GoT Writings

Week 4, Day 4, story, Anya's Independence Day

Anya's Independence Day

Her name is Onyalla. She was elected ruler of the once beautiful land. Now she has gone mad. She has taken everything away from her citizens.
The invading horde pretend peace and need. Onyalla believes their every word. Too late she realizes her error. Too late. The days of darkness and scarcity are here. In bygone days, these things would have taken months or years to transgress. In the information age, it takes days, hours, and moments to change the landscape of a country.
Dan and Kassandra married several years ago. They chose to have one child only. Who knew that this decision would not save them from the harshness that was to come. One would think that their careful money management and stewardship would make a difference. In an age of sanity, it would. This is not that time.
First Onyalla rationed the food and the jobs to assuage the greedy want of the invaders. She refused to see that nothing would satisfy their gluttony.
Onyalla flipped through her registries and picked four families. The houses were in a modest neighborhood, these would be good fits for the immigrants.
For months Kassandra and Dan had planned for the day when their home and their possessions would be taken for redistribution. It was not a matter of if, it was a matter of when. They had taken their most precious possessions to their comrade in the northern states. They both knew they would have to prepare against a government engaged in wholesale corruption. Even the smells of the country seemed to shift to that of stench and decay, as it often does when people quit caring.
Dan and Kassandra would later tell of the 14th of October, their personal Independence Day. They were not alone. Thousands across the country were being systematically evicted from their homes and divested of their livelihoods by Onyalla’s single handed attempt to save the world.
Dan gripped Kassandra’s hands across the table when the crashing fists boomed against the hardwood door.
Kassandra whispered her urgent concern, “Who is that? And What do they want?”
Dan consoled her, “I think we know. I will open the door.”
“Open up, Government agent,” the Agent screamed as the door bowed to each slam of his fist against the door.
“I will open the door.” Dan shouldered the heavy oak door back into the jamb to unlock it. Dan was thrown back taking the brunt when the door was thrown open.
“Don’t move!” Dan could not move. His heart beat too fast and the rushing sound in his ears prevented him from hearing what was said, the laser lights dancing across his chest told him all he needed to know. He would not move until instructed to do so.
“I offer no resistance. What is this about?”
“This home is being confiscated for the government relocation. You have 15 minutes to pack. What you do not take with you will be seized by the government.”
Dan did not need 15 minutes. The family had been preparing for months for this day. All that was left were the treasures they could carry. Their daughter, Anya was a teenager and strong. She and Kassandra each grabbed suitcases in both hands, and Dan hefted the steamer trunk onto his back. They made their way out of the house and down the sidewalk. Dan instructed, “Do not look back. Keep moving.”
Kassandra cast her eyes to the bleak sky and then to the crumbled sidewalk. How did things go so bad so fast?
“Mom, what did we do?”
“Nothing. It is this government gone mad. They steal from the citizens and give to refugees. It is wrong, but it is what they do.”
“It’s not fair.”
“No, Leibchen, it is not.”
“Dan, I don’t like the slums.”
Rushing as fast as they could past the cans of rotting garbage, Dan offered some hope, “The government does not want this property, the people here will not challenge non-government citizens.”
“You are sure?” Kassandra scanned the vacant broken out windows of the apartment buildings. She could hear the covert movements in the recesses of the buildings. “Dan?”
“The van is here. Quickly.“ Dan threw the bags and trunk in quickly. “You will be here. You remember your training.” Kassandra nodded accepting the semi-automatic weapon. “Anya, you drive. I will take the passenger side. Your instructions are here. Follow them to the letter.”
Anya sped past the exit points. There were no security checkpoints to impede her progress.
“Dad, I don’t understand. It isn’t fair.”
“No, it’s not. I will not go silently into the night never to be heard from again. There comes a time when everyone must stand against tyranny or die in the process. This is our time.”
“What if I don’t want to fight this war.”
Dan stared out the window, chin in hand, “Go three miles, then pull over.”
Kassandra looked askance at her father. That was not in the directive. “I did not say I would not fight, just that I would not like it.”
“No one likes it. But we all choose.”
“Can I have a choice, please?”
Dan faintly nodded his head.
“Dad, I will fight with you and mom.”
“Do not cheat these people. They can see a cheat and a liar quite easily.”
“I understand.”

Dan and Kassandra had signed the manifest several months ago. Today was October the 14th. Anya looked at the first sentence, ‘We the people will stand against tyranny of all forms.’ She clicked the pen open and closed as she scanned the rest of the document. “Happy birthday to me.”
The commander of her unit nodded his head, lips plastered together in a straight line. He coughed to get her attention, “Raise your right hand for the oath of allegiance.”
Right down the line he went. 586 new recruits sworn in individually. The commander could tell a fake eye to eye. He could not risk a mass swearing in. This cause was too important for mistakes.

[word count: 1006]
and "Game of Thrones"