Chris Welsh-Charrier

By Chris Welsh-Charrier

Embark upon a thrilling journey of self discovery with Janie Smallwood as she uncovers the startling truth about her past and sets out on an epic adventure to defeat the evil festering in her homeland.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crescent Press
• Release date: Apr 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9781977264244

Chris Welsh-Charrier

Chris Welsh-Charrier is the author of Janie Smallwood and the Mystery of the Man in the Woods. He currently lives in Washington D.C. Chris has a BA degree in history from the University of Maryland. His varied interests include: volcanoes, dachshunds, and video games. He is a big fan of the Star Wars movies and the Harry Potter books. 

Book preview

Janie Smallwood and the Mystery of the Man in the Woods

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2023 Chris Welsh-Charrier

v1.0

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Crescent Press

ISBN: 978-1-9772-6424-4

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction and Thanks

Prologue

Part One: The Destruction of America

Part Two: A Rebirth of Freedom

Part Three: An Altar of Peace

Part Four: The First College

Story Number One: The Mysterious Old Man

Part One - The Man in the Woods

Part Two - Old Enemies Become Friends

Story Number Two: Adventures in Japan with the Man in the Woods

Part One - Japanese Destiny

Part Two - The Mystery in Sensei Buttermore’s School

Part Three - Darkness at the Olympiad

Story Number Three: The Tragedy of the Man in the Woods

Part One - The Fog of War

Part Two - Gus’s Biggest Secret

Story Number Four: The FUBAR Redemption

Part One - The FUBAR Quest

Part Two - A Daughter’s Belief

Epilogue

Part One: Death of A President

Part Two: Preparing for A Milestone

Part Three: Samantha’s Biggest Secret

Part Four: A Dream Fulfilled

Character Tree

INTRODUCTION AND THANKS

I first came up with the idea for the man in the woods in 2003. Over the years, I experimented with different iterations for this amazing character. Ironically, the version of the man in the woods that you are reading, is the iteration closest to my original version.

Thanks to my mom and dad for their enthusiasm and support, and thank you to Star Wars creator Geroge Lucas and Harry Potter author J K Rowling. Both character creators have taken me on endless and amazing journeys and served as inspiration for these stories. Also, with my history major and interest in American armed conflicts, see if you can spot the homages to the historical fiction action adventure movies The Patriot and The Last Samurai and see if you can identify the nods to the iconic World War II movie, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, and the early twenty-first century war movies Black Hawk Down and We Were Soldiers.

I hope these stories set you on a path of mystery, action and suspense and challenge you to rethink what it takes to make a person evil, the possibility of redemption , the nourishment of friendship and other philosophical questions.

Enjoy!!

Chris Welsh-Charrier

Prologue

PART ONE: THE DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA

2068. It was a somber year for America and the world. The American Neo-Nazis led by Gregory Cartyde had achieved their coup, transforming the United States into the Nazi States of America (NSA), with Cartyde as the President.

Mere hours after Congress approved the renaming and reorganization of the US, Kristen Buttermore witnessed the death of Takasha Hirotaru, daughter of Natsumato, the Japanese Prime Minister. Japan had helped the US in winning the Second American Civil War. Now Kristen looked across the room at a man who cradled the baby girl that Takasha had given birth to moments before she died. She addressed the man, Mr. President, but before she could finish, the man holding Takasha’s baby said, My new name is Gus.

Oh, all right then, Gus, sighed Kristen.

Just then, Kristen and Gus heard a terrible scream. They both knew what it meant. Adolf Russo was still alive. Gus looked at Kristen, who was running her fingers through her hair, which she did when she was nervous. Blinking his eyes rapidly, Gus said, I just could not do it. The scream was followed by an evil laugh, so vile and compassionless, that Kristen and Gus shook with fear. I could not do it either, said Kristen, referring to her failed attempt at defeating President Cartyde.

Gus then looked at the baby he cradled in his arms. What should we do with her?

We should take her to a secret place, where her father cannot find her.

Just then, one of the nurses entered the room and addressing Kristen, said, Ms.Buttermore, Natsumato, the Japanese Prime Minister, has just arrived.

Kristen bowed in greeting to Natsumato, a moderately tall and muscular man with sandy grey hair, who entered the room, barely holding onto his composure as he looked down at his dead daughter.

What happened to her? asked the Prime Minister in a barely audible voice.

Kristen sighed and said, Adolf Russo killed her.

But why? asked the Prime Minister, confused. Russo loved her.

I’m afraid Russo is no longer capable of love, replied Kristen.

Gus interjected, We were just trying to decide what to do with Takasha’s baby.

As a true commander, Natsumato embraced the reality before him and replied, "You will take her to Spokane where she will live with a dear friend of mine.

Take her back to the NSA? Kristen gasped in horror. Natsumato, you can’t. If she lives in the NSA, she will be in constant danger.

