As soon as the mandate settled in, I packed up my stuff. I wasn't stupid, of course they were gonna kill me. Mara wasn't even an option. I grabbed my backpack, pulled on my hoodie, and opened the window. I heard the TV go silent. My parents must've seen the mandate. They came to my door.

"Hey, sweetie, can you open your door? We'd like to talk with you," my mom said softly. She never spoke like that. I didn't reply, and her kindness turned to anger.

"Thomas-" I flinched, They never stopped using my deadname. I didn't bother listening to whatever else my father was screaming through the door. I hopped out of the window onto the roof. I didn't bother closing the window behind me. I heard my father break the door with the gun in his hand, and I jumped off he roof just in time to hear the gunshot, and that's when I felt my body fall into the grass. THUD

•••••••••••••

I sat with my parents, watching the television as the nightly news came on. There our president stood. My dad jumped off of the couch and saluted. He was always too patriotic when it came to our president. Personally, I hated him. And my hatred grew when the mandate rolled across the screen. One member of the house must be sacrificed. My dad looked back at me, and a shiver went down my spine. I backed away, closing the door in the bathroom.

"Hey. Get back here!" my dad's voice roared as he beat on the door with all his might. Then I heard the Thock Thock of the knife as he drove it into the wood.

"Honey, try to talk with him first," my mom's voice was a whisper, scared that my dad would turn on her next. He ignored her, continuing to stab the door. I unlocked the window and tried to push it up. It wouldn't budge. I took the wooden toilet plunger and banged it against the window. After a few hits it cracked. The wooden door splintered, and my dad's bruised fist reached for the handle. I hit the window again, the glass shattering onto the pavement below. As the door to the bathroom swung open, I jumped out the window. This is gonna hurt. THUD