In a world where overpopulation has led to the ris
In a world where overpopulation has led to the rise of authoritarian measures at population control, twelve-year-old Luke Garner is an outlaw. Families are forbidden from having more than two children, and Luke, as the third-born, must hide to avoid detection by the Population Police.
The dust swirled around Luke’s ankles, a rusty red dance in the fading sunlight. He held his breath, listening for the telltale whir of the Population Police hovercraft. His heart hammered a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He was supposed to be in the house, helping his mother with chores. But today, he’d slipped away, drawn by the siren call of freedom.
Luke was an outlaw, a criminal in his own right. He was the third child, born in a world where families were limited to two. The Population Control Act was enforced with an iron fist, the hovercrafts patrolling the skies, their sensors scanning for any deviation from the mandated norm. His older brother, Ethan, and sister, Lily, were always safe, but Luke, the unwanted extra, lived in constant fear.
His parents, hardened by years of living on the edge, had carved out a hidden space for him in the attic, a secret room they called the “nest.” It was cramped and dusty, but it was his sanctuary, his only refuge from the unforgiving world outside.
He had never known life beyond the confines of the “nest.” The world he saw was through the cracks in the boarded-up attic window, glimpses of a life he could never touch. He yearned for it, the vibrant world teeming with life, filled with laughter and freedom, a world where he wouldn’t be a shadow, a ghost.
He reached the edge of the woods, a forbidden territory for anyone under eighteen. The forest was a symphony of rustling leaves and chirping birds, a balm for his soul, a haven from the sterile, controlled world. He climbed a gnarled oak, its branches like welcoming arms, and settled himself in its leafy embrace. He closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of pine needles and damp earth, the world a tapestry of sounds and smells that were forbidden in his life.
He knew he shouldn’t be here. The Population Police would be out in force, and his parents would be terrified. But the call of the wild, the yearning for something more than his hidden existence, was too strong to resist. He knew his freedom was fleeting, but he wouldn’t give up this stolen moment.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, a low hum vibrated through the air. Luke’s heart skipped a beat. It was the hovercraft, its spotlight scanning the woods. Panic surged through him, a wave of cold fear that threatened to engulf him.
He scrambled down the tree, the branches scratching at his skin, his lungs burning with exertion. He ran, his feet barely touching the ground, his eyes darting back and forth, searching for a place to hide.
He tripped over a root, sprawling onto the forest floor, the impact knocking the breath out of him. He lay there, his body trembling, the hovercraft’s light sweeping closer, its humming drone a chilling serenade. He was trapped, his secret exposed, his world crumbling around him.
But then, a shadow fell over him. A girl, no older than him, with eyes the color of the forest floor and a mischievous grin. She offered him a hand, her voice a whisper, “Come with me. They won’t find you here.”
Luke looked up at her, his heart still pounding a frantic rhythm. She was his only hope, a beacon of light in the encroaching darkness. He knew he couldn’t stay in the “nest” anymore. He had to fight for his life, for his right to exist. He took her hand, his world expanding with a single breath.
The forest, his forbidden haven, had just become his escape. And he was ready to fight for it.