Natsumato was firm. Sometimes the easiest path is not the best path. When the time is right, I want you to send Takasha’s daughter to Hawaii, so I can meet her, and inform her about her true heritage. I believe it’s only a matter of time before Hawaii becomes a Japanese territory. When that happens, I will set up residence in Hawaii to start a renaissance of the Samurai. I believe the time is right to reestablish this clan. And Ms. Buttermore, after Russo’s attack on your school in Virginia, I believe you want a new place to continue teaching. You will be welcome to teach and reestablish your school in Hawaii, hopefully in my village.

Three days later, Gus appeared at a slightly ramshackle house in the suburbs of Spokane. As he approached the house, an elderly woman named Samantha appeared. Samantha was a moderately tall Caucasian woman with a roundish face that featured ruby- red eyes. She smiled at Gus as he handed her the African American girl. As Samantha held the sleeping baby girl in her arms, the baby opened her eyes, and smiled contentedly upon seeing Samantha’s loving face. Samantha watched with tender eyes as the baby placed her thumb in her mouth. Samantha lifted her gaze to say goodbye to Gus, but he was already gone. Oh well, Samantha thought. She knew she would see Gus again eventually.

Over a decade later, in 2079, Kristen Buttermore stood on the balcony of her apartment in Honolulu watching the sunrise. With an oval face, white hair, and yellow eyes, Kristen had become shorter over the years and was in good shape, and she was dressed in a kimono, the new traditional clothing of the island. Hawaii had been under Japan’s territory since 2070, a gift from the NSA for Japan’s help in the Second American Civil War, which raged between 2063 and 2068. Kristen felt worn out by life. With advances in science and genetics, life expectancy had improved, so Kristen felt that she had lived two lifetimes.

She was a citizen of the United States of America. However, 30 years was a long time to live in denial; as horrible as it was, the NSA was a world power. Still, every day as she stood on her balcony gazing at what seemed like an omen in the sky, she prayed for the day when the sun would once again rise in the United States of America and set over the NSA. As Kristen stood on her porch that day, she glanced through a photo album, and stumbled upon a picture of her dear friend, Molly Grace. Kristen sighed and ran her fingers through her hair as she remembered how wonderful things had been when Molly was the President of the US. How things had changed.

In the year 2045, a catastrophic event occurred that would alter the course of world history forever. During the first year of Molly Grace’s second term in office as the President of the US, the Yellowstone super-volcano erupted, crippling America’s infrastructure and killing an estimated 20 million people. The blast from the volcano destroyed the three states that the national park resided in, and the giant ash cloud suffocated crops and spread copious amounts of loose ash as far as New York City. The huge ash deposits combined with torrential rains caused by several category 5 hurricanes resulted in devastating mudflows. From the Hoover Dam, through the Gulf of Mexico states, and along the entire eastern seaboard, the US became a monochromatic wasteland.

However, there was hope. After making the hardest decision that any US President had ever made, President Grace gave the order that initiated the complete evacuation of the entire country, saving millions of lives. Faced with the dire situation of leaving their country, hundreds of millions of displaced Americans found refuge in the generosity of countless countries across the globe, who gladly opened their borders and hearts to the needy Americans. This show of unprecedented and immense international generosity and support was fueled by Molly’s stunning popularity abroad, which was even higher than her phenomenal popularity in the US. Nevertheless, President Grace defied the orders of the Secret Service to evacuate herself, giving up her seat on Marine One to ensure the safety of a staff member and her baby, thereby jeopardizing the leadership of the country.

Eventually, when the President nearly died after being buried in a mudflow, her prior defiance of Secret Service orders came back to haunt her, stirring up controversy and anger among traumatized Americans, who were tormented by the possibility of losing their leader. Thus, the US and the rest of the world heaved a sigh of relief as Molly recovered from her wounds and regained the trust of the people by working to make amends for her past decisions and developing a blueprint for the successful rebuilding of the country. She was regarded as the most respected and revered president of the twenty-first century.

Her formula for rebuilding the US was so popular and successful that the next three US Presidents did not deviate too much from it. However, by the time of the fourth US President, following Molly’s term, the pace of the rebuilding project had slowed down. As progress eventually stagnated, many of the problems that had caused political polarization among President Grace’s predecessors resurfaced. Among those disheartened was an elderly man who had lived an astonishingly long life. His name was Gregory Cartyde.

Cartyde had always considered himself to be a neo-Nazi. From a young age, Cartyde admired Adolf Hitler and loved learning about the Nazis. With a slick patch of orange-brown hair as well as a shrewd and sallow face, Cartyde’s most striking feature were his purple hued- eyes. He yearned to recreate Hitler’s Third Reich in the country that had defeated Hitler’s Nazis. As a teenager, Cartyde had been sent to jail, but he managed to escape and became one of the District of Columbia’s most notorious criminal masterminds, supporting his cousins who were behind the tragic Longview school shooting. Ultimately, he schemed for the downfall of Kristen Buttermore and Molly Grace. After Kristen and Molly defeated Cartyde’s failed Nazi uprising, he was presumed to be dead. Several years later, Cartyde resurfaced and reignited his political ambitions by supporting a local state senator who was associated with a neo-Nazi group. He despised African Americans, who had experienced tremendous economic and social progress under President Grace.

