Unnecessary War

The world is coming to an end and there is nothing I can do about it. If I ever tried to do something about it, they would kill me. So I can either die now or later. I realize that this isn’t a good mindset to have, I should be optimistic and promote change, but it’s the truth, there is absolutely nothing I can do to save my district. Before you can understand why the world is coming to an end, you have to understand the political state of the world right now. My name is Xavier Bowie, I grew up in the Northwood district. 2 weeks ago, a letter showed up at my mom’s door that said that I have been drafted for the upcoming war against the Eastwood district. President Hernandez of the Northwood district banned anyone from the Eastwood district from entering the Northwood district ever again. Eastwood citizens who are currently in Northwood are in hiding or trying to get back to Eastwood, because if they are caught here, they will be sentenced to life in prison. That seems a little harsh of a punishment for something that's not hurting anyone or causing any disruption in Northwood, but President Hernandez is a very stubborn man, and his beliefs are not swayed by morals. The conflict between Northwood and Eastwood started in 2022 when President Callaway of the Eastwood district got into an argument about whether the districts should come together to create one big nation. President Hernandez did not want Northwood to unite with Eastwood which made President Callaway feel betrayed by his close friend for disagreeing with him, and the districts have been fighting ever since. The conflict really started to get bad this year, ever since President Hernandez had 4 Eastwood citizens executed for resisting law enforcement. The deaths of innocent people will never be something that I stand for, even if what they were doing was technically illegal. But again, there is nothing I can do about it. President Callaway declared war against Northwood after the deaths and instated a ban of Northwood citizens in Eastwood, which on some levels is understandable, but it puts me in a tough spot. I’m only 19 years old, and I have to go fight for a leader that I don’t support, and put my life on the line for something I don’t agree with.

“So, what are you gonna do?” my mom says.

“What can I do? I can’t flee to Eastwood, or I’ll get arrested, but if I stay here I will be arrested. Going to war is the only choice I have.”

“We can find somewhere for you to hide, we will figure something out. I can’t lose you, I can’t send my only joy off to die.” she says.

My mom doesn’t exactly keep up with current events, so she doesn’t know about the nuclear bombs that Eastwood is planning to drop on us if President Hernandez arrests or kills anymore of his citizens, which is going to happen because he never backs down. So Northwood is essentially doomed. Whether I go to war, or I stay here, I am going to die. As much as I want to stay home with mom before the world ends, I want to actually feel something before I die. My whole life, I have lurked in the shadows, too shy to speak up, always been walked all over, I want to finally feel like I am capable of something, like a hero. I might not actually be a hero, because there is no saving Northwood, but at least I’ll die feeling like one.

“No mom, I have to go, I have to do this.”

“Please! Please don’t!” she yells as a crack saddens her voice.”You’re all I have. What will I do without you?”

“Trust me mom, I’ll be fine, you will too.” little does she know that that is as far from the truth as you can get.

I sit on the tiny couch in the living room, for what might be the very last time. I stare out the window in front of me, and think about my childhood. All the memories of the place I grew up in come flooding back in my brain and out my eyes. How could all of that love and meaning be destroyed over such a small argument. The longer I sit there the more angry I get. How can this be our lives, we didn’t even do anything. It's funny how one person’s opinions and beliefs can impact everyone’s lives. I pull out my phone when I hear a small chime and a vibration from my left pocket to find a breaking news alert on my phone, saying that President Callaway has officially declared nuclear war on Northwood after a 5th person was just executed for being in Northwood. 

“This will not stand, my people are dying, so we are fighting back. I won’t stay silent and allow this scoundrel to take innocent people’s lives without repercussions. Northwood, be ready.” says president Callaway on the news. And there it is, the nail in the casket. Any of the little hope I had for Northwood vanished in a split second.

I never actually read the letter from the draft, so I go look for it in the kitchen. I shuffle through a small stack of envelopes until I find one with the official Northwood Military stamp on it. I peel back the sticky flap that didn’t have much stick to it anymore, and pull out a thick piece of folded paper and slowly read it. Although I read the letter about 4 times, I don’t feel anything while reading it. Maybe I was looking for a feeling, a small voice in the back of my mind, that would convince me to stay home with mom, be with her during our final moments, but I never heard that voice. 

I didn’t know what to bring with me to war, what I could possibly need from home at war. I grab a small duffle bag and fill it with some clothes, soap, my toothbrush, and Puddles the monkey. Puddles was my childhood stuffed animal, my mom got him for me after I broke my first bone. Puddles had been there with me through every hard time I had ever faced, so I thought he could help me through one last one. 

“Xavier.” I hear from the doorway, “They’re here.” mom says, with tears in her eyes. 

I remain calm because I don't want the last memory she has of me to be a hot mess. I walked to the front door where 2 big men in tight black uniforms stood, ready to escort me away. I gave my mom a kiss on the cheek and said, “I love you mom, I’ll be home soon.”. As I turn to leave, I see the 2 men giving each other the look of disappointment, both of them knew that I would not return home. We load into the truck, and I see 3 other men, about the same age as me already inside, they all look terrified.

We arrive at this old armory where there are about 200 Machine gun tanks parked outside, there is a cold muggyness in the air that makes the whole day even more depressing.

“ Everyone under the age of 21, please report to the training yard for your belongings." An older man says over a megaphone. I can’t stop thinking about the sheer stupidity of this whole situation. Innocent people, younger than me, have to fight and die all because of a small disagreement between 2 people. Thousands of people’s lives will be lost fighting for a cause they don’t support, and thousands more will die because of the outcomes of these fights. And to think that this could all have been avoided if our Presidents could act like leaders and not like children.

As I head over to the Training field, I hear a loud siren screeching all across the grounds, it was the nuclear war alert. Eastwood had just launched nuclear missiles at our camps. I came this close to war just to die before it happened.