Fix You

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone, if possible, Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness — not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another.

In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

To those who can hear me, I say — do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed — the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people and so long as men die, liberty will never perish.

In the 17th Chapter of St. Luke it is written: "the Kingdom of God is within man" — not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power — the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure."

Charlie Chaplin "The Great Dictator"

I just thought that I would include this speech from Charlie Chaplin as it is very relevant to the world that we live in today and that we should all work together to combat extremism. My local community has been very affected by the Manchester attacks with 4 of the victims coming from the small town that I live in. With that said I hope you enjoy this opening chapter.

Chapter 1, What Does It Mean to Be Free?

I look out from my window. The grey cocoon of the buildings preventing me from seeing the rest of the city. Graffiti lining the walls of the alleyways in between the buildings, litter strewn across the floor.

I gaze my attention back towards my room. The carpet town to pieces, holes in the walls from the endless barrage of beatings that were given to me on a daily basis. Blood stained the walls like a corrupt taint, the wardrobe door hanging on to the last of its hinges. A shattered full-length body mirror opposite to the doorway, the collapsed single bed donning the middle. A total wreck of a room if ever there was one, a living hell hole.

I wonder up to the mirror, looking at my disfigured body caused by my father. The cracked muzzle, the dislocated shoulder, the scared everything. It looked as though I had just come back from Afghanistan on an SAS infiltration mission gone wrong.

I check the time on my phone. 6am. I had a paper round at 7 o'clock so I slowly begin to dress myself hoping not to wake my dad. You may wonder how I can manage to do I paper round in the state that I am currently in? Well the kind owner of the shop, a racoon called Aaron takes me round in his car every morning as I am not capable of riding a bike the way I am.

I eventually manage to get all of my clothes on and begin to creep my way downstairs. I could still smell the alcohol from his latest night of drinking. I make my way across the living room and into the kitchen on the left so that I can grab a quick breakfast before I go. Quickly pouring myself a bowl of Cheerios which I eat rapidly. I place the bowl back in the sink so that I can wash it later. I then grab my key opening the front door and locking it up subtly.

I step outside into the world, enveloped by the soothing morning sun and air of downtown Zootopia. I casually make my way down the street, the short walk to the news agents.

As I walk in a bell rings signifying my arrival. This notifies Aaron that I have arrived. As we make his way to the car he notices my limp arm hanging from my shoulder. "What did he do this time?" I try to act like it was nothing but he responds with a more closed question. "Do you want me to pop it back in?" I slowly nod.

One painful jolt and a paper round later I make it back to my house. My dad was still sleeping upstairs so I just listen to some music on my phone. As I listen to Kodaline the bus arrives and I step on to the bus, taking my place next to my friends in the middle seats. We talk about the latest gossip and other things going on before we arrive at the main entrance.

The school was shambolic. Built in a time when anti-predator supremacists ran the government, it received very little funding and therefore was poorly built. The building looked more reminiscent of an abandoned warehouse than it did of a school. The redbrick exterior preventing us from seeing the filthy hallways and unkempt classrooms inside. Fir Tree High School was a predator only high school nestled within downtown Zootopia.

I make my way towards my locker to gather my items for my first lesson of the day. It was maths. We had an old cow for a teacher, no literary an old cow.

The lesson seemed to last for an eternity. The bell finally rung, much to the relief of the entire class. I gather my items and make my way towards the next class.

I walk down the hallways within the school. I pass an endless amount of students ranging in all sizes. The labyrinth of corridors finally led me to the end of the maze that I was walking towards. Science. The science lab was covered throughout with alchemical equipment ranging from connicle flask and boiling tubes to Bunsen burners and tripods and gauzes.

Science is one of my favourite lessons. I loved the way that science gave you freedom to do more things that normally you wouldn't be able to. Normally you wouldn't be able to drop potassium into water and watch it explode or to be able to visit Chernobyl/Pripyat.

One of my other favourite lessons is music. My love for music probably outweighs my passion for science as well as history. There are no limits to music, you can create what you want to. Music is a way to express many things. Feelings, love and emotions. Music allows you to enter a world where you can be free from the troubles of everything that goes on in the world.

The school day finishes and I walk through the front doors of my house. I am immediately met by the usually onslaught of shouting from my dad who was currently in the kitchen. I hear him grab a can from the kitchen as I make my way upstairs.

I enter my bedroom. The only safe haven I can go to right now. I make my way to my desk in the corner. One of the only `luxuries` that I currently have in my room. The other is my guitars. Hidden underneath my bed of course. I wouldn't want my dad to find them. He'd probably smash them to pieces just out of spite and jealousy. I had saved up a lot of my paper round money in secret to be able to pay for those beauties, I wouldn't want my hard work going to waste for nothing.

I start to do my homework. As laborious as it may seem, I want to get the best grades possible. I want to get the best qualifications I can so that I can go to university so that I can finally move out of this hell hole. I do my homework and revision every night, hoping that all the hard work that I put in will eventually pay off.

Some considerable time later I hear my dad begin to trudge up the stairs. At first I begin to think that he is just going to go to bed but when I hear his heavy breathing outside my door I know that wasn't the case. Another beating I semise. I shuffle towards the corner of my room, fear already taking over my fight or flight response.

"Jack, come here this instant" he shouted as he begins to open my door. I stay silent knowing that my `punishment` would be even worse if I even dare to speak back to him. I move underneath my desk, pushing myself as far against the wall as physically possible. I notice his paws grasping the floor beside me, I push myself further to the sides trying not to make a sound.

Suddenly, my leg was grasped by his paw. M fate was now in the clutches of death, the jaws of doom. "Well who do we have here?" My father smirked at me sinisterly. The monster now stood in front of me.

I try to flee when he loosens his grip but to no avail. "What have I done wrong?" Fear dripping from my voice. "What have I done wrong" he mimicked. "You know what you did wrong. You killed Maria, if it wasn't for you, Maria would still be here" venom laced within every word.

"Now you're not speaking eh? You always are silent. But then again, it means you won't tell." "Leave me alone I didn't do anything" I screamed. He then pulled out a muzzle. I scramble across the floor as fast as I can but it does not help the situation. I could not move anywhere else, within moments the muzzle was clasped upon my face.

Pain, embarrassment, betrayal. My own father had put a muzzle across my face. I manage to pull the muzzle from my face but the damage was already done. Emotionally and physically. Tonight would be the night I left for good.

I take my school bag and empty out all the useless books I wouldn't be using and instead filled it with the money that I've saved up from my paper round, my clothes and any food that I could find in the cupboards. I take my two guitars from underneath my and strap them to my back.

I open the door. The door to a new life.