Cartyde exploited American discontent with the current government structure to build support for his transformative vision of the US as a dictatorship. After the spectacular success of President Grace and her successor’s ability to unite and work with Congress and the Court system, political polarization once again reared its ugly head. In the seven years preceding the Great neo-Nazi Coup of 2068, Congress had only passed five major pieces of legislation, all of which drew exclusively partisan support, much to the dismay of many. So, Cartyde took advantage of American discontent with Congress to build support for the eventual abolition of the Legislative Branch. He and his neo-Nazis came closer to achieving their great coup when he was selected as the running mate of presidential candidate Thomas Atkinson. With Atkinson’s victory, Cartyde became the Vice-President of the US, but Cartyde had his heart set on the presidency. Thus, he set in motion the chain of events that would lead to the realization of his power grab and the destruction of the country.

In the late twenty-first century, the US, a nation long regarded as a bastion of freedom in the world, collapsed into a fascist dictatorship. The American people had been seduced by a president who claimed to have their best interests at heart. This could not have been further from the truth. The first Constitutional amendment that Cartyde convinced Congress to revoke was the twenty-second amendment, which limited the number of years a president could serve.

After over twenty years in office, he presided over a country whose entire wealth of was controlled by only ten percent of the population. Over ninety percent of Americans lived in poverty, and over thirty percent of children died from malnutrition before the age of seven. In addition, the country had been renamed the NSA. As a result of such scarce resources, Americans turned to violence, and became fierce and out of control. Out of desperation, people often fought over things such as a loaf of bread or a cup of soup. Fear of the oppressive government, long used by conservatives in the past to block gun control efforts, created a new reality. Most households began to possess multiple firearms as a means of protecting themselves from the government and neighbors.

Just as Hitler offered up the Jews as a scapegoat for German misfortune, condemning them to gas chambers, President Cartyde offered up African Americans as a scapegoat for his new America. The UN issued a total trade embargo following Nazi atrocities against African Americans and others deemed inferior by President Cartyde, banning exports and imports of goods to and from the NSA. Cartyde reintroduced the infamous institution of slavery, transferring African American adults and children to one of the 15 slave labor camps. After being forced to give up their homes and properties to the state, African Americans were taken to these camps where they were forced to work under brutal conditions. Underfed and overworked, slaves who became too weak to work were either sent to gas chambers in the camp or simply shot on the spot.

Cartyde took control of the news media and established government-run schools that ended at the sixth grade, just before children became adolescents. This was important in Cartdye’s view as the older a child becomes as they progress through school, the greater the ability to question authority becomes. With all the public and private schools under the direct control of the government and a Nazi-approved curriculum, Cartyde rewrote history in order to portray Hitler’s Nazi government as the valiant defenders who were trying to save Germany from the invasion of Jewish people.

With the NSA- a major force in global trade, technology, and food isolated from the world, other governments turned to traditions of the past to show that it was possible to live without technological advances and eat only homegrown food. This reversion to the past renewed interest in old societies that had existed for many hundreds of years but had been swallowed up by modernizations throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

In Japan, interest in the ways of the Samurai grew. Such warriors had once held great political clout but had been disbanded during the era of Japanese modernization in the late nineteenth century. Calling themselves the neo-Samurai, a group of young people who grew up during the Time of the Great Deprivation, as Cartyde’s rule of America was called, began an intense study of the political, ideological, spiritual, and physical ways of the ancient Samurai in the hopes of reviving a section of people that did not depend on foreign influence. Japan had initially attempted to align itself with the NSA in order to prevent a new war with America. However, as Cartyde’s lust for power increased exponentially, the NSA grew more imperialistic, inducing the Japanese to join the war effort against the NSA. The third World War raged for nine years before the Nazis were finally defeated in July of 2099.

PART TWO: A REBIRTH OF FREEDOM

2099. World War III began on December 8th in the year 2091. It lasted for nine long years, ending when the American neo-Nazis were finally defeated in the Battle of Washington DC. With her hands shaking from nervousness, Janie Smallwood, a moderately tall African American woman, with bright blue eyes, who had been a popular leader during the war watched as the Executive Tower exploded. The tower, the symbol of President Cartyde’s regime, was now reduced to a pile of debris approximately 30 feet high.

