chapter 1

I remember life when humans where the kings of the world when we were in charge of all animals and creatures and when we were in charge of our destiny but that was before they arrived our new masters our kings; we became dominated and domesticated as common livestock.

No longer were we the apex creatures but now we are bred for their amusement only to struggle and writhe then eventually die.

Don't get me wrong life until our death isn't that bad when compared to those in the slave department instead of the livestock department. However when compared to what life used to be when we still believed we were the only ones out there the  only kings of the world. The biggest difference is we are no longer allowed to live for ourselves we are let  live until the age of thirty before we are forced to reproduce then eaten, we went from 8 billion to less than a few million.

We are no longer allowed the luxuries of the above world  instead we are only to  live in the underground district.

Life down here does have some rules we are constantly governed by our fellow humans those who sold out to those creatures for a chance at a better life. We nicknamed them the Novus homo or the new human  they earned this name after they came back from there   training, they were faster and stronger than the average humans. They became our police and our ruling class although not the same level as them on the surface.

Although this might seem somewhat idyllic  the Novus Homo are easily corruptible. They only live and breathe to serve the greater ones as they so like to call themselves in their propaganda.  The Novus Homo already sold out on humanity a long time ago they will kill humans without remorse if it is an order from the greater ones. 

We are what they like to call us signasti meaning shackled they  call us this because we won't bend as easily as the Novus homo. In our district alone there are 200,000 of us signasti while there are usually 20,000 Novus.

I am Alexander I am a signasti I was alive before they arrived their invasion happened when I was 7. I am now fifteen and starting high school we don't learn much it is just a way for them to drill their ideals into us.

 School is mandatory but it is basically a form of torture as the signasti are only allowed to live to thirty and we attend school until the age of 18. Which means we attend a useless program for half our life after that we work for the rest of our lives then we are killed. The Novus on the other hand are allowed to live to 70 before they are replaced, just another one of the reasons the greater ones give you to sell out.

Alex my mother called out to me you are going to be late, I put my journal where I always hid it behind a chunk of drywall this was just in case, we were raided by the Novus.

 I started to get ready for school in our standard issue uniform. I picked up my identification card and walked downstairs. I arrived at my living room table. I asked my mom jokingly what we were having knowing it was the same thing as always. A bowl of oats and a piece of toast my  mother always tried her best to spruce up our food with the small garden she had.

I ate it in a hurry told my mom I loved her. Before heading out she reminded me that today was fathers' funeral anniversary. I just nodded solemnly. The way to school wasn't much to brag about I had to pass through 3 security gates on the way there.

The gates are the greater one's way of finding contraband as they so called it. In reality it is just another excuse for the Novus to harass and force the signasti to break. Thankfully there was no incident today.

I thought my day was getting better when I saw I has class with my friend Thomas that was until I saw Gehrman he  was the son to a high ranking Novus so he  felt as if he had the right to pick on any signasti he saw fit to.

He started to walk over to me at first, I was just going to walk past him until he and his cronies stopped and wouldn't let me through. Let me through Gehrman I don't have time for your idiocy. "You have time for whatever I say you do you dirty signasti". "I heard that today is your father's funeral anniversary" how the hell do you know that you bastard that's confidential information. 

"well you would be surprised what you can learn when your father is a Novus". Just let me through I don't care what you heard my father is of no business to you now let me through before I inform the Novus chief that your father can't keep his mouth quiet about confidential information.

You will shut your mouth if you know what's good for you and your whore of a mother. That's the last straw Gehrman, I ran up to him and tried to punch him but that's when Thomas ran over and stopped me. "he's not worth it Alex let it go". You're lucky your boyfriend stopped you when he did. Shut up Gehrman you're not worth the energy you son of bitch.

Let's go Thomas these bastards are not worth our time. Don't let it happen again you signasti bastard next time well beat the ever living shit out of you. Shut up you Novus bastard you are in no position to say shit if I go tell the Novus chief about your father. "You signasti bastard" go fuck yourself Gehrman. Let's go Thomas we both walked away as Gehrman was fuming and cursing us out.

 Hey Alex, you know I don't question the things you but sometimes I do wonder how I got stuck for an idiot as a friend. Oh yeah definitely I'm the idiot because I stood up to Gehrman, but you score a five on a math test I swear you must be a savant some might even call you the next Einstein.

"I hate you Alex" you love me how else have we been friends for eight years. Shut up Alex your lucky I'm your friend other people won't put up with your stupidity. Yet you will says a lot about character your lovable giant oaf. Thomas always was huge even as far back as I remember he was now a huge 6'10 so not that many people messed with him or me because of it.

You know I don't like it when you call me an oaf you jerk. You know what thanks Thomas for helping me out back there I really appreciate it. Well you're welcome you jerk but I'm still angry at you. how about I make it up to you by giving you some of my mother's food tomorrow. Deal you can't go back on your word now Alex.     

   Yeah yeah you gluttonous giant this is why you outgrew all of us. Whatever Alex food is food. Hey quick question who's teaching the math class now that Mr. McAlister gone. I believe that they are actually getting a Novus teacher this year. What so they already teach us crap and now they want to keep surveillance on us. Well I believe that its due to more kids running away to the rebellion. Thomas lower your voice you know its taboo.