Entitled to Trouble

By Sami Sapp

Nearly 50 years after an apocalyptic war that almost wiped out the human race and all technology, Claire and her friends find themselves in a tough situation. Only a handful of people know about the king’s rise to power and the things he hid from his people, and now the secrets are about to cause more problems than they fixed. Can they discover the truth with the help of an unexpected source? Will their personal lives survive the upcoming dilemmas? Or will they find that instead of being entitled to a free life and happiness, they are just entitled to trouble?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 21, 2014
• ISBN: 9781304767134

Book preview

Entitled to Trouble

Entitled to Trouble

Entitled to Trouble

Sami Sapp

Copyright © 2014 by Sami Sapp

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2014

ISBN 978-1-304-76713-4

For Darian,

who never gave up on me,

even when I did.

Prologue: The Plan for a New Life.

The man walked slowly through the ruined city, carefully picking his way through the rubble. He was about 20 years old, but the past year had made him seem much older. His sandy blonde hair hadn’t been cut for a while, and now stuck out wildly.

At last, he stood in front of a very large, white, building that was partially knocked down. He just stood there, staring at the once glorious house. This was the place it all started, he thought. This is where the order was sent from. This is where the end, began. He continued to ponder about what it must have been like in that room; in the room where the most powerful man in America gave a command that had disastrous effects. He wondered if that man had any idea that this would happen, that most of the world would be wiped out because of his decision.

He heard footsteps coming up from behind him. Another man walked up to him and stood next to him. This man looked very similar to the first. He was the same age, and his hair looked similar, just a few shades darker in color. For a few minutes they were quiet. They just looked at the wreckage around them, at the destruction and devastation.

I still can’t believe it. said the first man slowly.

"I know, it seems impossible. I was always spouting conspiracy theories, but I thought that’s all they were; theories. I had no idea that this would actually happen." The second man said.

I know, Al. his friend whispered. I’ve been wondering if—

If there’s anyone else? Yeah, me too. the man named Al interrupted.

We could find out.

What do you mean?

I mean, we could go find other survivors. We could bring them back together. We could rebuild this country to be even greater. And we could protect it. Not by filling it with soldiers, but by controlling or removing the things that cause violence. The other man began.

What are you talking about, Rek? Al asked. Have you gone crazy?

I’m talking about how we could restart this country, but make it better. We could rule it. Rek said.

Okay then. If you want to rule a ruined country, go for it. I have no interest in being an insane king of an empty country. Al laughed as he walked away. Rek ran after him.

No, really, listen to me. I think this could work. Rek started. We could go across the country and look for survivors, and then we can bring them back here.

And how do you propose we do that? Any cars that weren’t destroyed, won’t work, you know that. Al interjected.

We could walk! Rek shouted to his friend, who started walking away faster.

Again, you are crazy. I wonder if there is a pharmacy still intact, because you need crazy meds my friend. Al said sarcastically.

I’m being serious here, Al! And if you don’t want to rule with me, you can be my right hand man, my adviser, my partner in crime. Rek declared.

If there’s going to be crime involved, then definitely not. Al stated.

"I didn’t actually mean crime. I was just using it as an example." Rek finished, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He was starting to get annoyed with Al’s constant sarcasm. Sometimes it was difficult to tell when he was joking, and when he was serious, and now was one of those times. Al just stood, quietly thinking, before he spoke again.

But how do we even know that there is anyone left? We were lucky enough to survive, so I doubt anyone else did. Al asked. Just at that moment, something down the street moved. They were just starting to get to a residential area of the city. Al and Rek turned their attention towards the movement and stood perfectly still. There was no noise for a minute and then it happened again. Something was shifting through the rubble.

What the hell is that? Al asked suspiciously. They slowly walked towards the noise and found themselves standing in the middle of a huge pile of bricks that could have possibly been a building at some point. In the very middle of the area, there was a small stack of bricks that were moving. Al and Rek moved a few of the bricks and noticed a heavy door in the ground. Something was trying to open it. They slid a few more bricks off of the door but it had stopped moving.

What do you think is down there? Al asked.

I don’t know, but I plan to open it and find out. Rek said as he reached for another brick.

No! Al said as he grabbed Rek’s hand. Whatever it is could be dangerous! What if it’s some kind of government experiment or something? Rek rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to argue with Al, when a new noise came from the door. They both became very quiet, listening for the sound. They had their suspicions of what it could be, but were too scared to say anything, for fear that they were wrong. Another minute of silence, and then it came again.