Finally, the dreaded Swastika flag of Cartyde’s neo-Nazi government was lowered from the eight-hundred-foot flagpole and the Star-Spangled Banner of the US was hoisted up. Janie had never seen a sight so beautiful. The blue backdrop with 51 stars, each representing one of the 51 states was gorgeous, and the bright red stripes felt as if they were stained with the blood of the billions of people who had died to pave the way for the precious symbol of freedom to fly again. At that moment, Janie realized what had motivated the billions of people to fight for freedom. Everything good evoked by the history of the US, along with hope for the future was embodied in the Star-Spangled Banner

A groan brought Janie back to the reality of the moment. Her father, who lay at her feet, was critically wounded in the chest. As she stooped to sit beside him, she saw a look of terror in his eyes. In that moment, a squadron of what seemed like thousands of planes from various nations flew overhead— she could make out the symbols of the British, Japanese, and Russian governments.

They’re allied planes, Father. They have helped us win the war, Janie explained.

Yes, indeed, angels on our shoulders, her father agreed. Janie’s father knew he was dying, and he prepared to say his last words to her. In a voice that was barely above a whisper, he motioned for Janie to draw closer, and when she bent down, he softly said, Janie. Remember me. Remember me. And, with a sigh, Janie’s father joined the ranks of the billions of people who had died during World War III. With tears streaming down her face, and her left-hand shaking, Janie kissed her father one on the forehead and whispered, I love you. As the dust from the destructive annihilation of the Executive Tower began to clear, the massive aircraft of the UN Air Force began their descent. However, Janie did not seem to care. All she could see through her tears was her father’s body and the fact that she had only known him for a few hours, even if those few hours were filled with love.

Taka, a fellow World War III soldier, and Janie’s best friend, was also nervous and pacing at a distance. When she saw Janie’s predicament and tears, she rushed over, put her arms around Janie and wept with her. The moment was brief, as Janie’s grief was interrupted by the arrival of a helicopter. Janie could tell by the insignia on the chopper that the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) was aboard. Janie bowed in greeting as Secretary General Abrams disembarked.

The Secretary General was a tall woman with a crop of platinum blonde hair. As soon as she recognized Janie, she went over to her and bowed back in greeting. Congratulations Captain Smallwood! It is an honor to see you again. She then approached the body of Janie’s father and asked, Did you know this man?

Only for a few hours, Janie replied, not wanting to discuss the details of her relationship with her father.

Captain Smallwood, you have done so much to lead us to victory today. We request that you, Taka, your mentor Sensei Buttermore, and Samantha Smallwood to accompany us to the surrender ceremony.

Janie bowed again. It would be an honor to accompany you, Madame Secretary.

As the UN aircraft landed, thousands of Nazi Air Force soldiers were surrendering en masse. Of the two million pilots, soldiers, and other miscellaneous crew members of that air force, only three hundred thousand lived to see the end of the war, and all Nazi aircrafts had been destroyed.

After the Secretary General left, Janie bore witness to one of the most heartbreaking images of the day- the few hundred survivors of the Washington division of the Youth for America. Originally numbering twenty-five thousand, only four hundred had survived the battle of Washington, and end of the war. Now they appeared with their hands raised above their heads like terrified children who were alone, powerless, and awaiting punishment. Irrespective of how Cartyde’s regime had treated minority groups, compassion and forgiveness were the watchwords of the new order. Even now, as most of the surrendering troops had not eaten for days, a good meal for all was the first order of the day. At the day’s end, Janie cremated her father’s body and, with the war over, became a civilian again.

That night in her house, Janie looked at herself in a mirror. Her body was lean from years of eating the rations available to UN soldiers. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a ponytail that went halfway down her neck, and her feet were small for her size. As Janie examined her post-war physique, what struck her the most was the weariness etched into the lines of her face and reflected in her haunted eyes, exposing how she had been hardened by the atrocities of war. Later that night, Samantha Smallwood called to inform her that UN Secretary General Abrams had sent her a letter that said,

Madam,

It is with the most profound sense of joy that I write to inform you that your daughter, Captain Janie Smallwood, is well and at this moment on her way home from the North American battlefields.

Reports from her superior officers indicate that Janie did her duties with bravery, steadfast dedication, and determination, even while bearing the burden of the tragic losses that your family suffered in this great campaign to rid the world of tyranny and oppression.

Nothing, not even the return of a beloved family member can compensate you or the billions of other families who have suffered great losses in this tragic war. But the world is a better place because of the sacrifices made by your family so that the angels of freedom will sing.

Yours Sincerely,

Simone Abrams, Secretary- General of the UN.

For Janie and all the other survivors, the joy they felt over the defeat of the Nazis was tempered by the dread of the decades of rebuilding to be done. The date for the official surrender ceremony was scheduled in two days’ time, on the 4th of July, the same day the US had officially broken free from the oppressive British empire in 1776. Now, Americans, with the help of the armies of the world, had once again triumphed over tyranny.

PART THREE: AN ALTAR OF PEACE

On the 4th of July 2099, the US once again gained freedom and celebrated its new Independence Day from the forces of tyranny. This time, the tyranny was self-inflicted by its own president and his government, who had transformed America into a neo-Nazi state. With the evil Nazi government defeated, glimmers of hope for freedom for the fifty-five million survivors could now be realized.

