America Mastered

Chapter 2: 2010

The state of the nation had changed so quickly, no one had been able to do anything about it. With so many terrorist attacks having taken place over the last few years, certain major cities had transformed into war zones and every civilian lived in fear, and struggled to survive. The police had cracked down, instituting curfews virtually nation wide… and for good reason! At night, armed civilians fighting for constitutional freedoms rallied in the streets and attempted to push back the police controlling the towns. Every night gunshots and screams could be heard as broken cities writhed in anguish, their citizens desperately attempting to gain back some control. This was the kind of dangerous night that found Niki nervously walking home.

She had been working late at her government issued job. No one chose their own jobs anymore, for luxurious lifestyles were a thing in the past, and there were guns to make, and cities to repair. Niki worked as a secretary in the police department; however, she got no special protection from them. Tonight she was alone, and as she had already worn through her county issued coat, she was wearing only her approved daily outfit. She tugged the tight tank top a little further down over her ample, braless breasts, attempting to retain a little warmth. The shear top barely met her “skirt” as it was, though it was more of a single, short length of canvas than a skirt. She wore no shoes, they were no longer approved for issue…Underwear was also out of the question. Shivering, she warily eyed the dark street she was about to cross. Her home was not far.

Niki was about to step off the sidewalk when she heard footsteps behind her. Her breath caught in her throat and she froze. Around the corner came five heavily armed soldiers. It was well past curfew and Niki was terrified. The soldiers, seeing the attractive brunette quickly moved forward, and the apparent leader gave a bark, “Hey! What are you doing out!??” Niki could not answer for fear. She knew there was little hope that anything she said would help her now. Two of the other men grabbed her arms and quickly cuffed her. “You are under arrest… Nicole Sorenson, for breaking curfew, This way!!” The man had already taken her limited belonging and found her ID. He quickly marched off the way they had come, and Niki was roughly dragged behind.

She was crying freely now, wondering what was going to be done to her. Her family would be wondering what happened to her, and she was afraid they would never find out. These days, usually no one did.

They briskly walked towards the detainment camp, where all criminals were kept in each city. By this time, the centers took up the majority of the cities they served, and were home to all the civilians who had broken some security law passed within the last few years. Niki was not a special case. Working at the Police station, she knew that hundreds of arrests like hers were being made every day, and she idly wondered how long it would take before the entire population of the united states lived out their days in the brutal camps. She had not seen one, but she had heard stories.

Niki arrived and was promptly shoved into a cell. A pre-recorded voice echoed down to here from the corner, “Prisoners are not allowed any concealing or dangerous possessions! Please remove your issued outfit and wait for further instructions.” Niki, sobbing with fear, had no other options, and after two more, less patient warnings sounded, started to take off her clothing. In a few minutes she was naked in her cell, and could do nothing but stand and wait.

In what could have been a few hours, a soldier came, and unlocking the cell door, strapped a metal collar around Niki's slender neck. She withdrew in terror and shame, but the guard had attached a lead to her collar, and unceremoniously, pulled her naked out into the hallway.

There were many soldiers milling around, all of them armed. Niki felt a burning shame fly across her body and into her face as she stood there nude for all to see, however to Niki's slight relief, none of them seemed to give her a second look. She was dragged, bare feet slapping the cold cement, through a door that led to the streets outside. Niki was presented with a devastating scene. In the courtyard were hundreds of naked women, all collard like Niki, just wandering or lounging about. Some of them looked like they had been there for a very long time, and others, like her, seemed as though they were still newly arrested and terrified. Women were being harassed by guards with long batons, and some were openly being beaten.

There was a huge wall surrounding the area, and along the sides were small apartment like buildings, almost like huts built into the side of the cliff. Niki's guard tugged her into one and she saw that it was truly little more than a room, as it consisted of a plain bed and a hole she sickeningly assumed was a toilet. The guard unclipped Niki's leash and quickly left.

Niki collapsed on the hard bed, and started sobbing. She knew that millions of people were living in this state nationwide, and also that she would very likely not be leaving soon. She was partly correct. A few months later, in January, she witnessed these terrible conditions become even more devastating.