Hello? a voice croaked. They looked at each other with a mixture of fear and shock. They were right. There was obviously a person down there. Is someone up there? Please let us out! Al and Rek snapped out of their shock at the same time and hurried to move the bricks and open the door. When they got it open, a short woman, who seemed about their age, with brown hair and shockingly green eyes crawled out with an elderly man and a blonde, teenage girl trailing behind.

And you thought no one else survived. Rek said to his friend. The people that had just emerged from the door were looking around at the devastation surrounding them with sad eyes.

It’s worse than I thought it would be, girls. The old man said.

I know grandpa, I know. the woman said as she put her hand on his shoulder. The younger girl looked on the verge of tears.

Are you alright? Rek asked them. They just nodded and kept looking around them.

Umm, well, my name is Alfred, Al told them. And this is Derek. Rek waved at them. They still stood there silently surveying their surroundings.

And you are? Rek asked since they hadn’t said anything still.

Oh, the older woman started. Right, my name is Gwen. And this is my little sister Alice, and our grandfather, Carl.

Are there others? Alice asked, looking from person to person in desperate hope.

You’re the first people we’ve seen in a year. We’ve been underground all this time. We were afraid of radiation. Obviously you had the same idea. Al said. The three new people took a moment to absorb this information before Gwen spoke again.

Yeah, grandpa here was paranoid about it, so we went underground. I guess it was a good idea we did, even though at the time, nowhere near D.C. had been hit yet. She told them.

We would have stayed down there too if our generator didn’t stop working a few days ago. We still had gas for it and everything, but it just failed. Alice said. Al and Rek gave each other a questioning look. The same thing had happened to them, which was why they had finally ventured to the surface.

It makes no sense. Al whispered. He started to walk down the street, away from the wreckage. Follow me. I have a hunch. They began walking rather quickly, but after two or three blocks, Carl started to get really tired, and was obviously winded.

I’m sorry. It’s only a little bit further Al told the old man, slowing down to let him have a chance to catch up.

Oh, don’t worry about me. If I can make it through four different wars, three of which I fought in, and still be standing here, a little bit of walking isn’t going to kill me now. Carl said defiantly. He must have been in his late 80’s, if not older, but was trying to keep up with them like he was still 22. Gwen shot a concerned look at her grandfather to tell him to take it easy, but he just ignored her, and kept on walking, slowly trying to make his way towards the front of the group. Gwen rolled her eyes at her grandfather’s attempts to keep from being ‘old’.

Where are we going? Gwen asked.

There’s a gas station about six more blocks from here. I think they have batteries there. I just hope it didn’t explode or anything. Al told them. We are still pretty close to the original bombing site.

What’s going on? Rek asked. "I think maybe now you’ve gone crazy."

I’m trying to see what works. We already know that generators don’t work, and you and I figured out that cars don’t either. I want to know exactly what works and why it does or doesn’t. Al said. The small group was quiet for the rest of the walk. They finally reached the gas station and found batteries and flashlights inside. Al tore open a package of batteries and put two of them into one of the flashlights.

He took a deep breath, looked at each of their faces, and then pressed the ‘on’ button. He let out his breath in a sigh as a steady beam of light came out of the flashlight. They each let out a sigh and a small chuckle, which then turned to full out laughter. Rek was about to say something about Al scaring him with all his talk of things not working, when the light of the flashlight flickered and then went out. Their laughing stopped suddenly and they all stared at the flashlight. Al hit the flashlight against his palm to make it light again. All he got out of it was a small flicker.

Huh. He started. Must have been a bad bulb or something. He grabbed another flashlight and new batteries. The same thing happened to this one.

What are the odds…? Rek said, not wanting to admit what he already knew. They each grabbed something off the shelves that used a battery and tried to make it work with no success. They stood there looking at each other silently.

What does this mean? Alice asked hesitantly.

Honey, I think this means that we can’t use anything that uses electricity. Gwen said. She hugged her sister, and gave the others a worried look.

Over the next year, the small group traveled from place to place, looking for any kind of technology. Everywhere they went, the same thing happened. Cars, generators, batteries, all of it, it wouldn’t work. As they traveled, they met more and more people. Luckily for them, they happened to find a man that used to work for an electricity company. He tried everything he could to get the electricity to come back on, but nothing he did worked.

Everything they knew no longer was true. The world was now a very different place.

