MELANIE'S STORY: PRISONER

I wake-up screaming. I look frantically everywhere for Matt calling his name. I'm out of the bed running around the room calling for Matt. He's not answering me. Why isn't he answering me?

Calm down Melanie. Take deep breathes in and out. I was having a dream. The most beautiful dream and then it turned to darkness. I'm a prisoner in my own country. No one is coming for me. I'm all alone.

I'm alone and trapped in a country I use to call home. A place I was born in. I was taken away from my family from everyone I love.

Nine months ago, my life changed forever. Instead of happiness fear came. Fear griped the country. Fear griped my neighbors and family. I was ripped apart from everything I loved.

My family is gone to parts unknown. My husband Matt was taken from me. I don't know where he is. I don't know if I will ever see him again. I miss him so much.

Every day I wonder if Matt is going to rescue me. I pray and pray and pray Matt comes for me. I keep a picture of Matt and me during happy times.

I always say "Matt, save me." With every passing day my hopes of a rescue diminishes.

Time to go to sleep. I get back on my bed with the picture of me and Matt and fall asleep. I dream of Matt.

What's all that noise? I'm having sweet dreams of Matt. I don't want to wake-up. The noises are getting louder. The noises are outside my door. I jump out of bed. I hear screaming and yelling. I go hide in the closet. I don't want to be found.

The yelling and screaming is getting louder and louder. I cover my ears. Someone is coming inside my room. The door knob shakes and rattles. A small scream comes out of my mouth. Oh no! my door is open.

Someone is inside my room. I close my eyes willing the person to go away. The closet door opens. I let out a loud scream. The person shakes me. I hear faint words. I slowly open my eyes. Relief wastes over me. It's my good friend Aaliyah.

"Melanie, we need to go." I grab Aaliyah's hand. We rush out the door. I see my other good friend Lucy waiting by the door. It's a madhouse in the hallway. People are running like crazy.

I ask Aaliyah and Lucy "What's going on?" I hear voices of the soldiers. Lucy and Aaliyah tell me "The Elite Soldiers are coming. They are rushing up the stairs."

Me, Lucy and Aaliyah are running down the hallway trying to evade the soldiers. We round the corner but we are quickly stopped when more soldiers come our way.

The soldiers point guns at us. They yell and scream at us. They tell us to get down on the floor. The three of us get down on the floor with our hands behind our backs. The soldiers tie us up and drag us out of the building.

The soldiers force us to kneel on the ground with the rest of the people from my building. The soldiers stand behind us as the leader is picking people from the line. I recognize the men and women he is choosing.

I'm getting really scared. I heard rumblings that a group of people are planning acts of rebellion against the government. I fear these are the people. Marco, no. He's another good friend of mine.

I watch helplessly as the soldiers take Marco away. Me and Marco look at each other one last time. The soldiers watch our little exchange.

The soldiers who has Marco comes my way. They both stop stop in front of me. He asks Marco "Is she a rebel?" Marco looks at me and shakes his head. The guards draw Marco away.

The rest of us are free to go. My heart never beat so fast as it did today. It's late in the day and I keep thinking of Marco and why he saved me. I go and see him.

Danger lurks everywhere. In every corner. In every street. Even in the shadows. I walk carefully to the jail watching the soldiers and the people. You can't trust nobody. Lucky for me I found people I can trust.

I'm at the jail. I open the door and walk in. I ask the soldier on duty if I could see Marco. He looks me up and down. I'm getting really nervous. He nods his head and leads me to the back.

Marco is in a cell with a couple other people. The soldier tells me I have five minutes. Marco comes up to me. "What are you doing here? He asks me.

"I want to know why I wasn't taken away?" With tears in his eyes Marco tells me "I did it because he asked me too." I stunned by Marco"s words. I never expected him to say that.

I grab Marco's hands and tell him "I don't want you to die for me." I shake my head. I whisper no, no, no.

Marco lifts my head up and tells me "I made peace with my decision. I'm willing to pay the price."

I begin to cry. I hold onto Marco. The soldier is coming. My time with Marco is up. I tell him "I'm sorry." The soldier opens the door and drags me away. I leave the jail crying.