In London, England, where the UN leadership had strategized to win World War III against the NSA, citizens there and across the world eagerly and anxiously awaited the formal surrender ceremony. As popular World War III officers, Janie Smallwood, her friend Taka, Samantha Smallwood, and her former Sensei Kristen Buttermore had all been invited to attend.

Many still referred to Kristen as Sensei, the Japanese word for teacher, because of her time spent leading a school in the Japanese islands of Hawaii. Dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos, Janie, her family, and mentors were a testament to Japan’s influence on the conduct and outcome of World War III.

When they arrived at the Buckingham Palace for the ceremony, a great cheer erupted from the crowd. Before the surrender ceremony began, Janie clasped her right hand over her heart. Once all the leaders of the countries involved in winning World War III had assembled, Simone Abrams, Secretary General of the UN, saluted each one of them. There were no such salutes for the Nazi delegations who arrived as defeated enemies seeking peace. After everyone had assembled, a chaplain read a prayer in honor of the dead on both sides. The Secretary General then gave a brief and eloquent speech. It is my sincerest hope, that from the carnage and suffering of the past, a new chapter will be written in the history of mankind, one not characterized by war, hatred, intolerance, or division, but by acceptance, tolerance, peace, and justice.

The Nazi delegates signed the surrender documents, and the Secretary General and the leader of each country involved in the victorious outcome of the war appended their signatures on the document.

Since Cartyde was being held in a super-maximum-security prison, his Vice-President, Spencer Dukes, who had quite reluctantly carried out the duties of being Cartyde’s Vice-President and served as a figurehead during the last few months of the war, was called on to sign the surrender documents on behalf of Cartyde’s vanquished Nazis. Prior to the Battle of Washington DC, Dukes had tried to convince Cartyde to negotiate a Nazi surrender. As a result, he was not considered an enemy. In signing the surrender documents, he was awestruck as if he was standing amid an altar of peace.

After the signing, the Secretary General said, For over two and a half centuries, America has served as a beacon of hope and freedom in the world. For the last few decades, you have lost your way. But everyone here is committed to helping you recover from this tragic episode in your history, and we will continue to support and care for you as you once again become a beacon of freedom.

Abrams then turned to Janie and said, We now turn to you, Captain Smallwood, to preside over the surrender of The Youth for America. Since Adolf Russo, the original Supreme Commander of the Youth For America (YFA), was dead, Russo’s replacement commander, Ebenezer Martin, was ushered in. Janie noticed that Ebenezer was not wearing the traditional black cap and gown, the hallmark of the attire worn by members of the YFA, a uniform she had once worn.

With a look of tiredness and exhaustion on his face, Ebenezer bowed to Janie, who returned his gesture. Ebenezer then handed Janie his empty plasma magnum, which was the standard weaponry for YFA officers. With her hands clasped behind her to prevent them from shaking, Janie looked at him and said, "From personal experience, I know that some, maybe many, members of the YFA were forced against their will to join the organization. Over time, the leadership tactics brainwashed many innocent children into believing that obedience to the YFA was their duty and their only way to a happy life. Though many of you did not like what you had to do, but you did what you were told was your duty, hoping for a better life.

Now we offer you a different path, one of tolerance and mutual respect, a path free of violence, and a path to receive and enjoy a happy life. For all surviving members of the YFA, I am offering each one of you the chance to earn a full pardon for any crimes committed while serving in the YFA. To earn these pardons, I ask for your help for a period of no longer than three years in order to rebuild our country. In addition, Sensei Buttermore will be starting the first college in the new United States of America. Education is the key to a country’s success, and people everywhere will be invited to attend college, where upon graduating, the black caps and gowns worn by the YFA, which have been a symbol of fear, will now symbolize of the new opportunities that people everywhere will now have in our country."

The establishment of a new college was an amazing milestone as education in the NSA stopped at sixth grade, with limited government-controlled education for citizens assigned to do essential jobs that required more training and education, like healthcare providers, engineers, and construction workers working on Nazi building projects, as engineers, construction workers, and scientists. The college that Sensei Buttermore would help establish would be modeled after the fine colleges of the pre-Cartyde era and serve as a model for future colleges.

It would serve as the first opportunity for citizens of the NSA to earn degrees in liberal arts, as well as subjects like math and science. Since most of the citizens of the NSA lacked a high school education, students attending the new college would primarily comprise people from outside the NSA. In addition to the opening of the new college, plans were being put into place to start the first public school system in over thirty years. This school system would be state run and the future federal government would have a limited power over it.

With that, the delegates of the former NSA saluted their victors, who reciprocated. No longer enemies, everyone was invited to join the victory feast, celebrating the end of a terrible chapter in the history of mankind and the beginning of a new chapter, as the US and the rest of the world work to create a world that provides opportunities for everyone. As Janie looked around the room, she relished the sight of people from different countries and cultures celebrating the start of a new era, an era in which she was destined to play a crucial role.

