Life After: Episode 2 by JJ Holden

Life After
     
    Episode 2
     
    by
    JJ Holden
     
    Following a civil war that left the United States in
ruins, the remaining few who managed to escape the Imperialistic
Army and the horrors of their death camps must unite and fight to
reclaim their country.
     
    Copyright © 2014 by JJ Holden
    jjholdenbooks.blogspot.com
     
    Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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    This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters,
and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or
are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons,
living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely
coincidental.
     
     
    * * *
     
    Clark heard his boots crunch against the dry twigs
that littered the forest floor. Jeff walked by his side through the
countless trees as they made their way south to join the rebellion
to fight against the Imperialistic Army that left the United States
in shambles. He heard the wind pass through the branches. Another
storm was on the way. He also heard the boy and the man walking
behind him. He was glad they stayed to ensure their safety. He
reflected on the fact that without them, the boy and the man would
be cooking over an open flame, ready to be consumed by the savages
created by the fallout.
    “So what are your names?” Jeff asked.
    The man spoke in a soft voice. “My name is Charles.
Why are you wearing those uniforms?”
    “We aren’t who you think we are,” Clark said. “We may
be wearing the Imperial stormtrooper uniforms, but we aren’t one of
them. I guess we’re just keeping the uniforms on in case we run
into an Imperial loyalist.”
    “Why is this happening?” the boy asked with a voice
that was even smaller than he was.
    “Thomas,” the man said to the boy abruptly, “I don’t
think you should—”
    Clark cut Charles off for the second time, though he
didn’t do so out of malice. “I don’t mind answering that,” he said.
“Let’s just say the general public had the wool pulled over their
eyes during time of great need. The popular vote brought Robert
Skelton into office, but the public had no idea of his intentions.
They had no idea that he was National Socialist cloaked as a
Democrat who claimed to fight for freedom. The destruction of the
Empire State Building and most of Manhattan in 2020 was not an act
of terrorism…it was Skelton who orchestrated those attacks to
instill fear on the entire nation, and he rode in on his so-called
white horse of benevolence to save the day.”
    “The public definitely acted out of fear,” Jeff said.
“They voted for whoever promised them the most. The economy was a
mess and Skelton offered each and every household an annual
stipend. He basically paid his way into office with tax payer
money.”
    “The loyalists still act out of fear,” Clark said.
“They think that the rebels are a terrorist cell that needs to be
destroyed. They think we are the reason the county is in the shape
it’s in.”
    “Which is why they don’t feel remorse for putting the
rebels in concentration camps,” Charles said.
    Clark started up an incline and felt the cool breeze
of the on-coming storm flow through his blond hair. “Precisely,” he
said. “Whoever isn’t for Skelton is against him, or so they say. So
the rebels must be quarantined until the war is over. They think
that the rebels are just being held there. The footage they’ve seen
of the camps show favorable conditions. They have no idea about the
prisoners being lined up and gunned down each and every day to make
room for