Young Writers Society

A Note: Obviously, this is a first draft. I'm very inexperienced with writing Novels, so I'm kind of nervous putting this up here for people to read, but I really need some good quality reviews and I want you guys to tear this apart. This is something I plan on publishing in a few years, so please, don't hold anything back. Also, any tips to help with novel writing or to help me write better in general would be great :-) Oh, and (bolded items) are things I haven't really pinpointed which one I like better or what to go with, so suggestions will be helpful! Thank you for reading, and just let me know if you would like me to keep you updated!

----

Ashes fall like confetti after a great show around me. I stood in the middle of the wreckage of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Library, the breeze was gentle, almost nonexistent against my skin. It was a beautiful show, the flames licking up all of the books as if it was a homemade meal from Grandmother’s pot. I looked at the damage I had inflicted, feeling a sense of power, knowing I could burn a huge building, so many useless books, with a little planning and a little fire. The rubble crunched as I walked over it, admiring my work. I knew I would have to leave soon, so I wouldn’t attract too much attention, but just as I turned, something caught my eye. A girl, half of her face burned, lay unconscious on the ground. I winced, I never meant to hurt anyone. I quickly walked over to her, hoping to feel warmth in her veins. He took her small face in his hands, her skin as cold as stone on the side that was untouched by the flames. I layed her head down, staring at the beautiful woman before me. I had killed her.

-

Sweat dripped off my face as I tried to catch my breath. I was used to having dreams about my work, but the dream was different. Usually, the girl is only watching, her curious eyes and amusing questions always seemed to irritate me. I had never hurt her though, I had never hurt an innocent girl. Why was this dream different?

I rubbed my eyes, wiping the sweat the pooled on the bridge of my nose. My alarm clock blinked “3:00 am” in bright neon green numbers, as if screaming that it was early. Moaning, I got up and quickly pulled my sticky clothes off for a shower. Cold water stabbed at my feverish body like knives, but soon it started to feel like the breeze on a hot summer day. It must’ve been an hour later that I finally climbed out to dry myself. The pearl white towel was tight around my waist and I brushed my teeth, taking the time to make sure I glossed over every tooth. After spitting, I looked at myself in the mirror, preparing myself for the day ahead. I had a meeting with Sebastian, my boss, about the next mission I would be assigned.

I couldn’t lie, I loved my job. The thrill of planning and executing the fires was like a drug to me. I would spend days without sleep trying to analyze how to carry out the assignment. Burning books had been in the family, and maybe that’s why I had such an obsession with it. My Grandfather, (Insert name here), had been burning books since he was around the age of 32, and never seemed to be around. Even when my parents died, (insert name here) had always been out on business. My Grandmother, on the other hand, had taken me in as her own after the plane crash. When my Grandmother died when I was 13, (insert name here) got the news that he would have to come home to keep me from going to an orphanage. I honestly don’t think he would’ve agreed if it wasn’t for his love that he held for my mother. Mom and Grandfather had always gotten along, and when she passed, he seemed to had lost any happiness that didn’t come from his wife. When Grandfather had come home, we always seemed to have had a hard relationship. Like me, my Grandfather was once addicted to the planning and executing of assignments, but instead, he had to get me through school. I left as soon as I was eighteen, even though (insert name here) wouldn’t have noticed. To this day, I don’t know what happened to him. Hopefully, he’s dead. The world’s better off without him.

Only a few seconds had gone by in the entirety of thinking of all of this, and I looked away from the mirror. The clock now blinked”4:30 am”, and the alarm will go off in thirty minutes for me to wake up. I have to be at the office by seven am, so I had some time to waste. The white walls around me seemed smaller and smaller as I pulled on my grey suit, I needed some air. I had a decent house, not too small, not too big. I got paid a minimum wage of $8.54, just like everyone else. All our houses were basically identical, none better nor worse than the next. This way, no one would covet what others had, and no one would kill for more. Everyone had just enough to survive.

The New World was peaceful, it was calm. The older have said that our world used to be in war, and that the old world was beautiful. Filled with diversity and more things that were unexplainable than what we had today. How could that be better? There is no pain, no war here. We could all live peacefully, and the government could do it’s job, without any of us having to worry.

