1 First Entry

• First entry;

The fated day came, I turned eighteen. The day the authorities read my chip alongside the other students. These past two years were tough. My military training at an all-girl school completed, I remember the emotions coursing through my veins. The first step I took, my blood boiled due to some left away grudge of how life turned out.

Behind, stood the main building of the campus. For a newly built institution, the infrastructure was rather old in style. Maybe it was an attempt to reminisce of the supposed good old days. At least back then they had color. Now though, it's either black or silver. Life feels monotonous, the material responsible for this color scheme was extracted on Mars a few years prior. A new ore, more resistant and lighter than concrete. That goes to say, where money was to be made, people flocked.

Heart raced thanks to anxiety, "Next, number 13203, step forward," spoke a guard loud and clear. Her eyes filled with disgust at my sight. Cuffed without an opinion nor liberty of motion, I obeyed. That day was probably my last day. "When in pain, just smile." Words flashed as I contemplated my life; my dad, my hero. *Beep,* my heart felt heavy, my chest tightened, I nearly puked. What I remember most was the ground. The thought of looking up never crossed my mind. A lingering sense of danger, my instinct screamed to follow their lead. After my identification card was handed, I got shoved aside violently. She made me feel like I was trash; a thought that was etched into my soul.

"Next, Miss Valentine, please step forward," the more I walked, the further her voice grew. Practically out of the compound, my gaze never once stared up. This trinket I held was everything the government needed to know about me. It was mind-blowing to see such a small piece of technology told someone's worth.

[Identification number: 13203]

[Karma level: Zero]

Rules: Never think badly about your goddesses. As a male, you're duty-bound to obey them. Any bad thoughts or actions will result in you earning minus karma points. Exceed minus one hundred and you will be executed on the spot.

In front, after a few steps, another bus owned by the army. Freedom was but a word residing inside the dictionary. What's the point of a life that had been planned from the very start. Nevertheless, with a deep breath, I mustered my courage. It was the last chance to discover the girl's face who'd helped on various occasions. Afraid, I quickly glimpsed behind even though I never wanted to see those massive gates. The embodiment of hell and suffering. Staring back with tears, Miss Valentine, her long black hair swayed. Eyes big and dark, it felt soothing, deep like the ocean. Her face, for the lack of a better word, was perfect - a goddess. I knew full well what fate awaited me. Quietly, I smiled and made no attempts to stand out.

My entire stay here was awful, I hated every moment of it. Where there's darkness, there's also light. The girl who cried was that light for me, even if I never had the guts to stare, let alone speak to her, she was important.

"Don't look back, I know how you feel, just get in," for the first time, after so long, I heard the voice of another man – deep and heavy. The face; beat up and a strong with a mighty body stature; he reminded me of Hercules. In fear of punishment, I cowered and faced forward. For me, time had stopped, I was able to gaze at miss Valentine with joy though only a second past.

My psyche had adapted to all the abused dissed out by the new world order. Imagine my surprise when he spoke to me kindly as his stern face sloppily tried to give out a comforting smile. Honestly, it was bad, he looked stupid doing it. However, that familiarity made me think that if ever I had a big brother; it would be someone like him; serious and kind. Parked near the entrance, my preordained life took yet another turn; I never wanted any of this.

"Don't worry kid," he continued to speak as I waited to get in, "-you're going to be free from now on. Good job on surviving the royal military academy, I'm impressed," the voice seemed surprised. "Seeing boys graduate is rare, not to mention you went to one of the worst possible institutions," still deep and soothing, "-get in." It was as if sailing on a bottomless sea. That mention of the word free sent a feeling of hate across. Could anyone be any more cavalier about this country's way of life? I wanted to lash out and fight; I probably could but my mind feared the repercussion.

Confusing as it may be, I received this notebook while on that very same bus. After taking a left turn at the intersection, the bus went outside of town. The academy slowly faded from view; it was small in height compared to the other massively tall buildings that seemed to stretch onto the heavens. Since I had studied in the capital, these neck-breaking buildings were a common sight, and thanks to their sheer size, the sun and clouds were impossible to spot at day. It all changed after a few minutes on the main highway, the driver took more turns and headed for the countryside. The scenery transformed from urban and highly sophisticated to rural and ancient, a trip back in time.

