Josh's+Group

__**Blackout**__ It has been 5 years since the last bomb had whistled through the sky devastating the lives of everyone in the world. The entire globe has witnessed the affects of World War III. Everyone still reflects on the devastated world after the war where there were no longer people sleepily waking up in the morning to get ready to go to school or work or smiling children cheerfully playing amongst themselves on the playgrounds or families sitting in their warm comfortable homes just settling down for dinner and exchanging stories of their day. In the times just after the war, there was no joy, no happiness. There was only dead decaying bodies, million pieces of shrapnel that glistened under the sun, and a struggle to function in the world that everyone wished was only a nightmare that they could awake from to find everything being perfectly fine.

Eventually the flames across the world ceased and everyone began to rebuild their crushed lives. After 5 years, most nations had reconstructed their lands and cities to an extent and everyone was content with their lives. The reconstruction brought everyone across the world together to the point where all nations agreed to become one united nation. This act spread peace across the world that was a pleasurable sight to all. Although the world seemed to be tranquil once again, changes were about to occur.

Jason, a handsome lean middle aged man with piercing blue eyes survived through the war with his family and had finally become optimistic about the world. Jason and his family were all sitting around the television, watching the Channel 7 news station, the only station they aired on the television. The United Nation's representative appeared on the television. “We have breaking news,” she started, “Today, the United Nations officials came together to further amend the actions that should be taken after the devastating effects of World War III. They made an announcement earlier today that they have come to the conclusion to broaden the bans they have established already. Electronics poison the mind. It has become apparent that the only way to prevent future conflicts and to take away the power from future rebellious leaders, with their fingers over their buttons to destroy the world, is to take all electronics away. The United Nations made it clear that it harms our society and therefore hinders human progression, so the best result is to completely destroy all electronics throughout the world. This is the only permanent solution. This ban will be in effect immediate...”

And then the television turned off before she could even finish. Ten seconds later, all electricity shut off everywhere. The lights and every other technological device in the house turned off. In fact, every electronic device in the world no longer functioned; no more television, internet, computers…nothing. Jason and his family just sat there in the dark; motionless, silent, and most certainly confused. All Jason's neighbor's were gathering outside in the streets yelling, arguing, and beginning to protest. They began shreading down the banners of the UN hanging on the lamp posts. Within a half hour sirens were screaming in the distance and nation guard soldiers yelling through intercoms. A stocky large man with the captain symbol on his helment stood up on his vehicle and shouted to the crowds with the most assertive voice," All citizens must cooperate and give in their electronics that they posses. "Maybe we don't want to!" roars a man from the crowd. BAM. The sound of a burst of an assault rifle discharging into the mans skull. Jason and everyone in the world were all thinking the same thing: What has the world come to?

Three weeks later, one-forth of the world’s population were in work camps in treacherous conditions while the rest of the population cowered in fear. The government took a turn for the worst. "The government is abusing their power, this is absurd! yells Jason. "It is hardly reasonable to travel outside your home". He didn’t want to believe this was truly happening; he kept trying to convince himself that it was all a dream. He glanced towards his family who, sitting on their couch, were shaking from fright because of the chaos occurring on the streets with soldiers patrolling the streets. "Honey, kids, it will be okay this cannot go on for too long," stated Jason uncertainly and without eye contact to his family. "There is no way that the United Nations will allow this to occur for much longer".

A couple of more days past, and reality started to set in. There was still no technology, and for Jason, no more hope. "How do they expect us to live like this. I haven't seen an electronic in days. This prohibition must not continue" cries Jason to his wife as his hunger for electronics grew. Then before Jason could continue his negative thoughts about the big change, they were interrupted by the murmuring sound of engines from the army jeeps quickly converging down the road beginning to approach his home. As the vehicles grew closer Jason began to hear the murmur of somebody over a microphone. "What could the government be doing now" asked Jason. His wife looked away from the window towards Jason and responded," Maybe they are announcing that they are changing everything back." To their dismay this prediction turned out terribly false.

As the army jeeps slowly approached his house the announcement appeared quiet clear. "There has been some talk of people smuggling electronics, if we find that this has occurred ; any such person will be caught and executed." And that was all, the jeeps left and the feeling of confusion began to make Jason sick to his stomach. He thought for sure this would end the chance for technology to be able to exist in daily life once again. "Who would try and smuggle electronics whoever is doing that is desperate and are idiots" said Jason's wife. "Your right Dear, it sounds very illogical" Jason responded but as he thought about the idea of possessing electronics again, the idea of smuggling became more logical to him. He couldn't live without the electronics all he could think about was the computer and television screens flashing many different colors into his eyes. He is completely dependent on these entertaining devices. " Dad, would should we do with ourselves?" exclaimed his 10 year old son. He missed the devices too. Since it has been gone everyone has had to live their lives in a very different way then they once had. "Read a book Jimmy." "But Dad I don't know how." whimpers Jimmy. These things called "books" were almost primitive and you had to use your eyes to read the text inside of it. No one knew how to react to all of these changes, but people had to start adapting and start quickly.