Chapter 1

Gabriella! Gabriella, where are you? Claire called out, searching for the unruly princess. As Claire ran, the bottom of her orange dress flapped around her ankles. Claire wasn’t exactly beautiful, but many thought she was pretty. She was very tall and had long brown hair, which was almost never down. She always had it up in a bun, or a ponytail. She didn’t like having her hair in her face and it made her too hot. She had a round face with very pretty dark brown eyes.

Claire’s main job was looking after the princess, whether she wanted to be looked after or not. Even though Princess Gabriella was almost 22 years old, she was always running off. Right now she was supposed to be going to meet Prince Nikolas, so naturally, she had disappeared. Every time she needed to meet someone or do something that was considered her princess’s duty, she ran off, trying to get out of it. The queen sent Claire to find her, since she was the only one who knew all of Gabriella’s hiding places, and she was the only one who could talk her into, or out of, anything. The queen had begged Claire to reason with Gabriella so she would agree to meet the prince. However, the princess didn’t much like being a princess, so she refused.

Gabriella is one of the two princesses of a place called United America. A long time ago it was once called the United States of America, but things changed rather quickly in the year 2014. A terrible war had started then and spread quickly across the world. All the large countries fought against each other until they nearly wiped out the entire human race.

Finally, almost everyone was gone, so the fighting stopped, but not before several scientifically altered bombs were set off. The effect of these bombs was unexpectedly devastating. There was unspeakable damage left at the sites where the bombs were let off. Entire buildings were gone, and the ones that remained were badly damaged, most beyond repair. Usually, these types of bombs let off dangerous radiation, but this kind of radiation was not harmful to living things. Instead of harming humans or animals, it affected all things electrical. The war had made it impossible for any kind of electricity to work anymore, and none of them knew why. Over time, the people of earth went back to a simpler time. Some of the historians say that the clothes and customs are very similar to those of the medieval times. By this time, nearly everyone had forgotten about the electricity, and those who remembered, didn’t talk about it. Most of the younger people of the world, didn’t even know about it, and never thought to ask about the damages from the war.

Now it was a little over 50 years later, and Princess Gabriella’s father, King William, is the ruler of United America. Even though it is so much later, everyone still acts basically the same as they did before the war, especially Gabriella. She is exactly like the rebellious teens from the twenty first century. The only things that had changed was the clothing and the lack of technology.

Gab-- Oh, there you are! Claire said as she saw the lovely princess in a nearby tree. She was wearing the usual pink and white dress that she favored. It was a dark pink, almost purple and had white lace around the sleeves and neckline. Even though the dress was pink and feminine, it did not mirror the princess’s personality. Gabriella was almost always dirty. Her beautiful brown hair had recently been chopped to above shoulder length, and it stuck out most of the time, since she didn’t really care enough to style it.

Gabriella tried hopelessly to quickly jump down and run away, but Claire expected this and was already at the base of the tree, waiting for her to jump down, where she then grabbed her arm to stop her from running.

I won’t do it! Gabriella exclaimed as she tried again to flee.

You’re acting a little immature for a princess. Claire said as Gabriella stuck her tongue out at her.

I just don’t want to meet him. She said in reply, folding her arms across her chest in defiance. I know he is going to be stuck up and snotty because he’s rich and powerful.

Like you? Claire said sarcastically.

Yes, exactly I… I mean, no! Not like me! You think I’m like all those elitist jerks that my mother hangs around with? Gabriella said sadly. Claire shook her head and laughed, showing that she was just joking.

Well what if he’s not like that, and he’s one of the few royals who have a commoner for a best friend? Claire said, knowing that this would make her think twice about the prince, especially since her best friend was not even close to being royalty. She could tell that Gabriella was contemplating whether or not she should change her mind now.

Fine, she said reluctantly after a few moments of thought. Claire started to smile "But I’m not promising anything. I would bet you my favorite dress that he’s just like the others and I won’t like him. And even if I happen to be wrong, I am NOT marrying him."

Who said anything about marriage? Claire asked, astonished.

C’mon Claire, we both know that mother is trying to find a wealthy prince to marry me off to. This is the fourth prince I’ve had to have an audience with this month alone, even though only one of them was actually a prince. Mother seems to think that even the son of a governor is a prince. She needs to learn that just because they are close to a seat of power, doesn’t mean they’re a prince. There’s really only like 4 princes in the entire world, unless you count my brothers. Gabriella had started talking to herself now, which happened a lot when she was talking about anything that had to do with her mother.

It was true that the queen had been trying, and failing, to wed her daughter off. Ever since her sixteenth birthday, when she had started sneaking out and getting in trouble, the queen