is Peter? Is he okay? Someone coughed. I looked over. I thought it was Peter. Thank god.
“Peter are you ok?” I asked, trying not to scream but not be too quiet either, hoping to hear a response.
“Yah, um, where are you? I can’t see you.” Peter muttered as I sighed in relief.
“It’s too dark. I can’t see,” I mumbled as I squinted trying to look around.
“Can you get up?” Peter asked.
“Um, yeah hold on,” I stated as I struggled to get up with my hands tied behind me.
“Then just follow the sound of my voice,” he said. I started to walk toward him, trying not to fall because the floor felt very uneven. As I began walking towards Peter’s voice, I managed to get a glimpse of outside. The window was on ground level and very high up, which meant we were below the ground. While I was walking toward him, I tried to feel it, what was around my wrist. It was rope. I tried to untie it. I got it a little loose. I got it loose enough that I could get my hands out.

“Peter I got my hands out,” I said as I continued slowly walking towards him.

“Ok, just keep walking towards me,” he said. While I was shuffling along I hit something. “Ow, Lukas that wasn’t just a bump in the floor, that was my chest,” he quietly shouted sounding a little annoyed. I felt around in my pockets for something I could use to see. Thank god they didn’t notice my little flashlight, or my phone apparently.

I took out the flashlight and shined it where my foot had hit him. Peter squinted as the light shined into his eyes. I almost dropped the flashlight when I saw him. His face was bruised and cut, along with the rest of his body.

“What happened to you?” I stuttered, trying to examine the severity of his injuries.

“That’s not important right now. Just untie me!” He exclaimed.
I knelt down beside him and shined the flashlight at the rope. As I began to undo the knot we heard a noise come from outside, what must have been the door. I ran back to where I was before and just wrapped the rope around my hands.

“Just look like you’re asleep or something,” Peter whispered across the dungeon.
That door creaked open. Someone walked in. I heard his footsteps heading towards Peter, and then footsteps began in my direction. He seemed to stop before coming to close.
“They’re asleep sir,” someone said with a very shaky voice.
“Well, leave them. They’ll need their rest for what they’re in for,” Rowell said, his voice was very recognizable. They left the room and slammed the door behind them. I ran over to Peter after a few seconds and finished untying him.
“That’s it! We are outta here!” Peter stated, as he jumped up and began heading for the door.

“What are we going do?” I asked a little shocked.

“That’s not important right now,” he shouted as he pushed the door. It wasn’t even locked. This is a lame dungeon. Especially because there was door right down the hall that wasn't guarded.

We ran down the hall, out the door, up the steps, and down the street. There were people gathered in the middle of town. Peter jumped up on a rock and began to make a speech.

“Everybody, you have to listen. I’m sure no one wants to be under a dictatorship, especially not run by Rowell. If you want this to end, move to the left side,” about a quarter of the people moved. “Would it help if I said that Rowell wants to kill one person from every family. That’s what I thought. Guys you have to rebel you can’t let him get away with this. Who’s willing to rebel against him?” Peter jumped off the rock and we joined the group of rebels. “Now you know this is dangerous?” Peter asked as heads nodded in unison.

The ads went off on the billboard and Rowell’s face went up.
“That was amusing to watch, but I’d like you all to know the first person to ‘rebel’ will be killed. That might change your plans,” Rowell said trying to scare everyone.
“Well I don’t know about you guys but I’m still going,” Peter said as he looked around.
“I’m going,” I said. One by one everyone agreed besides a few.
We gathered a few weapons and marched to the dungeon we had been kept in and waited for the guards to appear again. They were in for a surprise.
When they opened the door they looked completely shocked. All of us charged through. We made our way up the stairs to Rowell’s office, and all at once everyone, except me and Peter, shot Rowell down. That was it, He was dead. We were all free.
Someone from the group of rebels shouted, “That’s what he gets for being a psycho!”
“Yah!” Somebody else shouted from the crowd.
“No what do we do?” Another person asked. Heads turned to Peter because he was the leader of the group.
Peter responded to the question by saying, “Well, now we can live our life normally. But we do need a new governor. Preferably one that is mentally stable.” As those words left Peter’s mouth the doors of city hall flew open.
Every head turned towards the doors. People came rushing through the doors. They were all people the belonged to the government.
Peter and I looked at each other and said in unison again, “Would never let him do anything like that.”
As people came out of city hall the last of the group was the old governor, Governor Terus. Rowell was elected governor because Terus was dead. Governor Terus wasn't dead unless that was a very human looking zombie.
Shocked and questioning faces were everywhere. Terus smiled at everyone in the crowd that had gathered. He said he never died, or signed any resignation papers. That means that he is still the governor. Which he explained later in the day when he became our official governor again.
It’s been a year since then and everything is back together. Our governor isn't completely insane, so that’s good. Compared to before everyday is just a normal day.