Are we what we think we are?

What did we ever do wrong?

The news was shut. 'Emergency' they called it, nothing was shown, nothing was told. Whatever a person knew was what they heard from gossips. Now four people seen together meant death, in bold letters.

The army was on the streets, people did not even peek outside. The curtains closed and people were locked inside their own homes. Only certified people, the ones who had a citizenship ID and were under 40 were allowed to leave to get grocery, once two weeks. Citizenship started from 21. Kids were starving, the old were dying. The youth was afraid.

The darkness inside houses loomed over, shadowing the country with a death spree. Forty teams of terrorists were deployed they said. The most planned attack in history. The President's daughter's security was a traitor. Worked for her since the last three years, only reveal himself as the head of the terrorist group, a month ago.

Bodies piled a corner of the state, the smell making it impossible to live. Suicide rates increase by 20%. No other country had the power to save them. Military sent in via the ocean, was bombed at every time. Out of 3 million, 25,000 was rescued. Mostly women and children under 18.

Now the President was impeached. The ex-security crowned himself the head, owning the army. His people governed the army-men. All pure-hearted were killed. People were controlled like puppets.

"Your ID sir?"

Eddy lifted his head. A small, polite smile showing, "Yes, sir." A trick of the fingers, and his ID was out. "I want to go to the grocery store, sir. May I?" The soldier at the door, lifted his gun and pointed it away from Eddy's chest. "Yes, you may, Mister Edward." The man walked away, speaking to the microphone on his shoulder, "ID 52335, Edward Chen, clear and allowed."

A car with two other men, obviously citizens and four army men arrived at the door. "ID 52335?" Eddy nodded, "Sir," The door swung open, "Please enter, sir."

There was a given amount of food, that a citizen could buy. Making it even difficult for families with a lot of family members to live. Eddy was safe on that. He just had one person. Eddy grabbed some bread, noodles, rice and water bottles. And a couple of bottles of sleeping pills. "Are you done, sir?" A man asked, "Yes, sir." Eddy replied.

"NO! Please! Don't take it away! I have kids! I need to fee-" The man from the ride was screaming for not long though. He was shot before he could complete. "ID 27211 executed," A man spoke into his microphone. Eddy flinched to the slightest, sound of bullets were heard seldom, due to the silencers. Worse was that the bodies weren't even burnt or buried, they were left for scavengers to hunt. But seeing a kill this close didn't even rack his body. He had seen so much.

But this time something was similar. A memory seemed to flash before his eyes. "Please let me go, I have kids. They are waiting. I have a wife! I have two-" and his body fell. Eddy watched his father die. Get shot at, just because he wanted to buy food. A tear fell down his cheeks, slowly his eyes watered up fully, and he was pulled away at gunpoint into the car. "Sir, please move to the car." A man pushed Eddy's shoulders towards the car outside. Eddy's eyes were still on the body. The story scarily similar to his.

The ride was quite speedy, and Eddy's eyes were outside. Tracing the outlines of the once lively city. "That was my father." A driver spoke. "Sir, your recorder might be on, I might have to shoot you if you discuss personal matters on duty along with citizens." The soldier beside Eddy spoke, hand on the revolver hidden in his breast-pocket. Ray Chen, his ID said. Old friend of Eddy's, in fact he was the one who cleared his name, earlier that afternoon. "ID 52335, your destination." Eddy got off with a short 'thank you'.

Brett was waiting. For Eddy and for freedom. "I'm here, babe." Eddy said with a sigh. Brett didn't move an inch. Still kneeling down on his bed, silently stifling, looking at violin case in the corner. Eddy walked in slowly. "Darling, you have to eat something."

Brett inhaled deeply, only speak the words, "Why can't we live happily? What happened? Why are we suffering?" Eddy looked down, not knowing the answers himself, "Darling, we'll never know. They're after humanity, and we can't do anything. They know how to shut us up. They'll stop when they want to." Brett's eyes closed, "My brother was innocent." Eddy's heart wrenched, "I know, so was my whole family. Brett, most of the people they are killing are innocent. They want to rule, they will take every step to do so." Brett's eyes watered, "There's nothing we can do?" Eddy sighed deeply, "Nothing,"

"Why are we alive?" Brett asked suddenly, swirling the tasteless soup in his bowl. Eddy was speechless, "Because we want to be. We're living by the rules, that's what they want. We're innocent. We've done nothing wrong till now." But Brett never listened, his points all revolves around one thing; his late brother. "He was innocent too." Eddy dropped his spoon, "He didn't work by the rules they wanted. They clear away everything they find as a nuisance. He tried protesting and they would never allow that." Brett's mouth dried up, "He was killed by Ray."

Brett was used to remaining silent now. And so did Eddy. Speaking took too much effort and it hurt every time they did. Eddy had found Brett sitting in his bathroom sitting alone, crying, with a blade in his hand a lot of times. Eddy had to put him to sleep forcefully, hence the secret doses of sleeping pills. It eased his way.

Just another night for them. Brett lying in the taller's lap without any will to see daylight the next day. And Eddy's hand combing his hair which had grown very long. A silent vibration went down Eddy's leg and his phone pinged a message for the first time since the government restricted and banned all forms of communication and social media.

Surprisingly enough Eddy already knew what and who it was.