UpRising - Chapter Two - Prejudice

The curtain-less windows unveiled a blinding light, I threw my hands over my eyes. It burns. I groaned, not wanting to get up. I hate Mondays, but who doesn't? Nobody, that's who. I rolled off the bed and hit the floor, not bothered if I crushed my arm or rib or some other bone. I moaned under my breath, just wanting to fall asleep on the floor. My eyelids closed without checking if I wanted them to, but I couldn't bothered to argue with myself. I curled up, and pulled the cover from the bed over my body. But it barely retained heat, it just laid there, not doing it's job.

“Come on Suzanne, you actually have to get up.” I gave myself enough energy to look up, it was Christina at the door. I moaned under my breath, letting out a long, tired, 'No.'
“Why?” knowing I'm not getting up if there isn't a good enough reason, she knew that too. It was then that she was wearing her formal clothes, it must be important. I laboured myself to sit up,
“The Government have demanded the everyone to the town square, they have an announcement for everyone in town.”

I still don't see why they renamed the United Kingdom, Currereame is quite a mouthful. But now it's all one country, no borders to what used to be Wales, Scotland and Ireland. They were going to keep the name England, but there was a war within itself about that. So, after weeks of arguing, they all agreed on Currereame. So I guess that was a reason to change it, sort of. The capital of old England, London, was destroyed in the third World War. So they built a new capital for the whole of Currereame, in the middle of old England. And named that Caputvos, helps to remember it's the capital, sort of sounds like it. It's not much of a mouthful compared to Currereame.

I pulled myself onto the bed, and raided through my draws. I'm not dressing formally, no way. I changed into my casual black trousers, red shirt and black boots. Before leaving the room, and remembering that it's cold, I take my black hooded jacket. Most of my clothes are black and dark colours. So I can camouflage in the forest, and plus, I'm not keen on bright colours. I'm not a girly girl, I'm a tomboy. If you catch me in a frilly pink dress, shoot me.

I came out into the dining room, all the girls wearing dresses. But luckily, no pink ones, phew, just purples and oranges. Joe looked so out of place in her purple ruffled dress with a ribbon in her hair. I wasn't the only one protesting to wear formal clothes. Erik stood there is his casual attire of dark brown trousers, brown boots and a black long sleeved shirt. He did comb his hair though, but he still looked casual. Hazel snook up on me, and started brushing my tangled bird's nest of deep red hair. She wasn't at all gentle, I wouldn't call it brushing, more like murdering my hair.
“Ow, thanks for the warning?” It took several minutes for her to finally get out the knots. This gave Stephanie and Christina enough time to sort out Ellie and Lauren in their matching orange dresses.

Then Hazel attempted to tie my hair with a ribbon, but I had to put my foot down at that line.
“I don't think so,” I took the ribbon from her hand. And threw it on the table, she sighed.
“Fine, can I at least tie it back?” I nodded reluctantly, letting her do that as if saying 'Nothing else'. I have a thing about always having my hair down, which explains why it's such a mess half the time.
She tied it in a simple ponytail, and brushed it smooth again. Pleased with her work, she stepped back and smiled. I hate when people inspect me, judging me like a piece of meat.
“And when you finish admiring my hair, can we go?” Trying to get out of this situation.

“Yeah, let's go,” and we hurried out the door. Erik locked the door and ran after us, well me mainly. He had the a key to the front door, Stephanie, Christina and Alistair had an key each themselves. I couldn't help but look at his hair, it looked so, posh. I burst into laughter, he glared at me.
“Shut up, you can hardly talk with your hair.” Flicking the back of my ponytail, teasing me. I simply rolled my eyes, and pushed him lightly for mocking me. Not happy about my hair myself.
“Well, that's different. This is casual, but that's just.” Trying to come up with a word,
“Posh,” I settled for. He stuck out his tongue at me, how mature is he?

