I dedicate this book to my family for supporting me and in return I will give this book to my family for Christmas.

The Beginning

“Tom get out of bed now!” yelled his mother.

“But I...,” but he wasn’t able to finish his sentence because his mother yelled at him again before he could finish.

“You don’t say but to your mother! I’m going to count to ten and if you don’t get up by then I’m coming up there.” Grumbling Tom got out of bed and got dressed for school. Just as his mother was about to say ten Tom headed down the stairs still groggy.

“Good,” said his mother, “now eat some breakfast.”

“Oatmeal again mom,” groaned Tom.

“Tom, you are lucky to have oatmeal, food is limited, at least we have some food. Unlike the Samen family, they have only rats to eat.” Once again mom was right.

“See ya,” Tom said as he went out the door. Once outside he found a note on the door, it read...    

Under the order of Kay-Kumen:

Tom is to join the army at Black Hill. He is to meet Kay-Kumen at 10:00 Sharp.

Tom’s heart filled with dread. Tom grabbed the paper off the door and tore it to pieces. Fuming he let the pieces go into the wind. Then realizing what he had just done he chased after the pieces desperately trying to put them back together. 

(Now let’s back up...Tom is twelve years old, and he lives in America in the city of Rapid City. And South Dakota was taken over by the Germans. Along with New York. And those nasty Germans were using the Black Hills as headquarters. And the nearby city (Rapid City) was raided by the Germans and they took any supplies or anyone they pleased to be in the army. And if you were to rip up the paper It was considered a refusal. ) 

Tom went inside to put the paper back together. As hard as he might Tom’s numb fingers could barely put the pieces together with tape. Finally, he put most of the pieces together and it looked something like this: 

Under the order of Kay-Kumen:

Tom is to join the army at Black Hill. He is to meet Kay-Kumen at 10:00 Sharp.

Mom looked over his shoulder and when she saw the paper she put her hand to her head and staggered backwards. Tom hurried to his mom. “Mom are you ok?” asked Tom in a panicked voice.

“I... I’m ok, but you are late for school,” his mother said trying to control her voice.

Tom checked the time. It was 5 minutes until the morning bell rang. Tom’s eyes swept over his mom for a moment, but only for a moment. Then he bolted out of the door, flung down the steps and to the garage where his bike was. Tom jumped onto his bike and pedaled like the devil was after him. The school was just a block away from his house but he still had to pedal all the way to the front of the building. When Tom was close to the school he stopped pedaling and cruised along enjoying every bit of it. The wind rushing in his face. The flowers blooming by the side of the road. As he whizzed on, he stopped at the school just as the morning bell rang. Tom hopped off his bike and joined his friends. (School was also very important to the Germans)

For the first time ever, he actually enjoyed school. The way his math teacher's voice droned on and his language arts teacher's voice chirped like a bird. But then art class was all too silent. So finally, when lunch came he was happy to hear all the noise to take his mind off things.

“What’s the matter Tom?” asked Britney (one of his friends) as they sat down for lunch.

“Nothing,” Tom lied.

“Ya bro,” Carlos said. “You aren’t being yourself today bro.”

“Does it have to do with the paper I saw on your door?” asked Britney.

How did Britney know about the paper on the door? Tom thought. “Yes,” Tom confessed showing them the note. His friends stared at the note. After reading it, his friends looked scared.

“You aren’t going to accept it, are you Tom?” asked Britney.

“I have to,” Tom replied, “I can’t ignore it.”

“Why does it have so many holes in it,” asked Carlos.

“Do you think we should do that train jump you were begging me to do?” Tom asked. Ignoring the question.

“Oh yeah I forgot about that,” said Carlos. His friends went into a deep discussion about the train ride forgetting about the note and he simply enjoyed the time he spent with his friends.

After lunch some bullies approached Tom, but Tom simply smiled at them. After just one or two punches, Jakyon grabbed the paper out of Tom’s pocket and his evil grin faded and was replaced with dread. The bullies slowly backed away, as if Tom was a dangerous predator. Jakyon gave back the note and high tailed it out of there.

When Tom’s last class ended, he went home on his bike as fast as he could. When he got there he opened the door and let the sweet aroma of mom’s cooking fill his nose. Even though it was a small dinner of macaroni and cheese, Tom relished every bite. It was weird that he all of a sudden became thankful about everything ever since the note arrived. 

A New Beginning

It was a half hour drive to the Black Hills, so at 9:30pm mom and Tom left in the truck and drove in utter silence. When they arrived, Tom said his last good bye and walked up to the General’s headquarters. Each step brought him closer and closer to his doom. When he stepped inside it wasn’t as bad as he had expected. Warm air blew into his face. There was a big stone desk with a fan in the corner. Papers lay everywhere on the desk. And on a chair sat a muscular man. His face was hard as stone and the tapping of his foot was the only sound heard in the headquarter.