It seemed obvious that the way humans once thrived would never be present again, everyone was regressing and there seemed to be no chance of progression to occur. The only thing that Jason and everyone else could do was sit and watch. The days felt as if they drug on forever because of loosing the hours of sitting in front of technology. Jason thought to himself if this goes on much longer, humans may end up not existing at all because of madness. Crime was still occurring in mass numbers and so was the death rate. With this thought in Jason's head, he decided that some technology still needed to be at hand. The only question was how? His family meant the world to him and he wasn't about to have something happen to them, but this crisis couldn't go on for much longer. After many days of pondering what to do, Jason finally decided to have a meeting with some of his neighbors and do everything possible not to get his family involved.

" We have experienced the effects of this terrible decision the government as imposed on us and They all decided to meet in a secret location so that no one would suspect anything was going on. "I decided to call this meeting because you are all individuals I can rely on at times of need, and right now is most defiantly one of those times", uttered Jason." We have experienced the effects of this terrible judgement by the UN and we cannot stand for this abuse anymore."I'm not quiet sure how we will be able to get away with this, but... I'm sure we can come up with some type of plan." The room went silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. They all stared at Jason with raging fear in their eyes; no one knew quiet what they were in for. "Also, I hope that I can trust each and every one of you to stick with us and not turn us into the government."

"But what if we get caught we will all be executed along with our families?" Adam questioned with an apprehensive look on his face. "That's why this needs to be kept a secret and the best way to protect your families is to keep this a secret from them too" answered Jason. "We have to remember that this will help everyone in the end, as long as it is kept a secret everything should be fine and no one will get hurt, now... who's in?"

Jason gave the men some time to think about what they wanted to do, he knew this was a huge risk to take, but with out him who knows if technology would ever exist again. After some time to think he asked the question once more, "Who knows when technology would ever exist again and I am certain that we will all have trouble managing with out it, so who is with me?"

Everyone begins looking around the room with questionable glances and tiny beads of sweat began to gradually drip down their temples. Then all at once, almost like it was planned, they all said in unison "I'm in." This made Jason ecstatic, he knew that at times like these he could count on his friends to help him and this is exactly what he was hoping for. "Thank you everyone, this truly means a lot and I promise you if you ever need anything I am here. I promise you that you will not be let down and if we all work together no one should be hurt in the process either, I just need all of you to trust me."

"Now, lets get down to business, we will need a secret meeting location that must be switched up frequently so no one catches on to our plan. We will need look outs at every meeting and the most importantly , No one, I mean no one finds out about this. Not even your wife or anyone in your family. If anyone finds out outside of this group it could be dangerous for us and our families. This is a very big risk and I hope everyone realizes how important it is to keep this secret hidden with in them."

"Well, I think that is enough for tonight, lets go home before our wives think anything suspicious is going on, since technology has been gone no one seems to stay out past eight these days. I will be in contact with you all and once again thank you we are all in this together remember." And with that everyone proceeded to leave; racing to the door, frightened and confused about what they had just agreed to. Jason followed close behind to make sure there was no trace that anyone had been there. He locked the door and made sure it was shut tight. While he was walking to his house he began realize how risky this situation that he put everyone into really was. However, he was not about to stop now, the plan was just getting started.

Jason knew that keeping in touch with his friends would be very difficult because there aren't any phones or computers, so the only way to contact them is to write them a letter that anyone could read or go to their houses himself. He decided it would be much safer to go to all their house's to inform them of the next meeting, which is going to be one of the most important meetings they are going to have.

"Okay, now that everyone is here lets get down to business. Does anyone still have any electronics that the government hasn't already taken?" asked Jason. The room then fell into complete silence and everyone just stared at each other. "Hmm, alright then we'll just have to steal back some of the things that they took from us...it shouldn't be too hard there won't be any security cameras and only 2 guards at the front gate of the warehouse."

They decided that time was of the essence and that they needed to start right away with stealing the electronics back. They came dressed in all black so that since there were no lights, but oil lamps and such they were able to be hidden very well. They began to sneak there way into the warehouse, and stealing all they could. This was only the first robbery of many, and luckily it went successfully. They went for the small things first to then build up to the bigger technology; they got home phones and walkie talkies, which would also be helpful to stay in communication with each other.

Luckily in the ware house there was a small generator and some wiring. One of the members, Dave, used to be an electrician, so he got to work on wiring their meeting place in order to have electricity in it. Once it was completely wired, they turned of the generator, but nothing happened. Dave and the group started to panic but he realized he did not connect to wires, so once he connected them the lights they were hooked up to turned on. "Great job Dave!" said the group. This was the first big step in bringing back technology.

Over the next couple of weeks, the group continued working at the same meeting place, unlike they had planned in order to focus on bringing back technology little by little. They had lighting, heating and air conditioning, phones, many home appliances, and other things. There was no point in hooking up a TV because there wouldn't be any channels on it. After two weeks of stealing electronics and working on the room, they had their meeting place looking like any house used to look it. There was total electricity throughout the room, which made Jason and the group very happy. Now there was only one problem: Are they beginning to get to comfortable and careless?

"Alright is everyone ready to go in again to get some more appliances? It should be just as easy as it normally is." Jason asked as they were leaving the secret hideout. When Jason and his friends got into the warehouse they noticed something was terribly wrong. "Everything's gone...Guys this isn't good. I think we've been set up"

Then out of no where police came out of every window, door, and entrance into the warehouse. "That's correct Jason you guys didn't think you could get away with all this forever did you?" exclaimed Marcus, head of all the police. "And I'm sure you all know the consequences, even if they were involved or not you brought them down along with yourselves."