Archie felt guilty; if it wasn’t for him Annette wouldn’t be in trouble. It was his talking that Mrs. Hornswoggle overheard. Annette had her iPod in her desk and that was strictly against the rules, Archie had known she kept it there and had told one of their mutual friends during lunch. He just happened to tell them while Mrs. Hornswoggle was standing behind them. Archie didn’t know that she was standing so close; he thought she was still circling the other half of the cafeteria. Now Annette had detention because of him.
Everyone told him that it wasn’t his fault, “She shouldn’t have had it” they said, “she’s always in detention for something” he was told, but he still felt guilty.
*******
That afternoon when Archie got home his mother was waiting for him in the living room. He walked in and threw his book bag down, and flopped on the couch. “What’s up, mom?” he said as innocently as he could. His mother just looked at him for a minute then said, “How was your day Archie? Anything happen you want to talk about?” right that minute Archie knew that she had heard what happened at school. He decided he should confess before she punished him for lying to her. So out came the words so fast they were unrecognizable, “Mom. AnnettegotintotroubltodaybecauseofmeandIfeel reallyguilty.” He was breathing really heavy by the time all of that came out of his mouth. His mom didn’t understand what he had said, “Archie, slow down, I don’t know what you are trying to say.” She said with a smile. Archie said it again slower and he explained to his mom what had happened, but his mom didn’t know why he was upset, a teacher needed to know if a student was breaking the rules.

What Mrs. Smith didn’t know was that Archie had always felt like he was Annette’s big brother. He didn’t have any biological sisters or brothers, and Annette didn’t either. They did everything together, they were the perfect pair, he was shy, she was outgoing, he was careful to listen to the rules and follow them, and she couldn’t care less, he was a wimp, and she would pick a fight with anyone, he was a docile person, and she did not pay any attention in class.

All of their classmates thought that they liked each other, but the truth was that they were just best friends, siblings almost, and that was all they would ever be.
*******

That night, as The Commander was sitting on the tree branch outside of Archie’s window, he heard a noise. He looked around, that’s when he saw him, Pipsqueak, his second in command, who didn’t have a whole lot of common sense, was swinging from the closest tree branch like it was a rope, “Wee!” he shouted, like a five-year-old. “Pipsqueak! What are you doing? We’re supposed to be unnoticed!” the commander snapped at him. Pipsqueak fell out of the tree at the shock of hearing that loud tone.

He sat up and righted himself, then looked at The Commander and said, “Sorry sir I was just having some fun.” He climbed up to the limb The Commander was sitting on then he looked in on the boy. The Commander heard a tiny voice ask, “Is he the one?”

“Yes, I believe he is the one” The Commander replied.
*******

The next day when Archie came home from school, after things settled down with Annette, he walked into the kitchen and found his mom talking with two men. One very big and burly, looking like he always got what he wanted, and the other didn’t look much older than eighteen or twenty, and looked like the type of person who just wanted to have fun, but was forced to behave.

“What’s going on?” Archie asked hesitantly.
“Archie, these men came here to talk to us….”
“About what?”
“About……”
“About the war.” Said the bigger man
“The war that I’m not supposed to know about?” Archie asked
“Yes. I am The Commander; I’m the leader of the revolution. I am an emissary sent here to talk to you. We need your help.” Said the bigger man once again.
“With what?” Archie asked
“Well you are incredibly smart.’ Said his mother, “And they need somebody with newer ideas.”
“Ideas for what?”
“Ideas for how to build our forces. If you say yes, your adventures may take you to the extremities of the modern world.” Said The Commander
*******
Six weeks later, Archie was standing outside of the war room listening at the keyhole. He had given them a lot of great ideas, and they had even used some of them. Right now he was waiting on the vote. It was the vote of the century, the vote that would decide if Archie was to become an officer or not.

It had been the best six of his life, and he didn’t want it to end. He had rewritten computer codes so they ran faster, he had helped train new recruits, and because of it all The Commander was petitioning for him to become an officer. Archie couldn’t have been more excited.

He froze. Was that footsteps he heard? Quickly he ran behind the couch and hid, he wasn’t allowed to be back here. He was told to wait in his room, and The Commander would come tell him the conclusion of the vote later.

He heard everyone come out of the room and he held his breath. For a while it was quite then he heard The Commander say “Archie, you can stop hiding we know you are back there, and we have something important to tell you.”

Slowly Archie stood up. “H..How did you know?”

The Commander just looked at him and smiled, and then he nodded his head up and down and said “Archie, we have decided to make you and officer.”
You could hear the cheering and whooping from the other side of town.
*******
After that everything happened so fast that Archie couldn’t keep track of it all. He had to move out to a new base and start training new recruits. He kept in touch with everyone through letters and emails. He didn’t see anybody from back home in person, and he never had time to talk on the phone, but he loved the life he lived.

A couple days ago Archie got a letter from Annette, in the letter was the normal stuff, hi, how are you, what’s up, etcetera, but something was right. She said that his pet dog, dandelion, was doing well, but Archie had never had a dog, and if he did he wouldn’t have named it dandelion. He didn’t write back right away, wanting to take some time and think over her letter, to figure out if it had a hidden meaning or something. And that was his first mistake.
*******
Later when Archie was out running, he was stopped by a tall man, with a hat and some sunglasses. This guy literally jumped in the middle of the road, Archie had to stop.

“Hello, I am The Squid.” The man said.

“Hi?” Archie said almost as if it was a question

“I have you mom and your little girlfriend. And if you ever want to see them again you will quit working for The Commander and come work for me.”

“W...W...What?”
“You heard me; I will be awaiting your answer. Goodbye”
As the man ran away, Archie thought “was this guy serious?” he asked himself. He felt the wall closing in on him; he didn’t know what to do. If The Squid was telling the truth, then what could he do?
*******

Five days later the answer came to him, War. That’s the word he kept hearing everyone say. He didn’t like the idea, he hated war. He wanted the nicest way possible to get his loved ones back. And he said this over and over and over again, but they just wouldn’t listen.

Why did everyone want him to start a war? He didn’t understand, he was only 14 years old, and they want him to go to war. Why? He wouldn’t do. He wouldn’t. Would he? Would he go that far for his mother and friend? He used to say that he would do anything for his loved ones, but now that push came to shove he wasn’t sure.

He needed to talk to The Commander. He wasn’t sure what to do and he trusted The Commander’s advice.

“Come in.” The Commander said when he heard a knock at the door.

“Hello sir.” It was Archie Smith, the boy wonder.

“Hi Archie, what’s up?”

“Well I need some advice,” and with that Archie explained everything that had happened, and what was going on in his mind, and about the meeting with The Squid, and everything. By the time he was done he didn’t have any time to get The Commander’s advice, he had to go straight to training, but when he left The Commander had an idea, and he called in pipsqueak to carry the plan out.
*******

The next day Archie thought was just like every other day since he moved to this compound, but he was un aware how different it really was. He walked to breakfast, and sat down to eat. As soon as he finished saying grace, The Commander walked up to him, and told him to put his food down, and go with him. Archie was scared as he got up to follow The Commander; he thought he was in trouble.

When they got into his office The Commander sat down. Then without warning he said “You can come out now.” And out of nowhere Archie’s mom, and Annette, and all of his school friends, and neighbors came out of the closet, and rushed him. Archie was filled with so much happiness, that no words can describe it.
THE END