Before I knew it he pushed me away, and I was running after him. Chasing him as if we were children play 'It.' I chased him for a few minutes, before I found myself back in the forest. I didn't care, like I say to Stephanie a lot. 'Live a little.' I was laughing, pushing my way pass the branches and hedges scattered on the forest floor. Erik looked back at me, his dark brown hair bright in the sunlight that bled through the tree's limbs. Dead leaves lay on the floor, like a mattress, as if they knew people like Erik were going to fall over onto them. I had to stop, I couldn't laugh like this and run, I'd faint from the lack of oxygen. This was the side of Erik I prefer to his scolding teacher side in the afternoons when I can't hit the target. His bubbly, energetic, child-like side, always ready for a bit of fun.

He pulled himself back up on his feet, and charged towards me. I knew he wasn't happy about me laughing at him. I ran for it, not wanting him to catch me. The soft bedded forest floor gave me an advantage. I leapt through the forest like an antelope. While in comparison, he hopped after me like a toad. I imagined that image in my head, I couldn't help but stop and laugh. That was a bad decision, he caught me, picked me up with one swift movement, lifting me in the air. Tilting me upside down. I was still laughing, but I was punching at his arms trying to get him to let go of me.

But he had me firmly in his grip, the blood was beginning to go to my head, I felt weird.
“Let me go Erik!” I screamed, but I was still laughing. He didn't lighten his grip at all,
“Erik, come on. Let me go. We have to get to the town's square,” that rung a bell in his mind.
He turned me back the right way up, and set me lightly onto the cushioned leafy floor.
“Thank you,” I breathed out heavily, trying to catch my breath. My lungs felt fuzzy, and dry. I took long and deep breaths, trying to return my breathing to normal. But it wasn't working.




My legs also didn't seem to want to work, they just locked into place. Like a horse when they sleep standing up. Erik smiled at me, his hair was back to it's normal, ruffled, care-free disordered hairstyle, back the way it suited him. His eyes also looked more relaxed, not the angry waves attacking the shore blue. But a calm, summer sea blue. Erik looked nothing like his sisters, they all had blonde hair, except Lauren, her hair was ginger. They also all also has brown eyes, all of which were tinted in different shades.

But I don't look much my siblings, they all have brown hair, Hazel has a layer of purple hair which she got Christina to dye. But I do have kind of similar eyes, mine look very similar to Hazel's, a grey. But hers had a tint of blue in them. But I had to admit, I would kill to have Erik's eye colour. My hair was a sort of dark carmine red, like the shade of a red rose, but a lot darker. I love my hair, except when certain people try to tie it back with a ribbon. My breathing took it's time, but it returned to me, normally. I smiled in relief, not wanting to have to crawl to the Town's square.
“Come on then,” I patted him on the arm, and ran ahead. You'd think I wouldn't run considering it took me a few minutes for me to recover after Erik tried to abduct me, but no.

I could hear his heavy footsteps running after me, attempting to catch up with me. I was always the faster one, but he was always the one handy with the weapons. It didn't take long to catch up with the others, they didn't seem too pleased that we ran off. He were just a minute away from the Town's square. Everyone knew it was bad news, knowing the Government, it's normally bad. Actually, to my recollection, it's always been. And the bigger the gap between the gatherings ordered by the Government, the worst it is. There hasn't been a Government gathering for four years, back when I was fourteen. It was for people at work, and that they are reducing the minimum salary by about half. That's when more people began to starve, and me and Erik had to hunt more frequently to feed all of us. We still have trouble feeding ourselves sometimes, mostly in winters.

The town square was actually circular, buildings surrounding it. With a road going, North, East, South and West. We came from the East road, that was the poorer part of town. The West is for the richer citizens, but that's still quite poor in this town. The North of the town is industrial part where all the pollution coughs out, and the south is the forests. Everyone was already there, we were one of the late arriving families. There were guards, at each road. Checking if we had anything. They've never done this before, it must be important or just plain awful. Erik knew something was going on too, they were locking everyone in after every citizen was gathered. I feel like cattle, being rounded up for slaughter. The gates slammed shut, trapping us in here.

