Page 5 (1/2)

I’M TWELVE YEARS OLD

I live in the Republic of America

My name is Day

My naer brother to John, older brother to Eden, son to a eles’s slum sectors

When you’ve been poor all your life, you never really think it could be any other way And soot your fas and a roof over your head

But now I’s My mother and brothers think I’ht never heal I live on the streets of Lake sector, a sluiant lake, and every day I h to survive

But things could always be worse, yeah? At least I’m alive; at least my mom and brothers are alive There’s still hope

ThisI’m perched on the balcony of a three-story, torn-up apart dangles over the edge while I lean casually onthe lakeshore, its waters glittering through the haze ofAll around s broadcast the latest Republic news above the steady, never-ending stream of Lake sector’s factory workers Several streets over, I can see a crowd of boys and girls heading off to the local high school They seee—if I hadn’t failedwith them I look up and squint at the sun

Pledge is about to start any second I hate that goddy pledge

The newsreel running on the Jus out across the city fro the streets, people stop whatever they’re doing, turn to face the direction of the capital, and then raise their ar with the speaker’s voice

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the great Republic of Alorious states, to unity against the Colonies, to our i victory!

When I was really little, I’d say this pledge like everyone else, and for a while I even thought it was pretty cool, declaringlove for our country or whatever Now I just stay silent throughout the whole thing, even though all the people on the streets recite the lines obediently Why bother playing along to so I don’t believe in? It’s not like anyone can see me up here, anyway