I walked out onto my balcony. I was one of the few people that had one, but it wasn’t because I bought it. I made it myself, and it was a reward of my own hard work. Hard work is rewarded, laziness has no reward. When I was little, Grandmother would speak of love, and politics, and more nonsense. She said that elections were different, she told me of the love of the world she used to have. Grandmother told me the government was full of lies and secrets, and that the world isn’t as perfect as it seemed today. It was all nonsense to me, being as I was only seven years of age then. Of course, It is all even more confusing to me today. I’ve talked to people about my Grandmother’s words, but they just tell me in hushed voices that my Grandmother was old, and a little off in the head, and that I shouldn’t speak of it so freely.

I walked back inside and grabbed my tie, quickly tying it around my neck. The silk of the tie was cool on my fingers, and I gave it one last squeeze into place before letting it fall. I looked around my dusty apartment once more before walking through the slightly arched door. It seemed like a great day to walk to work, the sun had not yet made it out enough for it to be hot, and the breeze was welcoming. Not many people were walking around, very few people walked to work. Most took the bus or drove if they had saved up enough money to buy a car The sidewalk was smooth and cream color, with no cracks or imperfections. This was different when I was little, I remember jumping over little dents in the ground. They must’ve taken it away to look cleaner, more perfect.

I walked, not thinking of anything in particular, and the time seemed to fly away with the wind. I looked at the building before me, the years had taken a toll on it. My eyes traced the off white walls where bullet holes had dented the surface. The right corner was crumbling, and the flowers in the garden were dead. I had heard whispers that this building was once beautiful, but no one seemed to care anymore. I walked towards the White House, waiting to go through security. The line wasn’t very long, not many people visited the President. It was almost reassuring, not seeing many people come through. It reminded me that Jae was so good, he took care of everything for us.

After walking through two metal detectors and getting rid of all mobile devices, I was able to enter the White House. The Interior was worn, paintings were ripped, and colors were faded. Many servants and Military personnel stood by, making sure everyone was taken care of. I walked down several halls that almost seemed identical towards the Oval Office, eager to find out what would happen in the meeting.

Jae was standing, looking out the window behind his desk. Jae was a short man, maybe around 5’5, almost 5’6. His skin was russet, a reddish brown, and he had very defined shoulders. His dark grey suit brought out his skin tones, and he seemed very formal. Once he realized I was standing in his doorway, he turned around, “Oh! Did not hear you come! Please, sit!” He seemed rushed, as If I was interrupting him from his thoughts.

I sat down in the big blue and white couch in front of his desk, keeping my feet solid on the ground. I was on edge, as I always was when in this room. I just got the wrong kind of vibe from it each time that I’m in it. He poured himself some coffee, gesturing towards another cup as an offering. I shook my head, waving him off. “What is this meeting for Jae? A new project?”

“You have job promotion!” Adrian had always seemed to lack in his English, and he had a thick accent, so it was sometimes hard to hear him.

“What kind of a job promotion?” I asked. Jae took a long sip from his coffee, savoring its taste. He looked into his coffee, as if asking it for it to tell him how to word his next sentence.

“Burning homes,” he said each sound slowly, as if it was a sensitive topic.

Confused, I asked, “Why would you want to burn someone’s home? Doesn’t everyone deserve a home?”

He slowly took another sip of coffee, “Yes, but not people who break law. You must burn house.” He stood up, setting his coffee down. “Your first job is in (Texas or Indiana). Someone has broken law, you must go down and spend few days in town.” He said, his accent thick.

“What do I do with the people that live there?” I asked, very curious about his response. I did not know that the government had been burning houses, but the law is very important to me, so I understood why it had to be done. I would always follow my government, whatever they told me was right.

“If they choose to fight, they burn! If they choose to go, they get chained up, and brought back to White House!” He said very sternly. He looked at me for a minute while I digested the information. I shrugged and nodded, and he went back to sit at his desk, sipping his coffee.

Some people might have thought that burning houses and people would be a big deal, but I was alright with it, if that was the law. The law is the most important thing to me. Without the law, the world would have chaos. Maybe the way I always seemed unfazed was a huge reason why I was perfect for my job.

“When will I leave?” I asked, hoping it was soon. I was ready to start this new job, ready to do more for my country.

“Tonight.” He nodded solemnly. “You go and pack bags. Goodbye.” He waved me away.

I quickly got up, walking out the door. I was excited for a new project to consume my mind. I picked up the folder that held the information I needed to know for the job, and I couldn’t control my excitement. I hurried home, taking the bus instead of walking. As soon as I got back to my apartment I got to planning, fantasizing of how tomorrow would go. It would be a long trip, and I’m not even sure If I would be able to sleep.

All I knew is one thing: I was ready.