The city hall steps are being used as a stage. Our city hall isn't much, just a manor where the mayor lives, and where meetings are held pretty much. But also for the rare Government announcements.
A tall man in an expensive suit, combed back black hair, and dark, unforgiving eyes stood up to the podium placed there. A microphone in a support, pointing towards him. Then murmurs echoed amongst us, I'm not surprised at all. The man at the podium is the Prime Minister, no-one knows his actual name. Everyone calls him Prime Minister, but me and Erik call him something else, a liar.

“Good morning Citizens of Opus,” every word he spoke made me more and more angry. My hands tightened into fists, stabbing my nails into my palms. Erik saw this, and tried to calm me down.
“Anger won't solve anything, if it did. I think most people here would of shot him by now,”he whispered into my ear. That was true, because of him, and his decisions, we live short, meaningless lives. He continued, smiling at us, at if we loved him. But I knew we all hated him,
“The Government have been totalling up statistics over the last few days, and we've realised something important. Something that will change your lives. That our cities, are overpopulated, and towns like this, are under populated. And also, we have many open spaces, and also work all over Currereame in needed to be done. So it has come down to me, what to decide. And I think we've been to soft on you to be honest.”
What!? My fists almost shot in the air, but Erik caught them. Knowing I would react.
“How can he say that? We're starving,” I grumbled. Erik held my arms behind me tightly, not daring to let go. Knowing I would do something drastic, very drastic because the Government is involved.
“And I've decided, that this town will be relocated to concentration camps where you will work. So the rest of Currereame may live, sacrificing Opus so we can save the rest of Currereame.”
WHAT! How can he do this? We live here. That explains why we're locked in here, so we don't try to escape. Why is he doing this to us, just because our town isn't rich, doesn't mean we should live like slaves, while the rest of the country lives happily. Probably not aware what's happening.

The crowd started shouting out at him, the same thing I could hear repetitively was 'This isn't fair.'  Guards blocked people from raiding the stairs of the city hall, and taking it out on him.
“There is no arguing, now stop shouting and get a move on!” He screamed down the microphone, and he entered the city hall. The guards blocking the roads remained firm, while horse drawn carts prepared themselves for the weight of us to climb aboard. Erik's face filled with anger and rage.
“Erik, Suzanne.” Stephanie called to us lightly, we turned to attention. While Alistair, Hazel and Christina calm Ellie, Lauren and Joe. But tears breached their eyes, and wouldn't stop flowing.

“You must escape from here, I know you two can make it out of here alive. Run, and don't come back.” Erik protested, “No, I'm not leaving without you.” Tears began to settle on the rims of his eyes. “Erik, leave. We'll only slow you down. Go. And come back for us, just get out of here while you can.” He nodded and shook his head, not sure what to do. He just hugged his sister, tightly. As if he was never going to see her again, and the odds of him seeing her again are very slim. He then went to his little sisters, they were already in tears as it is. I looked at my siblings, they knew I was leaving. We held in an embrace, all four of us. I held onto them bindingly, not wanting to let go, not wanting to leave. But we had to, it's the only chance of any of us surviving, by telling the rest of Currereame about what the Prime Minister is doing to poor towns.  

After a few minutes of emotional trauma and constantly reassuring them that we'll find them. Me and Erik were pulled out of the gate, to climb into the caged cart. Several were already set off to go to the god forsaken place that we are forced to call home. A guard gripped at my upper arm so hard that the pain began to build up, and my reflexes kicked in. Literally. I kicked him in the shin, and he backed off, howling in pain. Erik elbowed the guard holding him in the ribs, and then kneed him in the private area. Erik looked at me for a second, telling me to follow him. And we legged it away from there, and down the road to our home.

Cheering from the crowds erupted into the air, shouting and crying for us to run. I stopped for a moment, and looked back at them. And amongst them, seven faces looked at me, tears in their eyes. Christina poked her head between the tall, steel gates and shouted with all her might 'Escape Suzanne, Go!' Pounding her fists at the gates, ridding some of the rage that has been boiling in her blood. That brought me back into reality, this isn't a game. I can run, but they will find me. I won't run, I will escape.