PART FOUR: THE FIRST COLLEGE

In February 2100, Janie and Taka received letters from the newly christened College of American History. In over thirty years, it was the first college to provide the opportunity to earn a liberal arts degree in the US. Janie and Taka were excited to continue their education, so they both agreed to tour the newly built campus. On the day of the tour, Taka said to Janie, I still remember when I told you about the school in Hawaii where Sensei Buttermore was in charge.

I do too Taka, I am so fortunate to have received a good education.

Their tour of the College for American History and Studies was wonderful. Janie noticed the sign at the entrance to the main administrative office that read, Endless Opportunities Await.

Janie said to Taka, We are so fortunate to be able to experience ‘endless opportunities.’

Yes, we are, replied Taka. The two of them entered the college prepared and excited about taking yet another step in their already extraordinary lives.

Before their first class, Janie’s hands were shaking, and Taka was pacing the hallway. She was approached by another student who had signed up for the class, after identifying himself as Timothy Johansen, he said, Don’t worry Janie, you and Taka have already saved the world. Taking a college course will be no problem for you. Janie looked into Timothy’s magenta-colored eyes and realized that she had a reputation to uphold, and much was expected of her. Although she felt even more uneasy, she took a deep breath and walked into her new classroom. Over the first few minutes, before the professor arrived, Janie observed her classmates. Most of them were White. It was a stark and unpleasant reminder that the majority of the African Americans in the US had been killed during the Second Holocaust of Cartyde’s administration.

When the professor of American History 101 arrived, he introduced himself as Professor Colin Evans and quickly took attendance. Professor Colin Evans was moderately overweight with a tuft of red hair. As he read off a list of names, he asked everyone to introduce themselves.

The professor handed out the course syllabus and spent some time answering questions from the students. He then said, "Welcome to US history 101. For over thirty years, American history has been kept secret from us by a madman and his apprentice, who sought to invent an American history that started with their rise to power during our Second Civil War.

The professor then said, Now, I will have each of you take a five-question quiz to begin each class. If you have done your reading before class, these quizzes should be easy.

The professor then began his lecture without further ado. His lecture fascinated Janie.

Janie found his classes interesting and wanted to learn more about early American history.

Over the next couple of weeks, Janie was filled with admiration for America’s founders and was amazed at the complexities that had to be overcome to create a constitution for a country that was to be operated by a type of government that had not existed before the end of the eighteenth century. During the previous months, several books that specifically addressed the problems at hand and the compromises that were reached to convince all the thirteen colonies to support the Constitution were discovered and re-released.

The next subject in the course was the War of 1812. The professor explained that it was the last time Americans fought against the British, up until World War III. He pointed out that the national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key to commemorate the American victory during the Battle of Baltimore.

Janie awoke late one day, and she was late for her history class. Professor Evans reprimanded her as a result, Ms. Smallwood, you’re late, so that’s five points off of your attendance grade for today. Janie murmured under her breath, Shit, which caused some of her classmates to snicker. She bowed in apology to her professor and classmates and took her seat.

After reading about Francis Scott Key, Janie recalled the thrill of seeing the Star-Spangled Banner flying over the US Capitol after the Nazis were defeated during the final battle of World War III. The original was far too fragile to display, so a replica had been made. Looking at the red and white stripes and the stars set upon a blue background, she remembered thinking how she had never seen a sight more beautiful, and knowing that she, along with countless others, was responsible for it.

Another day, Professor Evans announced that the class was going to take a field trip to Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. Fort McHenry was not only the site of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812, but also the site of an incredibly bloody battle of World War III, in which 75,000 members of the YFA, along with over two hundred thousand civilians of Baltimore had unsuccessfully tried to repulse a Japanese attack on the fort.

Janie asked Taka if she wanted to go. Taka declined, saying that she had already seen the fort and had no desire to go back. Janie understood her dilemma. She knew that Taka had been one of the Japanese soldiers that had captured the fort.

Because the students were the first civilians allowed to visit the fort since the World War III battle, the day of the tour was a big event. Touring the fort was emotionally draining and fascinating. A section of the fort had been recreated to resemble how it looked in the 1812-1814 period, while another section had maintained its current appearance, creating a captivating contrast. The walls of the modern section bore the names of the 75,000 child-soldiers who had died protecting the fort while serving in the YFA. As Janie walked past the names, she noticed the name of one of the children, Brian, whom she had met during her time in the YFA in Washington State.

It was a somber experience. Janie bowed several times as she walked through the remnants of the fort. She knew the dangers faced by Cartyde’s child-soldiers and, at one point, broke down and wept. The tour of the section of the fort that reflected its past appearance was less emotional for Janie; she was thrilled and saluted the tour guide who was dressed as a soldier from the continental army who had protected the fort during the battle of 1814. At the end of the tour, Janie shook hands with the tour guide and said, Sir, that was an absolutely wonderful tour. I felt like I was there when you described the raising of the Stars and Stripes during the war of 1812.

