I had to, for a school project, write a short story consisting of around 1500 words and no longer than three pages. So I wrote this story, exactly 1500 words and three pages long in a Microsoft Word document. I've already submitted it, though I haven't gotten my mark back yet, I'll be sure to tell you all when i do. Just wanted to share this, as I liked how it turned out, despite some holes in the plot because I was pressed for space. So, here you are. To Rule a World I have conquered the world. I, from humble beginnings have risen up against the previous ruler of this planet, and destroyed him utterly. His supply lines cut off, his allies abandoned him, and I marched on the Capital and took it by force. The people there hailed me a hero, of course. To do anything else would be the death of them in their eyes. Maybe they are right. Would I tolerate insubordination in my people? The previous ruler had, where was he now? Growing up on this planet my body and soul had belonged to the current ruler. Not originally the one I had killed, he came into the picture more recently. The loyalties of the people on this planet were disgustingly fluent. But they were made to be ruled. It’s in their history, in their minds, and even in the name of the planet we live on. Dominas. I had hated the word as a small child, but now I have grown to know what it means. My destiny was in that word. To dominate and rule the people of this world, all of them, and forever. It’s what I was born to do. Even now the final battle for my rightful place unfolded in front of me. I rested on a railing in the Tower of Kings, leaning forward to watch the viewing screen with interest. A small and petty group of insurrectionists had sprung up right as I took over. Who did they think they were, to challenge me at the height of my power? Seeing them fight though; knowing their leader is on the front lines against my troops, fighting for Ville Libre. It made me think back to when I started out. We hadn’t even taken a single city. Me, Rhel Red-Hair, and our friend Delvin had gotten sick of the tyrannical rule of the new ruler and joined up with an insurrection group that had been active in Ville Libre for quite some time. It was all about freedom and fair government and misguided concepts like that, but back then we had bought into it. Over time I had come to realize the truth. I still remember our first battle against the Dominion there though. I can’t forget. Cannons and rockets boomed and all around the Sacrificial Lamb, a now run down inn we had taken cover in. We were even fewer in number now than we were before, the Dominion’s cowardly attack had taken us completely by surprise. We had to retreat to the Inn where I worked and we often gathered at and until then we’d managed to hold them off. I remember hoping that there would be fewer losses on our side than theirs, even though we were outnumbered four to one. I had just gotten my spirits up about our chances when the west wall caved in with a crash. We were now open to direct fire. “Into the basem-“our leader had managed to yell before being cut off by a sniper shot. They fell thick on our ranks and killed or incapacitated many more. Only about ten of us made it to the cellar, where we bared the old door and prepared for what we knew to be coming. I was the one who had a cover job at the Inn. I was the only one who knew there was a tunnel in the back of the cellar that led to the surface. I could have told everyone, and we could have made an escape attempt. But I knew that would never work. “Let’s take as many of these Dominion bastards with us as we can”, whispered Rhel. She had lost friends upstairs, and was preparing to lose more now. “There’s no way I’m going into the afterlife with less than a full hundred of them with me.” The rest of the group agreed thoroughly. “I’d have half of us go to either side of the door, and the rest in the back of the room in amongst the boxes”, I said, addressing the group,” We’ll flank them; take whoever we can with us.” It was as good an idea as any. Everyone got into their positions. I took Delvin and four others to the back. We would have to rekindle the flame. The rest would die to let us escape. I was sure they would understand, but I had no time to convince anyone. When the door and the wall around it exploded, I knew it was time to put my plan into motion. “There’s an escape back here! Come if you can, we’re getting out of this!” I yelled, trying to be heard over the gunshots being fired between half of our group and the Dominion forces. “What about Rhel? And the others?” Delvin yelled back, desperately trying to pick off any soldiers he could without harming any friendlies. “It’s too late for them! Their deaths will mean we live! Delvin, come on!” I screeched back, motioning to the hidden tunnel the others with us had already went through. I would not lose both of my best friends that day. “But I did, didn’t I?” is what comes to mind, as I still watching the battle that would ensure my victory. Delvin never forgave me for making him abandon Rhel like that. I think he loved her. He was disgusted when I became ruler and didn’t immediately change how things were run. He didn’t understand that that was the only way to rule, to keep your subjects in line. How could he understand, when he gave me no time to explain? He would surely be reconsidering leaving my side even now, I think. Surely even he could see the error of his ways. I would destroy these insurrectionists, and I would have blissful peace, finally. I continue watching the viewing screen that was split between eight snipers, getting close ups of all the targets my snipers were picking off. I see a man with long blonde hair, a strong face, and a scar on his right cheekbone. Then I see nothing but his headless body slumping to the ground. The same thing happens with a woman who might be pretty if she wasn’t so dirty, scarred and underfed. A boy is next, barely into his teens. I have to look away for that one. Why do these people resist me? Taxes are high, but equally spread. The curfew is necessary to keep crime down. My soldiers have to seem cruel sometimes to root out any insurrectionists. It may mean a few innocent die, but we are all safer, so is that really such a high price to pay? Apparently my men haven’t been doing their job so well, or this large a group could never have formed. I would have to see to that. I turn back to the view screen, and there he is on screen. Delvin. Why? Why are my soldiers aiming at my best friend? Then I realize, he joined this group of insurrectionists, maybe even put it together. I feel betrayed. After all we had fought so hard over; after all we had won; now he turns on me. I force myself to watch the screen as the shot is fired. But it’s a miss. The wall behind him explodes into a small cloud of dust and fire. As he moved, I glimpsed behind him. Beaten, bandaged, but far from broken or even dead as I had thought, Rhel is there alongside Delvin, leaning on a makeshift crutch and firing everything she has at my men. This breaks me like nothing else could. I push the communicator button connected directly to the commander in Ville Libre. “Cease fire! Commander, cease fire!”, I yell into the air around me, “Stop all hostile action!” “But sir, why?”, comes the reply back. Insubordinate, disloyal, little man. “Just do it!” I scream directly into the mic. I look back to the eight different little screens that had the snipers point of views. Seven of them I see pull back their rifles; the eighth decides to take one more shot. He fires, and I see Delvin go down. “No!” I cry out. I wanted to speak with him… and with Rhel. She might be dead now too, I can’t know. Why was he there? Why did he join them? He was always the most steadfast of us in his beliefs, why would he join the insurrectionists against me now? Maybe… Maybe I’m the one who’s changed. Maybe I’ve turned into the tyrant I once hated. But that couldn’t be true could it? I care for my people don’t I? Delvin always said I would be the death of him. I never knew just how right he would be. I make up my mind I will to go to Ville Libre and see if Red-Hair is alive, and if the people there are willing to negotiate. Maybe, just maybe... we can have peace. Fin..
Also, I got a solid 80%, mostly docked off for sentence fragments and other stuff actual athors get away with