Enforced (Book 1)

Chapter 1

"Bethany, you need to come down stairs, President Richardson is making an announcement." my father shouted up the stairs.

Perfect. Another announcement. Richardson's announcements are never good. I walked downstairs and sat between my mother and my father. I looked at the television as Richardson strolled up to the podium. "Attention! President Richardson speaking. I have just enacted another law, meant to cure our country of its discrepancies."

Great. I thought, rolling my eyes. As if this country doesn't have enough pointless laws.

"Listen up, Bethany. President Richardson is explaining the new law." My father stated excitedly. My father loves President Richardson. Probably because they are both dictators who relish in being in charge of the lives of those beneath them.

He continued, "No woman shall be head of any household, manager of any company, or in charge of any man in any way, shape, or form." Then our T.V. went black. What a waste of time.

That's another reason my dad loves President Richardson, he agrees with all of his laws. His law that made all marriages forced and now his new anti-female laws. My dad is a control freak just like Richardson. He loves the old fashion laws too.

I looked over at my dad and saw the admiration in his eyes.  "Another great law." My mother just sat there silently. She obviously disagreed with the law, but she was too afraid to say anything. She was terrified of my father. The first time I ever heard my mother outwardly disagree with my father, was the first time I ever saw a man strike a woman.  My mom hasn't openly disagreed with him since.

"May I be excused?" I asked my dad.

"You may be excused Bethany," said my mother, "If it's okay with your father." She added, realizing she had just answered for him.

"Yeah whatever, go ahead Bethany."

"Thank you mother, thank you father." I replied. I hate having to speak so proper, having to be so submissive and meek. It wasn't always like this. The kids in all of the books I read, written before the time of Richardson, never had to talk so proper, were never forced to submit to people just because they were male. I know it is polite to speak in a proper manner, but I don't like being forced to do things. I would do it because I want to, but being forced into it makes my stomach knot up in anger. My mom never forces me to do anything. But Richardson (and my father) thinks everything should be like it was in the 19th century.

I picked up my book I had been reading. It was set in 2051, the year Richardson came into power. It's the only book that tells the truth about Richardson, his scams and lies. In order to get it published they had to take special and creative measures to insure no government officials would read it and get the author and publishers into trouble. They made the cover appear as a children's book so authorities would have no interest in reading it. Then they changed the name of the author and publishers, and they made it into a paper book, rather than one that was read to you via machine. No one expected an actual paper book to be filled with the truth about President Richardson, which is why no one has been punished and why the book has not been banned or destroyed. The book is now twenty one years old. I'm not that far into it, I'm only on chapter four. Our country used to be seemingly perfect, at least that's what it says in the book. I sat down and began reading. I was almost immediately absorbed in the pages.

"Hey, Bethany!" called a voice. I recognized it immediately; it was my best friend, Marcy. I did not know how long I had been reading for, it felt like minutes, but the clock on my bedside table showed that it had been hours.

"Hey, Marcy!" she came into my room and plopped down on my bed right next to me. 

"Hear the new law?" she asked me.