Thank you for coming to visit with us, Captain Smallwood, the tour guide replied, It was an honor to have you as a guest.

When the summer session was over, Janie received a C for the class, though she was not overly discouraged. She felt that she had a much better understanding of the complexities of early American history. When it was time to register for the fall semester, she signed up for US History 102, which would focus on American history between 1815 and 1865 and convinced Taka to sign up for the same. Among the topics that would be covered were, American President Andrew Jackson and his role in the forced relocation of Native Americans, the invention of the Cotton Gin, the Dred Scott case, as well as the start and end of the first American Civil War.

Story Number One

The Mysterious Old Man

Part One

The Man in the Woods

1

REMEMBERING GUS

2100 At the beginning of Janie’s first semester of college, she took a writing course. The professor for the course was genuinely nice and relaxed, and Janie really enjoyed attending her classes. On the first day of her first full-time semester as a college freshman, she recognized Timothy Johansen from her previous class- and went over to greet him, Timothy, it is good to see you today.

Yes, Captain,, but before he could finish, Janie interrupted, For God’s sake, just call me Janie.

Timothy grinned and clicked his tongue. Oh, all right, Janie. Janie looked into Timothy’s eyes and smiled.

For this class, the professor instructed her students to write an essay on someone who had inspired them. For Janie, it was Gus, the man who had changed her life forever. After class, Timothy went over to where Janie was packing her books and said, Wow, I really like our new professor.

Yeah, I agree, she seems really relaxed and seems invested in us.

Janie and Timothy were intrigued by the class for its depiction of the slavery system and lifestyle in the former Confederate States as being a nineteenth-century version of the government and social structures common in Europe in the medieval ages. The professor explained how, as the Northern states became more industrialized, the Southern states remained largely agrarian. The sheer time-consuming nature of the Southern economic structure was impossible to maintain without slaves. As the brutality of slave owning divided the North and South, the South eventually seceded from the North, and many southerners believed that the election of Abraham Lincoln would end their economy that was only sustainable through slave labor. The Confederates quoted the Declaration of Independence stating that the power of the governing rested on the consent of the governed. Lincoln felt that if states could secede whenever there was a disagreement, the US would become anarchy.

After the class, Timothy mentioned to Janie that he was going to write about General Lee for his assignment on a person of significance. He explained that one of his great-great, great ancestors had enlisted in the Confederate army and fought under the command of General Lee during the Battle of Gettysburg. Moreover, this ancestor had written about his experience under Lee’s command in extensive journals that were preserved by his family that described Lee as a second father.

As Timothy talked about General Lee, Janie’s thoughts drifted back to Gus.

2

THE MYSTERIOUS OLD MAN

September 2080. Most people ignored the mysterious old man who lived in the woods behind Janie’s school. He was a tall, African American man with brown eyes. He was thin and wore shabby clothes, consisting of wrinkled and faded khaki pants and a tattered blue blazer. However, despite his shabby appearance, the man’s beard was stunning, almost snow- white, and made him look surprisingly handsome. His appearance was not typical of an elderly person living in the NSA. Janie had only seen him a couple of times, and her adoptive mother, Samantha, had warned her to stay away from him. This warning only piqued her curiosity about the man. On her way to school, one day, she noticed the old man staring at her. Despite her mother’s warnings, Janie went up to the man and said, Hello, my name is Janie Smallwood. The man stuck out his hand and said, My name is Gus, and its pleasure to meet you, Janie.

Janie disliked going to school immensely and could not wait until she was 12 years old. However, she had two friends, Samuel and Michael. Like Gus, Samuel also had brown eyes and a tuft of sandy colored blonde hair plastered over his head. The NSA school curriculum portrayed Cartyde as the founder of America, and told how, for centuries, North America had been overrun by savage black people, under the control of black warlords who fought each other. Even at her young age, Janie found this narrative to be extremely offensive, and could not help but wonder how North America used to be in the past.

During history class, Janie was taught how Adolf Hitler saved Germany from the invasion of Jewish armies during World War II. Janie’s sixth grade history teacher, Ms. Jones, had an annoying drone to her voice as she said, And so, during the D-Day invasion, the Jewish armies of the world converged on the beaches of Normandy in France. Their goal was to march through France, on their way to Germany. The Jewish armies were aided by soldiers from the savage black warlords who controlled North America before Cartyde founded the NSA. It took Hitler one year of fighting before the Nazis could defeat the invading Jews.

After the class, Janie matter-of-factly said to her friends, I just don’t think Ms. Jones is telling us everything. For some reason, her description of World War II does not add up. Maybe it’s just me.

Samuel added, Well, my mom tells me that Washington State is voting on leaving the NSA.

Are we going to fight the Nazis? asked Michael, pumping his fist in the air. Michael loved to play with toy soldiers, and the idea of battling the Nazis filled him with excitement.

