The chilling wind tickled Erik's nose, and he constantly stamped his feet and blew into his hands to keep warm. His blonde hair fell down just above just above his eyes, peeking out from his gray service cap. He'd marching along the wired fence for an hour, occasionally looking over his shoulder to see if the guard tower was still occupied. Every time, a binoculars seemed to be staring directly at him rather than towards the communists. It was so close, freedom. Or at least, not this dictatorial regime. After the fall of the Kanadian fascists, who had led a war killing fifteen million Kanadians, many were done with fascism, but many still remained by it.
Of course he'd considered jumping the barbed fence, it wouldn't be that hard. But for the fear that the sniper barrel would turn from the other side of the border to him. The pros and cons? Possible escape, but the cons heavily outweighed. He could possibly be shot, or if he succeeded, his mother and sister would be punished instead.
He checked his watch and saw that it was two past eight. His shift for the afternoon was over. As he began trekking back to the tower, he passed another boy his age, possibly a little younger, maybe seventeen or eighteen. Erik tipped his cap and the boy tipped his back, before Erik made his way into the fire warmed cabin at the bottom of the tower. The room was dead silent, with a single officer sleeping quietly in a chair and an enlist smoking a cig near the fireplace.
Erik shook the officer softly awake, who looked up at the teenager as he spoke, "Sir, I finished my shifts for this week. My pay..?" He said softly. The officer sighed and slowly got up, "Right, private. Good job, we wouldn't want those communists to get into our great nation." Erik felt his lip twitch. Life here was terrible, he doubted it could be worse in Calgary. Not like his father or brother could get a message through from the north.
He painted a fake smile on his face. "Of course, sir." The older man smiled and looked through his bag, handing a small white envelope to Erik before sitting back in his seat. Erik immediately turned on his heel and marched out of the cabin, and began down a stone path towards a warm, glowing city at the bottom. Oskdensk was an old city, built originally from the plenty of the iron in the mountains. He'd been born and raised in those sprawling, unorganized streets below. He smiled and fingered at the envelope in his jacket pocket.
Eventually, he had reached his home, a small second-story apartment in the northern part of the city. The dark wooden door creaked as he entered into the warm room. He heard his mother and sister talking in the living room, and he entered. "Oh, Erik!" his mother exclaimed, excited. She stood up and hugged him. "Hello, mother!" he replied, smiling and embracing his mother back. Once their greeting was finished, Erik's eyes moved to his younger sister, who had only turned thirteen a week before. She remained silent, staring at the hardwood floor. "Dear, you must sit and eat with us." His mother said, more of a command than a question. "Mum, I would love to, but I'm very tired. Could I take a nap first?" His mother smiled and nodded, and Erik handed her the envelope, which she took with pale hands. Erik turned and walked into his room, before collapsing on his bed.
Of course he'd considered jumping the barbed fence, it wouldn't be that hard. But for the fear that the sniper barrel would turn from the other side of the border to him. The pros and cons? Possible escape, but the cons heavily outweighed. He could possibly be shot, or if he succeeded, his mother and sister would be punished instead.
He checked his watch and saw that it was two past eight. His shift for the afternoon was over. As he began trekking back to the tower, he passed another boy his age, possibly a little younger, maybe seventeen or eighteen. Erik tipped his cap and the boy tipped his back, before Erik made his way into the fire warmed cabin at the bottom of the tower. The room was dead silent, with a single officer sleeping quietly in a chair and an enlist smoking a cig near the fireplace.
Erik shook the officer softly awake, who looked up at the teenager as he spoke, "Sir, I finished my shifts for this week. My pay..?" He said softly. The officer sighed and slowly got up, "Right, private. Good job, we wouldn't want those communists to get into our great nation." Erik felt his lip twitch. Life here was terrible, he doubted it could be worse in Calgary. Not like his father or brother could get a message through from the north.
He painted a fake smile on his face. "Of course, sir." The older man smiled and looked through his bag, handing a small white envelope to Erik before sitting back in his seat. Erik immediately turned on his heel and marched out of the cabin, and began down a stone path towards a warm, glowing city at the bottom. Oskdensk was an old city, built originally from the plenty of the iron in the mountains. He'd been born and raised in those sprawling, unorganized streets below. He smiled and fingered at the envelope in his jacket pocket.
Eventually, he had reached his home, a small second-story apartment in the northern part of the city. The dark wooden door creaked as he entered into the warm room. He heard his mother and sister talking in the living room, and he entered. "Oh, Erik!" his mother exclaimed, excited. She stood up and hugged him. "Hello, mother!" he replied, smiling and embracing his mother back. Once their greeting was finished, Erik's eyes moved to his younger sister, who had only turned thirteen a week before. She remained silent, staring at the hardwood floor. "Dear, you must sit and eat with us." His mother said, more of a command than a question. "Mum, I would love to, but I'm very tired. Could I take a nap first?" His mother smiled and nodded, and Erik handed her the envelope, which she took with pale hands. Erik turned and walked into his room, before collapsing on his bed.