In a Perfect World

Chapter 1

You know when people say "oh, that could never happen to me" and then something similar to that situation they described that could never happen to them happens to them? Well something like that happened to me, my family and my best friend, a situation I couldn't have predicted something that I had only seen on TV.

It was late sometime in the 2030's and the political climate had become increasingly unstable so much so that riots and other such violence were breaking out all over the country. Leaders had done little to stop because in their minds it was "for the good of people" however long that "good" took. Any person that was different usually ended up dead or going into hiding, but you know what they say, those who don't learn their history are doomed to repeat it. I just never thought that would happen in the United States or at least within my lifetime.

My name is Kara Campbell and this is the story about the day and subsequent months that changed my life forever.

This story is also about my best friend, Noel Eckhart and how our relationship changed in the 6 months, that is, also where my story begins with Noel and his family on that Saturday we went out for lunch.

That day we were meeting at a little bistro downtown the kind that sold all sorts of food for any type of day. That was my favorite type of restaurant particularly if they happened to have good desserts.

We were in the middle of such a desert when everything seemed to happen at once. Noel and I were sharing a piece of pie and laughing at each other about how much whipped cream and chocolate we could get on our faces. That was the thing I liked about Noel, I had known him since I was 7 and when I was around him it seemed as if neither of us had really grown up that much.

Suddenly there was a scream from the front of the restaurant and the sound of heavy boots filled the entryway. Just like that the entire joyful atmosphere was broken. It wasn't until the men rounded the corner I got a good look at them.

They were dressed in black from head to toe with masks obscuring their faces and holding what looked to be AK-47s (those rifles had always given me the creeps unless they were being held by an American soldier) two of these men were holding the terrified hostess who looked to be a little younger than I was, her hands were tied behind her back and her eyes were wide, her mouth gaping silently.

The man pointed at Mr. and Mrs. Eckhart.

"You! On your knees, both of you!"

Their eyes searched around the table and the rest of the restaurant then they landed on my dad, Jon.

"You too, on your knees!"

Everyone was on the defensive and the people around us looked terrified, each as startled as the next. We'd all heard of these things happening, but no one ever expected it to happen here, in a quiet town in Southern California.

Chairs and tables were kicked aside and most of the patrons were staying very still, even the children in the back of the restaurant were quiet, not even the babies cried.

The next few seconds happened in a blur, though I wasn't quite sure what exactly happened because I had my eyes shut tight most of the time.I was gripping Noel's hand as tightly as I could, he was the only one I could hold onto right now.

There was more banging of furniture then there was a series of what only sounded like explosions, very loud and close-too close.

Everything was pandemonium as the rest of us were bound and hustled out of the restaurant, even my 88-year-old grandmother Betty. She didn't even have time to grab her purse for her cane. As everyone was shuffled out of the restaurantsuddenly Noel wasn't there anymore, and our hands had been ripped apart--he was gone.

We were shuffled out into the bright sun and then into rickety trucks and cars. There was no going forward and no going back, the only thing waiting for me there at the restaurant where the bodies on the floor.