Prologue  

Just a moment ago, the city had been full of hustle, bustle and laughter.  Humanity had been put at risk, but everything was fine, only a moment ago. At least it seemed like a moment. The mass abduction had taken longer than a moment. It started as a normal day, The people were all watching tv, and eating microwaved meals. The microwave meals were bland, but nobody minded.

The children were happily running around in the school playground, which was covered in the dullest gravel you will ever see, except,  there was one. One who could never come out from behind a tree during recess, for fear she would be beaten as she always was during recess.

Dawn. Everyone hated Dawn, and she never knew quite why. Before her family fell apart, she spoke her mind, and loved talking to people, but even then, nobody could seem to love her. Now that her family was practically none, and she lived with her Grandmother, things were different.  She didn't have to face the fact her father would never come back, and she didn't have to face her mother who would have beaten her to death if she had stayed in her old house, she no longer had to face the priest at her old church, but she still was bullied at school, even her teachers hated her. All the others were just another terrible memories to add to her collection. Memories, that no matter how hard she tried, she could never forget.

There was something about Dawn that made every human she came near hate her with all their might. Except one, her Grandmother Lucy, was the only one Dawn could rely on, her mother could never love her, her father hated her so much he left her, not even the priest at the church could accept her. Dawn figured she must have done something wrong, or there was something wrong with her. She had come to the conclusion even God thought she had sinned, because surely if he loved her like he loved the others, the priest would love her too. Surely, if she lived in a more fair world.

Yes, it was a normal day in Melody City, until the cars came. They took everyone, the men in suites took everyone. Many died in the streets, many were injured . Lucy and Dawn were some of the only ones able to save themselves.

They walked through the streets. They had left as quickly as they came. From the information they gathered, a man who you could hardly describe as one had abducted them. Nobody knew his name, all they knew was that nobody was safe, and those who were captured would most likely be killed. And they knew he had spies everywhere.

As Dawn and Lucy came out of Lucy’s old house (where Dawn had stayed for the last year in hopes to get away from her mother), and looked over the destruction done, and for once, Dawn felt relief. There was no longer a mother to abuse her, a father to leave her, a priest to hate her, students to despise her, or a reason to hate herself. She knew it was wrong, but for once in her life she was happy, until she looked at Lucy. Lucy's face was covered in hot tears. She kept on muttering something to herself.

At first, Dawn could not understand what she said but eventually, she was able to make it out. “So many good people, so many God brought into this world for a reason”. Dawn felt awful for feeling the way she did. On that day she she promised would do whatever it took, just to save these people’s lives. Then, she could be a hero and nobody could hate her, nobody could claim she had sinned, and maybe God would forgive her for whatever she had done. Then, maybe they would love her. Maybe she wouldn’t have to be the girl everyone hated anymore.

Chapter one

It was dark and rainy at the Melody City train station. Lucy and Dawn sat on a bench with there luggage by their side. They had already waited for half an hour for the train to arrive. The station was far from crowded. Nobody took the train anymore, because there was barely anyone anymore, three weeks had passed since the abduction, and yet, the survivors had done nothing but look at their screens. As Lucy said- “Nobody appreciates the simple things in life anymore”. And of course Dawn listened because, without Lucy, Dawn would have nobody to love her. Lucy sighed and crossed her legs the other way. Her worn out pencil skirt and brightly colored tie were strange to look at in this plain world. Dawn was used to her grandmother’s antics, and she had caught on to her fashion sense, with her bright yellow circle skirt and matching blouse. The train finally arrived at the station, and they picked up their luggage and headed toward the train. “Goodbye, Melody City,” said Lucy as they headed towards the train, “I promise I’ll do you proud.”

The train was almost empty. Lucy sat by Dawn, silently. The only other person in the train car was an old man wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase, who smells slightly of cheese and wine. He kept his head down for so long, Down Leaned closer to lucy and whispered, “Is he dead?”

“Remember what I told you, stay completely silent when anyone else is around. We want to blend in and the folks in this world are so boring they're always looking at their screens, do you think they talk to each other in a civilized way? No!” Lucy scolded.

“Sorry, grandma,” said Dawn, looking at the ground. Just then, they heard a loud snore coming from the man. Dawn wondered what he could be dreaming of.  Dawn began to run her hand along the rails which people could use on the train to stand, and not fall over. They felt amazing under her fingers, so smooth, yet so imperfect. The only thing on this train that was not rusty or covered in dust. Dawn decided then and there that she would stand by the side of the rails. They reminded her of herself, they seemed perfect, and yet if you took the time to look closer, they had many imperfections. But, no matter how hard anyone beat them, they could still stand. Dawn wished she could still stand after she had been beaten. By her mother, by the priest at the church she used to attend, and by the children who hated her more than she could ever know. Lucy had saved her from all that, and for that reason, Dawn owed everything to her, and she would do anything for her, including what they had left everything to do.

They sat on the train listening to the man snore for about three hours, then the train began to slow, and then it stopped. The conductor yelled something that Dawn could not understand. Lucy slowly reached down, picked up her luggage, and started to head for the door, and Dawn followed. The man had awoken from the loud sound of the conductors yelling. Dawn looked back on the empty train car and sighed to herself. “The first chapter of the story they will write someday”.

