Shackles of Imagination - R.T. Adams (best books to read for success TXT) 📗

Thank you, reader, for selecting this short story to read. This short story will pass by very quickly, as it only contains a few words. This is a story of a man who wishes for his freedom, as he is a slave rebuilding a city after an immense nuclear war that occurred ten centuries ago. In this, you will find his diary.

August 17th, 3114

We’re forced to work and repair the buildings that were destroyed during a nuclear war that broke out ten centuries ago. The damage was so bad that we’re still rebuilding the cities today. I’ve been working on a hotel that was owned by my great great great grandfather. After a few generations, when my great grandfather came around, he was thrown out of the government ranks and was placed as a slave, so my family has been thrown into this chaos. They swore that they wouldn’t allow my family to join the ranks again, not after what had happened.

November 26th, 3114

I made my first friend in my life today. His name is Johann Schelluch, a German. He has been working here for eight years, ever since he was twenty. They shipped him out of Germany after he’d murdered a man. I was a slave ever since I was eight. Johann has already ended up fighting with other slaves, but the fights ended up being disrupted. Johann has been sent to the prison as punishment of his fights a few times. No matter who starts the fight, they both end up in prison, even if the other doesn’t fight back. I think it’s complete bullshit.

January 1st, 3115

The New Year has come, but we still served to rebuild the cities, and serve the government ranks food, water, and liquor. While I was serving liquor, a woman, perhaps in her thirties, approached me and began to compliment my body. She seems to find a liking to the slaves rather than the government ranks, considering the men just sit around becoming lazy fat asses. I rejected to follow her, but she threatened to have me thrown away to prison, but I believed it was worth it. To me, it seemed like she was a slut, and I didn’t want any STDs. After all, this may be the year the city is rebuilt and I can become free.

March 10th, 3115

After some incidents with other people, the production of the city’s rebuilding has slowed. Revolts have been occurring all over the city. It seems a few faction has grown in this city. Hopefully, we finish the city, or they come and free us. I’m tired of having to rebuild a city that I had nothing to do with.

June 3rd, 3115

The revolts have become much larger, and the government ranks are starting to fall apart. This could be a chance for us to be free. Of course, I don’t know what we’ll do, considering the city will still be in shambles. It seems slaves and government ranks alike have been talking about the new faction, who call themselves The Revolution. Apparently, The Revolution owns about 70% of the city now. A different rebellion group had also started up, which owns about 1% of the city, which leaves the government owning 29% of the city.

July 29th, 3115

The government has almost been demolished, I’m almost free. I can taste it. I can see the guns lighting up the amber sky, and I can hear the distant gunshots. To me, it’s the sound of freedom, to others, it’s the sound of death. However, I did encounter a strange man who told me that the government is eternal, that we won’t get our freedom. This is all just an uprising of hope, only to be crushed. He said we had the shackles of imagination.

September 7th, 3115

The gunshots had stopped, the lights in the sky disappeared. The sky, though, is still amber. It seems The Revolution is settling down. However, the new rebellion group has vanished entirely. People are starting to look depressed, that their freedom would never come, but I began a speech. I hadn’t planned on it, but it just happened. I told them that our freedom would come, whether it be by The Revolution or whether it be by rebuilding the rest of the city, it would come.

December 25th, 3115

It’s Christmas, yet we still work. The government ranks are relaxing now, having a party. It felt like this year flew by like nothing had happened. The greatest event was the uprising of The Revolution, which is still around. The Revolution, apparently, owns about half of the city now. The sky, however, went from amber to crimson. Something is definitely coming, I can feel it, and it isn’t a good feeling.

January 1st, 3116

Once again, the New Year comes and goes, another party. The government seems to have lowered their guard and lost another 20% of their land. In other words, The Revolution owns 70% again. In my eyes, the government stands no chance against The Revolution. On the other hand, most of the city is rebuilt, but we can’t really do much, considering the government won’t let us enter The Revolution’s territory. Once again, I gave a speech, raising my peers morals. We will have our freedom.

May 5th, 3116

The Revolution is near, very near. They own about 95% of the city by now. All they have left to take over is the government’s main building, where I am, and they will have gotten this city’s freedom. I’ve continued giving speeches, with Johann, who joined me in giving speeches a few days ago. Johann has changed a lot in just the amount of time I’ve known him, even if it’s only been a year.

July 7th, 3116

Johann grew sick, so he’s in the hotel we finished last year. On the other hand, The Revolution is preparing their attack on the government’s main building. My freedom is just a few moments away, just seconds away. I did encounter that strange old man again, but he seemed disappointed. He mentioned the shackles of imagination once again. I had no idea what he meant, but nor did I care. I cared more for my freedom more than anything.

November 27th, 3116

Johann returned to normal months ago, but that isn’t important. While I was working, I saw tanks, planes, jets, jeeps, heavy soldiers, mechs, many, many soldiers. Where was the government hiding all this, and why did they have to bring it out now? I just watched the forces endlessly emerge from the main building. They wouldn’t stop, they were giving it their final shove. They were going to crush The Revolution.

November 29th, 3116

The Revolution has lost control of 80% of the city already, in just two days. They only own about 15% of the city by now. We were spread far out to continue rebuilding the city. I could see the crimson sky, the dark crimson sky. It was against us. God was against us. We weren’t getting our freedom, were we. That day, I stood, staring at the sky. Before I noticed it, there was a crowd in front of me, waiting for my speech of hope. Johann stood next to me, waiting for my wise words to come out of my mouth, but I couldn’t speak. The truth was that there was no hope. We wouldn’t get our freedom.

January 1st, 3117

The Revolution has vanished. The government has regained its control of the city, with only a mere 76 casualties. The Revolution had over 2,000 casualties. It’s the largest success of a horrible group I’ve ever seen. And on the New Year, as well. Our freedom was just an uprising of false hope, wasn’t it? God plays his cards cruelly, torturing us humans. There was still a crowd, looking at me with worry, Johann also in the crowd now, with a worried face, as well. This time, I told them that we wouldn’t have our freedom, that we were under the captivity of the government for as long as they needed us. We had the Shackles of Imagination.

Publication Date: 02-08-2016

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