"Sir, can I ask a question?"

"Go for it, kid," he replied from the front.

"Is this trip going to take a long time?"

Instead of replying, he threw a small pouch. Inside, the contents weren't that striking. A notebook, a pen, and a little note which read, "Hey, I hope you like my farewell gift to you. I know life has been hard, however, I hope these things will keep you company," the handwriting was beautiful and elegant. Was it the guard who gave me this? Or someone else, none had been kind to me, not since my father. I was touched, the items inside were mundane, though unwillingly, I cried.

A rose, sown into the fabric that protected the notebook, he writes. The scenery scrolled as if a movie being played. The boy with only a number as his identity sunk further into the world of writing. The instant pen touched paper, it clicked. A spark, an amber, a fire. Smooth and delicate, an escape from reality– yes, I just wrote that in the third person.

Knowing full well where my life is headed, I've decided to start inputting everything I do inside this gift. A precious memento from someone who cared, letting it go to waste will be the last thing I do. A fruitless endeavor maybe, but I need a distraction. The fact that I'll probably die in a few days since my karma band has been activated is another motivation. No way will my score not reach the limit, I've always had hate brewing inside. I guess I'll use this to show how the era I was born truly is.

From here on, I'll mix it with how the world works as well as my feelings, sorry again if it's confusing, this is the first time I'm doing something like this. To the one reading this, I hope the world you live in now is peaceful – or worst case, the pages get burnt.

I'm still anxious about being scanned. My heart hasn't shaken the feeling yet. The beep echoes deep in my mind. The lady's movement when I got shoved felt like death. The fear isn't without reason. We're given chips at birth that are activated when we turn eighteen. That is to say, everything from childhood to adulthood is recorded. To put it simply, I was born in hell.

As technology advanced, people began to change. AI's started to monitor our daily movements. Before they knew it, I was born. A guy stuck in a world where hope is but a fleeting dream. We live like robots: work, eat, and sleep. No one has any real ambitions, no one cares, they all have the same expression on their faces; dead and hopeless. The crime rate steadily decreased and everyone became enslaved by said AI.

Still, an AI alone can't possibly rule an entire country. This is where the true oppressors come in; women. Many know the truth but hide it, speaking ill will end with one getting shot on the spot. Thing is, my father told me once that our world wasn't like this. At some point, he recalled an era where we men oppressed them, what irony. Soon enough, as the female populous grew more educated and slowly seeped into politics, making an AI rule over the crime system came without lifting a finger. I dare not write any more about the matter, to put it simply, they are the new rulers now. Said rule got more unequal over time. None dared to speak out, thus our current regime.

The change happened far before I was born. If I were to guess, probably about fifty years ago. Awaken from a test lab, I'm the product of an experiment turned south. My real mother, considered a goddess by the modern world, held authority over most of the military factions. Sadly, never did she know that I was an offspring brought about by her DNA who some people sneaked away. Combined with my father's DNA who took me in, I was born with a conscience. I know full well that I'm not an actual human. Just a byproduct of lunacy. Ever since I first awoke, I've remembered everything, my dad's face, the white lab, countless people roaming around.

My old man was someone odd. He thrived for greatness even though it was pointless. Day and night, he struggled. Abused by the higher-ups, I saw it all. Him getting beaten up for having ambitions. Hidden behind the cover of my bedroom door, I stared and waited. My insides burned; I fumed but knew better. The ones causing him so much pain was the depiction of ultimate power; women and the system they were so proud of.

"Never do anything that will go against the only thing I've passed down to you, follow them to the letter and you are sure to succeed in this world," as a kid, I never understood those words. Now, after seeing so much cruelty, I've finally seen the truth hidden behind the mist called my ignorance. The heritage I got given was his ideals and morals. The last of its kind, the will to live and aim for greatness.