The following stories were inspired by Ayn Rand’s Anthem.

THE FOREST

by Dylan Ferrel

We have heard news of some citizens of this city wanting to leave and explore the Uncharted Forest and other places outside of our city. This will not be permitted under our power. In order to assure that this will not occur under our watch, today we will be telling you about someone who tried to leave and what happened to them. This story is about a young boy named Umber. He was 19 years old and an average street sweeper living the same as most of you. He was safe under our power but started to wonder about what was outside our city’s lines. One day, he had met two people by the names of Bacchus and Ember. They never questioned what was outside until Umber had mentioned it to them. 

Umber wondered what would happen if he were to travel to the Uncharted Forest which all citizens know is not allowed. He brought these thoughts and questions to his friends and convinced them to think about it and think about what kind of world could be outside of our city lines. One day he came to his friends Bacchus and Ember and said, “Let’s go. Let’s go explore the unknown. Maybe we will find greatness and we will be able to find a new land and create our own civilization.”

He was wrong. When the time finally came and they decided late at night they would go and find out what was outside and explore the Uncharted Forest, no one would ever see two of the three of them ever again. One of them, Ember, had returned. He would be the one to tell us the story of what happened to them that night, before he died of poisoning from being there soon after.

It is said that the Forest was full of fog, and no one was able to see anything even if it was right in front of them. He told us that the smell was unbearable and toxic. Ember would describe it as “the smell of gasoline and thick toxic fumes.” They would hear noises of cries and screams for help along with animals howling in the distance. He described the taste of the air as bitter and almost like the taste of cold black coffee. From what he could remember, there were miles and miles of nothingness. Not a tree or building to be found but the fog and the ground beneath them. As the fumes became unbearable, Ember started to feel as if his lungs were stopping in his body, but when he voiced this concern his friends, Bacchus and Umber, continued on without question. Ember started to feel faint and decided to come back to our city to get help. He called out to them before he left but had no response, he assumed they had passed out from the toxic fumes, but he was about to pass out himself and turned back to the city. When our doctors finally got to him, he was weak and unable to breathe on his own. He was told that if he lived through the night, he would need to be cared for all the time and be on oxygen for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, his lungs were too damaged from the fumes, and he died that night after telling us his story.

This is why we prohibit anyone from leaving to explore the Uncharted Forest. We want to protect you, the people of our city. This ban from leaving is for your own good. 

 

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CHUPACABRA

by Rosaela Jimenez

 

       My name is Cora. I am eighteen years old. I spent my whole childhood in this city. The only friend that I have is Everett. She knows everything about me and I know everything about her too. We work with peasants. It’s really not the best job because we did not have a choice.

While we were working, I heard someone talking about Uncharted Forest. They were saying that not a lot of people go to the Uncharted Forest, but they were saying the entrance was so beautiful. It seemed like it came out of a movie. When I heard what she said, I just knew that I had to take my chance and go. I was tired of living the life that I was living, so I started to plan to go to the Uncharted Forest.

            At midnight, I got my bookbag ready as I went outside. I had to make sure that no one was on watch. I made my way out, and had to walk a little bit more to get to the Uncharted Forest. When I got there, it had a warning sign, but I really didn’t care to read it because the forest was so beautiful.  As I walked in, everything looked like it came from a movie and I just couldn’t believe it. But just as I was walking more and more into the forest, it started to get dark and everything was changing. 

            The trees were very ugly and scary. The trees were lopsided. It even had a fingerprint of a wild animal that was called the Chupacabra. It was a vicious animal. His nails were extremely long and it looked like it could stab someone. His back was very pointy. He was so dark that you would’ve been able to see him. I wanted to go back, but the tree closed the way out. The trees were very huge and were able to move around the forest. They even had eyes, it felt like having a bad dream. 

     As I kept walking, I saw a clown with sharp teeth that started to chase me. I started to run as fast as I could. Coming to the Uncharted Forest was not a good idea. It was very dark, and food inside the forest was poisonous. The flowers that were once pretty had sharp teeth. As I kept walking, I saw the Chupacabra. It had red eyes, and once it saw me, it was coming after me. I started to take my shoes out and throw them at him, which wasn’t a good idea. The clown started to follow me once it heard me running 

        All I was thinking was starting to find a way out. I just wanted to get back and regret coming back. I couldn’t find my way back home and am still trying to find my way back home. 

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AMBITION

by John Juhasz

 

Ambition 7-241 lived a life full of questionable actions. From robbing those around them to just preaching lies against the rulers of their society. Ambition 7-241 went about their day as if nothing is abnormal, bothering those around them like normal. Stealing from others for personal gain, then selling those belongings for currency. One day Ambition 7-241 would be caught but truthfully, who would know?

Thankfully, that day came when Ambition 7-241 would come across Guidance 3-12 while robbing Destiny-23 for exclusive limited-edition diamonds gifted to them by the group called the Executives. Guidance 3-12 made quick work of detaining Ambition 7-241 and seizing any stolen property. Unlike our society, in this one Ambition 7-241 was given no formal rights as in this instance they have none in this society. Ambition 7-241 was taken to the Complex which is where Collective 1-100 rules and administers formal law bringing upon criminals and deciding their fate. Ambition 7-241 was ultimately exiled to the Uncharted Forest, from which no one ever returned from there.

Ambition 7-241 was medically induced into a coma and blindfolded. Then suddenly Ambition 7-241 was thrown into the air and landed in between tree branches. Ambition 7-241 was quite strong and found their way through the almost inhabitable forest of blight and plague. While on this grand adventure through the forest Ambition 7-241 defeated grand and large crocodiles, felines, snakes, and other forest inhabitants. Eventually, Ambition 7-241 would find their way back to the gated community called society. Where all was bright and merry and everyone was as one once more. Once Ambition 7-241 reached the gates they murmured an incantation and the group of gate guardians marched forth and Ambition 7-241 found the key back into society. With Collective 1-100s secret challenge fulfilled Ambition 7-241 was recollected by Guidance 3-12 and released back into society. The Voice of the Collective 1-100 would finally announce the renewal and cleansing of Ambition 7-241’s former life and hinted at a new future for the being.

 

FAN FICTION: ANTHEM
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