One of the guards his name is Nash sees me running out of the jail. I try to avoid him. He scares me but everywhere I go there he is.

I hope the soldier doesn't tell him why I was there. I know he's going to spill the beans.

I open the door to my room and enter. I run to my bed still crying. I hear a knock on the door. I don't want any visitors I hear the door opening. I look up. It's only Lucy and Aaliyah.

Lucy grabs me and lifts me up. Aaliyah goes to my other side. They both hug me. I cry even more. Lucy tells me "Everything is going to be okay.'

Through my tears I nod. Aaliyah tells me "We have to hope even during these dark times. We can't give up or they will win."

I give Lucy and Aaliyah a kiss. In this moment with my two best friends, I realize they are right. I thank them for being my friends.

The bell sounds for dinner. Me, Lucy and Aaliyah leave for the dining hall. We enter the dining hall. We grab our trays and get in line. We grab our food and walk to the table.

The dining hall is quiet. All you hear is the clatter of the forks and knives. No one dares to say a word about what happened today. I hear the door to the dining hall opening. The soldiers are coming in.

I recognize the soldier walking in. He's the one from the jail. The guard begins to speak. "All residents of the Los Angeles camp are to be present tomorrow for the executions of the traitors."

I'm stunned by this announcement as is everyone else. The soldiers leave with a big smile on their face. Tears begin to form.

I run out of the dining hall crying. I don't care if the damn soldiers see me. I run all the way to the outskirts of the camp. I don't stop until I hear my name being called.

"Melanie." I stop and turn around. I see the one person I thought I would never see again. I back away and start to run. Matt grabs my arm and turns me to him.

"Ive been watching you for a long time." I fall to the ground and begin to cry. Matt kneels beside me and hugs me. He tells me to be strong and have faith. He comforts me for a while.

I look at him and tell him "It's all my fault Marco is going to die tomorrow." Matt wipes the tears from my face and tells me "Things happen for a reason. Never forget that."

Matt helps me back up. He looks into my eyes and I look into his eyes. He kisses me. I kiss him back with a passion I thought I lost.

"I love you." I tell Matt. He tells he loves me back. Matt tells me to back to the camp. He says to me "I always watching you."

My heart is broken leaving Matt. I look into Matt's eyes one last time. I turn and walk back to the camp. I feel his eyes still on me. In a quiet whisper I hear Matt saying "I will get you out."

I make it back to my room. I get ready for bed and lie down. I cry myself to sleep. It's early morning when I hear banging on my door. I wipe the sleep from my face. I hear the soldiers yelling "Get dress and outside." I know what is coming.

Myself and every resident of the camp are out in the cold watching the soldiers drag the prisoners out of jail. I stand nest to Lucy and Aaliyah.

I watch the people who have become my friends being led to their deaths. The person I don't see is Marco. Did they already kill him?

I can't watch good people die. I sneak away when the soldiers are not looking my way. In a matter of minutes Lucy and Aaliyah come and find me. The look on their face tells me they are dead. We hold each other.

Nash tells us "More severe consequences are in store if the rebellion continues." He looks at me all the while he's giving his warning.

Me, Lucy and Aaliyah head off to work. We say goodbye to each other. We work in different places. I work in a packing and shipment warehouse. I don't know what's in the boxes. I do as I'm told.

I work in a warehouse that is operated by a brutal soldier named Viper. Nobody crosses Viper. Anyone who does is never seen again. I do my work quietly. I sense Viper constantly watching me.

She continues to watch with her cold dark eyes as I do my work. Viper smiles at me. That is not a good thing. Viper never smiles. I finish my work and quickly leave the warehouse.

It's a very cold night. The streets are empty of people. I quickly run to my building. I stop when I hear footsteps behind me. I begin to run again. I don't get very far. I'm tackled in the middle of the street.

I struggle against the person to no avail. I'm dragged to my feet. I see Nash and behind me is Viper. "Melanie, Melanie, Melanie, you are finished." I'm dragged into a black van.

"Matt come for me." I'm in deep trouble. Nothing good is coming to me. I can only pray Matt keeps his promise and comes to rescue me.