Felix logged on to his laptop at the table. A video was online, and he couldn't access Google unless he played the video. Felix clicked on the video.
Lolita's hands were clenched on the table, and her head was held up high. Lolita's lips were tight as she spoke. "My fellow citizens, Intermarium was deliberately attacked by the air forces of the empire of Technate. The heinous crime destroyed the Dynasty Tower. Intermarium is a peaceful nation, and the bombing was unprovoked. As a result, Intermarium has severed all ties and diplomatic relations with Technate. Intermariams, we'll not go down without a fight. We'll fight until peace is restored in our nation. As your ruler, I'm declaring war on Technate. Take care and God bless Intermarium."
The video ended. Felix's hazel eyes were wide.
"Mom!" Felix yelped. He was in the living room and sat on the couch. Kacy and Anna exited their shared bedroom. Felix grabbed his pyjamas off the couch and stored them in the closet.
"Felix, I just woke up," his mother groaned.
"Intermarium has just declared war against Technate!"
"What?" Anna gasped. Her face was pale, and it looked like she was going to pass out. "Are you kidding me, Felix?"
"No, the Ruler Lolita Evergreen posted a video online!"
"Show me!" Anna and Kacy ran to stare at Felix's laptop in disbelief. Anna's lips trembled.
"I don't believe it. She wants to send troops to fight Technatians." She sat beside Felix. "Why does she want a war?"
"Lolita says she wants to keep Intermarium safe from Technatians. Intermarium is going to have mandatory military conscription."
Anna banged her fist on the table. "My only son is not going to war. I would be heartbroken if I lost you. Plus, I need your help at the grocery store. I wouldn't know what to do without you."
Anna rose from the couch and entered the kitchen to make pancakes on the stove. He felt like he had a rock in his stomach. His name could be drawn from a random lottery system for the draft. He prayed that he wouldn't be shipped off to Technate to fight in a war he didn't believe in.
Couldn't post online; Lolita Evergreen is a bitch. No freedom of speech in Intermarium, any slander against the Ruler meant a harsh prison sentence.
He didn't want to become a soldier; his true love was writing. Could only hope that his work was good enough to be published one day. Every spelling error felt like pressing the wrong note on a piano key.
After they'd finished breakfast, they left their home to walk fifteen minutes to the grocery store. Beggars sat on the side of a dirt road. Emaciated, they had dirt-caked faces and wore ragged clothes. Felix cringed as they passed them; they were too poor themselves to give them any money.
Anna removed a key from the pocket of her plain blue dress and unlocked the grocery store's door.
They entered the store. Anna pointed at the sign in front of the stand of bread. "Felix, you need to remove the sign for bread. It's now six dollars."
Felix raised an eyebrow. "We can't overcharge people for bread!"
Anna sighed. "We aren't. The cost of grain has doubled, so we've to charge more for bread. Otherwise, we won't be able to run this store."
Felix huffed. He'd grabbed a marker out of the drawer and changed the price on the sign. Five hours passed; Kacy was in the kitchen baking pies.
A woman entered the store and approached the stand of bagged bread. Felix thought she was cute. Her hair colour was milk chocolate and shoulder-length. She had almond-shaped, honey-coloured eyes. Felix smiled when she approached him at the cash register, carrying a bag of bread that she placed onto the counter.
"That will be six dollars," Felix said cheerfully.
"Six dollars?" The woman gasped, and her cheeks turned bright red. "I only have three dollars." Her hand dug into the pocket of her dress. She showed Felix the three coins she'd; her arm was rail thin.
Felix shook his head. "I can't sell it to you. I'm sorry, I need six dollars."
The woman pursed her lips and begged, "Please, I need it for my family."
Felix's heart sank; she pouted like a dog at a dinner table, giving him sad puppy dog eyes. Her bones protruded on her round face.
"I guess I can sell it to you for three dollars-"
"Felix!" Anna yelled. His startled eyes darted to Anna's eyes. Anna's arms folded across her chest.
"The bread costs six dollars, not three dollars!"
Felix groaned, "Mom, she doesn't have six dollars. She needs the bread; her family is starving."
"If we make an exception for her, then we've to do the same for everyone else. It's not my fault that our government has raised the cost of food!"
"I'll just go." She turned around and stuck her hand back into the pocket of her white, ragged dress. With her head down, she left the store.
Felix's foot stomped. It wasn't fair that the price of bread was outrageous. It felt like a sledgehammer to his heart that a malnourished woman couldn't afford bread. If he could, he would give her the bread for free.