Pages of Hope (This is the backstory of Mira from the Flawless Imperfection Series)

Author's note: This is the backstory of Mira from Flawless Imperfection, so I would suggest you read that (if you haven't already) before you read this. Also, these are a few entries from Mira's journal. Thank you! :D

March 18th

I can’t believe this. Yesterday, a group of people all wearing a badge stormed into my house, and captured my parents’, screaming and crying, away. I didn’t know what to do, so I hid. And they must have never found me because the only people who returned to my house were my parents. Of course, I was running at them and hugging them as soon as they got home, but that was when I knew something was wrong. Their eyes, always so bright and joyful, were replaced with dull, lifeless eyes. They didn’t return my hug. And that was when I knew that my parents were gone. They might not be dead, but they were as good as dead. I can barely believe this, so I’m writing it down. I don’t know what's going to happen to me now.

March 20th

The fact that I skipped two days should be proof enough that I have been very busy. I haven’t skipped a day since I got this journal. I have just been offered a job, which should excite me, but really, it terrifies me. From these two days, I have learned a lot. Thykora’s government had been overthrown by people who call themselves the Equals, and they did something to everyone’s brains. But they must think that they missed some people, so their hosting jobs for everyone. They claim that it’s just so people can “earn more money,” but I know better. They probably are trying to hunt down people like me, people who they had missed. But I have to take the job, if I don’t, then they will definitely know that something is wrong with me.

March 21st

The job was being a janitor. I never had a big problem with a mess, since I paint and it usually gets quite messy. But I should have known that this job would not be like the usual. When I got there, the first thing that hit me was the stench. It was a combination of rotten fish, spoiled milk, and just garbage in general. (Maybe make a new painting that captures these smells.) And then it was the sight. The sight of trash thrown everywhere, and there was a gooey, yellow substance on the floor. I almost gagged, but stopped myself. No one else was affected by this, not surprisingly. I stood there for a minute, observing exactly what every person did. And then, I took a deep breath, and plunged into the trash wasteland.

March 22nd

I take about ten showers everyday when I get home. And even then, the smell still lingers on me. But I should get used to it, I have no idea when this nightmare will come to an end. Before the Equals stormed in Thykora, I was always very proud of living here. I was proud of the beautiful scenery, and that it had the kindest people in it. I never even knew that the Union existed. Of course, everyone knew that there was another city, one that was hidden from outsiders. My friend and I used to joke about it all the time. “Oh, there’s probably monsters in that city, blue with yellow spots!” “With a green nose!” “And red horns!” We were so young back then. I wonder how my friend, Luke, is doing, it’s been a while since I’ve spoken to him. I wonder if he has the Chip inside him too. If that happened, I don’t think I could do this anymore. My family was taken away, I can’t bear it if he was, too.

March 23rd

Something happened today. Something that I don’t want to remember, but I’m going to write it down anyways. Work today was pretty uneventful. I got there, completed my usual routine as I tried my best to act normal. But today’s work was even more tiring, and more disgusting than normal. Luckily, it hadn’t had an effect on me, but there was this one girl who gagged when the smell had hit her. It was such a small gesture, but I could tell that the Equals had seen it. They moved towards her, and her eyes widened. She must have known that she couldn’t escape them, so when they dragged her away, she didn’t even resist. Somehow, that was even worse. Because it meant that she had no hope left in her. She was still so young, probably no older than 10. I couldn't keep watching because no one else was, and even if I could, I’m not sure I could handle it. Just before she was dragged away, she yelled one thing that made me crumble inside. “If any of you don’t have the Chip inside of you, please save our beloved city! I will be counting on you!” I barely stopped myself from flinching. No one else even looked up when she said that, so it either meant that they were really good at pretending, or that I was the only one without the Chip here. I really hoped that it wasn’t the latter.

March 24th 

I reread one of my favorite books today, I just managed to save it when people came to my house again to destroy everything personal we had owned. It was about a girl who is alone without friends her whole life, because she doesn’t trust easily and pushes everyone she likes away. Of course, at the end, she managed to find friends. My situation is different. I was always very lucky, I had great friends, great parents, and a great life. But I had watched the Equals come in and take all of that from me, therefore taking my happiness from me. Sometimes, I wonder. Is it really worth it to not have the Chip inside me? At least then, I wouldn’t feel this overwhelming pain.

March 25th

Today is my birthday. Of course, no one would remember because of the Chip. I wanted to go out and buy a cake for myself, but that would have been too suspicious. So I spent my birthday doing my normal routine: waking up at 7:00, going to work at 8, working until 3 in the afternoon, taking many showers as soon as I got home, and rereading my favorite book. I’ve read it so many times now, I could almost memorize it. I put on a fake smile as my parents called me downstairs to eat. After eating, I flopped onto my bed and glanced outside, where the sky was already getting dark. This passage was one of my shortest ones, which is really depressing because it should be one of my longest ones, as it is my birthday. I wonder if things are ever going to change, or if this would be my life from now on.

March 26th

Today my life changed for the better. The Equals had hosted a cookie tasting event, and they had put something in the cookie. I should have known, but I was just so tired today, work was harder than usual. So I didn’t prepare myself when I bit into the cookie, it’s sourness filling my mouth. I tried my hardest, but couldn’t quite mask my displeasure. When the Equals waved at me to continue moving, I had a bit of hope that they hadn’t seen the change in my expression. But of course they did. I watched Luke, who was after me, also put the cookie inside his mouth. And his expression changed. My first emotion was happiness, happiness that he was like me. But then I felt fear. The Equals must have noticed the change. After everyone was dismissed, the Equals called us over, and I had tensed up. But, before they could speak, an average looking boy ran out of the bushes, yelling. The Equals started chasing after him. I had no idea why there were and who he was, but I wasn’t about to waste this opportunity. Just as I was about to tell Luke to run, a girl about our age ran up to us. She told us to follow her, and then she explained everything. I now knew the girl by the name Adira, and the boy as Jax. Looking back at my other entries, it seems almost unreal to see where I’m at right now. It would be very hard to bring the world back to how it used to be. But at least now, I have hope, and isn’t that what matters most?

THIS STORY IS DEDICATED TO MIRA CAPLAN, FOR BEING A GREAT WRITER AND FRIEND!!