A few weeks later, Janie met her friends at the local library. As they entered the library, she felt the penetrating stares of the people in the library. Janie was running for the student council president and was planning her campaign with Samuel and Michael. The school was planning to have a mock election where the students could discuss and vote on whether Washington State should draft a Declaration of Independence and break free from the NSA. This was the hot political topic of the day. The mock election and student council election were in direct defiance of the Nazi ordered school curriculum, which banned elections of any kind. Despite being kids, Janie and her class were interested in adult topics, including politics. At the library, Janie noticed Gus sitting across the room. His sad but gentle expression haunted Janie. Samuel said, Geez, Janie. What is that old man doing here? He gives me the creeps.

He’s harmless. He has such sad eyes, said Janie.

Janie and her friends returned to school a few minutes later. However, Janie realized she had left her backpack at the library. Her teachers would not let her go back for it, and she received detention for not turning in some of her homework assignments. The next day at school, the receptionist told Janie that her backpack had been returned. Who turned it in? Janie asked the receptionist.

An old man turned it in. He said he saw you at the library yesterday.

Janie instinctively knew that Gus must have turned it in.

After school, she did something she knew could get her in trouble. She snuck into the woods behind her school in search of Gus. After walking through dense woods, she found a tent underneath a towering oak tree. Janie heard a whistling noise. She looked up at the tree and admired its branches spiraling into the sky. Each branch was covered with lush green leaves that were just starting to turn a golden yellow due to the onset of autumn. She hesitated for a moment and then unzipped the tent to look inside. She was amazed at how spacious it was. Suddenly, she heard a voice saying, Hello, Janie. She spun around and saw Gus. Janie said, I’m sorry sir, I just wanted to say thank you for returning my backpack.

You’re welcome, said Gus. I heard you’re running for student council president. You know I was once a president.

You were?

Oh yes, and I have some tips that can help you

Janie sat down with Gus. She was impressed with his knowledge of campaigning. Notably, Gus highlighted how the Nazi President had a cabinet to help him, and suggested that if elected, Janie should create a cabinet. At the end of the conversation, Janie thanked him and said, I have to go now or my mom might worry.

Of course, said Gus. And please let me know how the election turns out.

Three weeks later, Janie was elected as the student council president. Again, Janie met with Samuel and Michael at the library. And yet again, they saw Gus. Gus fixed his eyes on Janie, who looked back at him and smiled. Then Samuel said Ms. President. I would be honored to work on your cabinet. Upon hearing this, Gus perked up and gave a sigh of contentment. He looked at Janie once more and mouthed congratulations with what seemed to be a twinkle in his brown eyes.

3

THE MYSTERY OF SAMANTHA SMALLWOOD

October 2080. Janie had always loved her elderly mother, Samantha Smallwood. In the NSA, people were fortunate to reach the age of 30. Samantha, who was 105, was a rarity during the post-Yellowstone eruption. The consequent shortage of food forced people to eat healthier diets, and genetic engineers developed a way to create genetically engineered crops to avoid worldwide famine. The engineers focused mostly on engineering healthier food, gradually filtering out many foods that were of poor nutrition and health value.

While sneaking a peak at her mother’s yearbooks from high school, Janie let out a long sigh. She saw pictures of a young woman named Molly Grace, who was dressed for her high school graduation. Molly’s smile was infectious, and for a long moment, Janie wondered what kinds of experiences Molly had in high school. As Janie admired the photos, she was struck by Molly’s bright green eyes and her robust appearance.

She was fascinated by Molly Grace and continued to savor her mother’s scrapbook of photos. She wondered why her mother had so many pictures of Molly Grace. Janie focused her intense curiosity on something that had now caught her attention. The doll of the young woman dressed in a kimono that her mother had given her when she was a baby. Then, it dawned on her; Molly Grace was her mother’s name when she was growing up. When she questioned her mother, she sighed and said, I have not been called by that name in over 40 years. I changed my name when Gregory became president. Because I got in the way of his plans when he was a teenager. He did not want to be associated with me.

Janie was amazed, You knew President Cartyde when he was a boy!

Yes, said Samantha, he was expelled from the school I went to.

Wow! That must have been amazing. And you actually went to high school?

"Yes, and I also went to college where I studied philosophy, history, and political science.

Wow, I have never been to high school. What was it like?

It was wonderful. Let me tell you about Cartyde’s nemesis from his school years.

Who was his nemesis?

A boy named Eric Peterson. Eric Peterson did so many wonderful things.

Like what?

Well, my relationship with Eric began during my last year in middle school when we both served on the student council.

And then?

Samantha gave out another long sigh and said, It began with an idea for an organization whose goal was to improve education for everyone. Molly told Janie about Eric Peterson and the League of Schools.

After listening to the story, Janie exclaimed, This is amazing. It is beyond my wildest dreams. What happened to Eric?

Samantha said, "It was the