Chapter Two

Lucy took Dawn’s hand and and helped her out of the train car. They began walking. Then Lucy stopped, so Dawn stopped. Lucy looked around, then whispered. “Stay still,” right into Dawns ear. Her breath was hot, and yet, Dawn did not move a muscle, until Lucy told her it was safe. This stop may have seem strange to anyone who did not live in this cruel world, however for them, it was normal. “He” had spies lurking around every corner. And if anyone was caught doing something even slightly suspicious, they were convicted, and most were never seen again. This was normal for them, since the abduction and so, they stopped and they kept going when they knew it was safe.

“Remember the plan, darling,” whispered Lucy once they were behind the train station.

“Yes, we head north, stop at your mother's old house to sleep the night, and continue to Shell Shores, from there we take another train, and jump off when the opportunity strikes, and walk until we find it. When we do, we can save them.” Dawn repeated the plan, with a slight tone of disappointment in her. Dawn wanted to be a good person, she just couldn't be happy when she would be saving those who hated her. However, Lucy did not seem to notice. “Good, now let's get some sleep, we’ll start first thing in the morning.”

They headed to the nearest park benches and set up . Dawn layed down and closed her eyes, however, when she opened them, Lucy was wide awake and sitting upwards. “Sugar, this can be a dangerous place, I’m keeping watch. Go to sleep. I’ll take care of anyone who lays a finger on you”.

Dawn closed her eyes once more and drifted off to sleep.

Early the next morning, they set out on their journey, a journey that could save the lives of hundreds who were imprisoned in “His” control. “He” was a tyrant, and those who were still alive were in his grip and they needed help. They slept in an abandoned house that had once belonged to Lucy’s mother, and continued. Finally, they arrived at the train station.

This train station was no more packed than the other, in fact it was less so, the bench they sat on to wait for the train looked like it had not been used in fifty years. Once again, Lucy muttered to herself,  “Nobody appreciates the simple things in life anymore.” When the train arrived, they boarded, and sat in a train car alone. The train ride went on and on, and the smell of pine came from the open windows. They were ready for their plan to take action.

“This is the time, we have to go now, gather your things, open the window, and jump. While you are in the air, throw your luggage to the side, and aim to hit the lake, you go first and I will follow, JUMP!”

And just like that, Dawn had gathered her things and jumped out of the train window. She flew through the air, tossed her luggage as far as she could, and landed in the pond. The cold water bit her face, arms and legs, and she sank to the bottom. She slowly swam upwards, and when she reached the top, the sun hit her face, and she felt the warmth all through her body. Soon afterwards, Lucy surfaced by her side and so they got out, and gathered their luggage. They laid out a quilt and sat in the sun to dry off. They had done it. They had done it and they had succeeded. They fell asleep in comfort that night, under the pine trees.

Chapter Three

They began the rest of their journey on foot, first thing the next morning. They continued down the paths and roads and sometimes just through the forest. Lucy was determined. She had come all this way, and she was not going to give up. They walked all day and all night until they finally arrived where they were going. There it was, a bright yellow boxcar, on an abandoned railroad track. Anyone who was not in there circumstances would think this extremely strange, but for them, it was the best feeling in the world. Finding the thing that would save so many lives.  They rammed an old tree branch into it until the door broke down. There it was, the old, broken down telephone booth. This telephone booth would be used to call the radios in the cells of “his” prison.  This telephone booth would make sure the prisoners got out safely and this telephone booth was going to change hundreds of lives for the better. Lucy and Dawn looked at the inside of the box car.

“It's not much, but now its home,” said Lucy.

Dawn looked at her grandmother, and saw her smile bigger than she ever had before.

“Good things will come of this Dawn, sugar. Thank you for coming with me”

“What can I say?” Dawn replied.

“You’re the only family I got.” And as Dawn uttered that remark, it seemed to make it all the more true. Her father had left her, her mother had beaten,and mistreated her, the kids at her school despised her, even the priest “carrier of god's words” hated her with every bone in his body. All her aunts and uncles and cousins shunned her, and thought she was nothing, only her father's mother (Lucy) could ever love her. Nobody else did, and nobody else ever would. The memories flooded her mind, and filled her green eyes with tears. She had never quite figured out why people hated her, but she knew they did. Just then, Lucy put her arm around Dawn. She must have seen the tears welling up in her eyes because she said, “I need you as much as you need me. I was like you when I was young, I had nowhere to go, so you know what I did? I ran away from that hole of… I’m not going to say what I was thinking, for your sake. I had nobody to turn to, that's why I need to be here for you. That, and because I love you little darling. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, grandma” Dawn replied, smiling and wiping away any tears. “You know what Grandma?”

“What, sugar?”

“I think someday, someone will tell our story.”

“I think they will darling, I think they will”.

They smiled, knowing that all they needed was right here.

Epilogue

Lucy and Dawn used that telephone booth to send coded messages to those in captivity, using the transmitters kept where the prisoners were held. They freed upwards of 7,500 people from where they were being held, they joined movements against their terrible dictator, and eventually got him overthrown. They taught many people how important it is to live in the real world. Though many people still hated Dawn, she learned that there are more important things then what others think about you, and she made many friends. There are amazing things life has to offer if we can look up from our devices long enough.  Always pay attention to what’s happening behind the scenes, and remember that things get better. And who knows, maybe someday, someone will write a story about you. You never know…