2Chapter 2: My Past
This next entry will be about my past.
I have already told you my name, Zachary Ralph.
I did not tell you how much I loath that name.
It was given to me by my mother, formally known as Isabelle Poling Ralph. I just call her 'Mom.' She named me after my grandfather, (her father.) He was, supposedly, "A great hero to our nation! He was instrumental in the 'Race Against Technology.'" I don't really care what he did, but my mother seems to think I should.
Anyway, my mom is all the family I have right now. I just thought you should know that. And I know what you're thinking... I am not gay. Most people would think growing up with only a mom can be... feminizing? But honestly, I didn't spend much time with her.
I had a rough childhood. My dad left before I was born. Heck, I don't even know if he knows I exist! My mom rarely speaks of him, and when she does, it is to remind me not to be like him. I don't even know his name. All I seem to know about him is that he is "High Up" in the Fire Frontier Nation's government. Maybe someday I will learn more.
Back to me... after I was born my mother became very sick, and so did I. I had a severe fever for six weeks after I was born. I was told it was 106.8 degrees Fahrenheit for a day or two. My temperature went down some, but after six weeks they decided to let me go home to die. My mother turned out to have a gallstone, which may have been the reason I was sickly. She recovered after a few days, but I, however did not. I was told I had a fever for months after the doctor sent me home.
I have always been warmer internally then most people. I usually have a body temperature of 100.5 degrees. Doctors continue to be baffled as to why I am "hot blooded."
Could it have something to do with my father?
Anyway, I live in the town of Ashbrook. We have no more then 300 persons living within our city limits. All of us, I assume, are of sea bearing heritage. I am the only "half blood" that I know of, but there well enough could be more. As I said, I am just a "child" and therefore am not given any information regarding the state of my tribe.
We have two schools in the village. One is for the common's children. The other, well... let's just say I go to the other school.
My school is the same, basically, as any other sea bearing school in the world, but I can't help feel isolated from others. We all study on our own, we eat alone, we do everything all by ourselves. This policy can be good, sometimes, for keeping people out of fights and hurt feelings, but are you kidding me? This is the worst policy for a school I have ever heard of! Kids need to socialize. That is a fact of life for all people. Even the Frontier must let their kids talk to one another! If you are not going to interact with anyone else, why not just be taught by your family or a close friend?
That is just my opinion... Don't tell headmistress Iona I said that!
Now, down to business, I will now tell you why there are different types of people who live with each other, why there are two different schools, and why I am writing this documentary.
We are not human. Not all of us, I suspect... But those of us referred to as "Special" or "Gifted" or better yet, "Blessed." We are not fully human being.
I will explain.
Long ago, there was a war that killed off over half of earth's population. It was a nuclear war, otherwise known as World War IV. We had had three other world wars before this, but each was minor fighting compared to this. Each country of the world joined sides in what now is referred to as, "The Divide." We bombed them; they bombed us; a few months later, BOOM! Half the world is dead.
After this horrible tragedy, the leaders from each nation came together with a plan for peace. You see, the war was started from fighting about weapons, oil, and most importantly, new technology. The leaders of the world decided that the only way to keep from totally annihilating ourselves was to get rid of the problem, permanently. They decided to outlaw every form of technology they could find. Cars, outlawed; Phones, outlawed; heating, air-conditioning, lighting, machinery, electricity, were all outlawed.
You can imagine the toll this took on the people who had lived with these their whole lives.
Most of the people rebelled against this new law. Granted there were so few people left in each nation, they couldn't really make a difference, but they tried.
Most of the rebels were killed for these acts of aggression.
The survivors of the war, and "The rebellion," as it is called now, decided to follow the new laws. They would rather live without technology, then die with it.
Some, however, did not feel the same way. They let their anger and frustration bottle up for so long, that one day, another "Divide" took place. But it was not the start of another war. It was the start of the Frontier.