Year 2030. It’s been 16 years since the world fell. It felt like yesterday was peaceful and no conflict had occurred. And now here we are. The city that was once scenic and gorgeous is now buried in destruction, fear, and hopelessness.
Everyone now relies on potatoes, making it their food source, while governments and higher-ups across the world get everything. Corruption at its finest. That’s what has caused the world to reach this state.
Oh, right. I’m Luke. A human being who used to have a peaceful life but now hunts for survival. I’ve got a lot of comrades on my side. On our side, we know how equality works, unlike that rotting government. Everyone is welcome in our secret hideout, regardless of sexuality and beliefs. We don’t argue about things, we know how to respect one another, and we’re supportive. But other than that, we are very aware of the people we welcome because some of them either have dark intentions or were sent as a disguise by the government.
And if you’re wondering if I have ever supported the government—never. I’ve always known they were planning something dark and inhumane behind our backs. Our community, once united as one, was divided into two. My grave anger towards them would never change. I’ve always wanted to take revenge, to be rebellious towards the government, to avenge the people who were mistreated by that hellhole. But I took it easy and planned it first. I’m not the type of person who would just attack like a damn fool
Rules? In our hideout, they don’t exist. But outside? They strictly implement them. If you’re wondering what those so-called ” rules ” are, firstly, you must follow the government’s orders. Not complying with them will result in a 5-month sentence. Another one is don’t ever disrespect the higher-ups. A 3-month sentence will be ordered against you if you don’t do it. Lastly, don’t be rebellious. Attempting to do so will result in being exiled from the town. Such garbage, am I right?
But despite these, I still have an ounce of hope left inside me. Even the people we welcomed into our hideout have hopes too. We all wish that all of these would come to an end soon. But we choose to slow ourselves down. We believe that patience is the key to the path of triumph.
Paris Miguel T. Competente
Paris is a 16-year-old teenager. A Grade 11 student who loves gaming, especially online, anime sketching, and Korean food. He is a taekwondo trainee and a blue belter. Friendly, though he can be a bit unruly sometimes. He joined BUBOTS (Ben Button Online Tutorial Services) in 2023 to improve his skills in comprehension, writing, and reading. At first, he didn’t like it. But now he has started to get the hang of it throughout the day.