“Name,” the man at the desk asked.

“Tom,” Tom answered back.

“Full name,” the man said sternly.

“Tom Fasresen,” Tom replied hastily. He was beginning to be nervous again.

The man at the desk picked up a paper and nodded his head. “You may begin your training. It will be the second door to the right,” the man said barely looking at Tom.

Tom went down the hallway that he had not noticed when he had come in. All the doors were brown and made of solid metal. It was almost like they were keeping prisoners. As Tom approached his destination, he heard rock music through the door he was supposed to enter. He opened the door and for a moment forgot his fear. Inside was a square room with brightly colored banners of famous rock stars. Tom found a young teenager making kids about his age do jumping jacks. The trainer whistled and the boys stopped. The trainer ran to Tom and shook his hand. “Hi I am Chaz and I guess you’re the new student. Are you ready to be in the army of Kay-Kumen?” Chaz asked  

“Not realllyy,” Tom drew out the last syllables as if he didn’t care. The trainer was tall and had short red hair. His eyes were brown and today he was wearing a shirt with a turtle on it with some brown pants. 

“Well that is what I am here for,” Chaz said just like a rock star. “Come join us and soon you will be a soldier, or a spy if you do really well. Go join the others in line." Tom quickly joined the line on the right side nearest to the door. In case he had to make a run for it.

“Here is the schedule,” Chaz said handing Tom a piece of paper. Tom tucked the schedule into his back pocket without even glancing at it.

Chaz took his position at the front of the room and blew the whistle. “Fifteen push-ups now!” Instantly the boys got on their hands and feet and began doing push-ups. Tom was tired after just the first few push-ups. Tom was relieved when the whistle blasted through the air. Everyone stood up and stopped what they were doing.

When a knock came at the door even master Chaz (he had every one calling him the master) stood up straight. A very muscular man stepped through the door way. He had black hair and a blond mustache (weird). He had a dark green suit with a big white x on it extending from his shoulder to his waist. When he stepped into the classroom no one dared to breath, except for Chaz he was shifting from one foot to the other and looking very nervous. The man walked up to Tom, and stared at him long and hard. As the seconds passed Tom felt a bubble of panic rise to his throat, his heart beat faster and faster until it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. As Tom stared into his stone hard face, he thought he saw in the General’s eye some amusement. But that quickly passed, he grunted and moved along to the next boy. 

He went along looking each boy in the face, grunting and moving on, until he had looked at every boy. The man then went to Chaz and whispered something into his ear, then he left. The boys were then excused to go to their next class. Tom followed the other boys as they went out the door.

An hour later Tom plopped down on his bed and fell asleep. When Tom awoke, he felt sore all over. A kid from the top bunk hung down. “Are you the new kid?”

“Yes,” Tom replied yawning. Tom sat up.

“Were you bullied at school?” the kid from the top bunk asked.

“Yes,” Tom answered back. Why was this kid asking so many questions?

“Did you have any friends,” asked the boy.

“Yes,” Tom answered very irritated.

The kid jumped down from the top bunk bed. “So, do you want to be friends?” the kid asked.

“Uh huh...,” Tom said barley even listening. Tom had now got out of bed and was getting dressed.

“Thanks,” said the boy, “We have 20 minutes before breakfast, do you want to have a look around?”

“Ya sure,” Tom said slightly interested. 

“Ok I will show you the class rooms first,” said the boy clearly thrilled by Tom’s agreement. Five minutes later after the boys were dressed and had grabbed some breakfast, they were going through the halls looking at each and every class room. The boy, Tom now knew as Mikal, was chattering on about each room but Tom was barely listening. 

When they got to the prison, Mikal finally stopped chattering. And when Mikal opened the door to go into the prison a powerful stench of body odor came to the boys’ noses. Tom had to start breathing through his mouth because the stench was so powerful. In the prison were people of all ages, both big and small, children and adults. All through the prison it was the same, children crying for food, men and women crying for mercy. And all of them were Mormons, rotten Mormons, the Mormons that taught false beliefs. These Mormons had a right to be here.

In each of the cells was one bed with a thin mattress and a can. Tom could not think a better punishment then to lock them in cells and give them no food or drink, just like the old ways. The prison cells were barbed and in one cell he caught the eyes of a begging child. 

As they were about to leave, Mikal saw that Tom had stopped. Mikal stopped and told Tom, “we need to go it is almost time for class.”

“Hold on I want to stay here for a moment longer, but you can go ahead,” Tom said.

Mikal shrugged then trudged up the stairs and when he got to the door he said, “I don’t know why you would want to spend a little more time with these horrible creatures.” Then he spat on the floor and walked out the door making sure he slammed it good.

Tom’s eyes went back to the child. Tom looked Into the eyes of that poor child about his age , and began to realize that she was just another human being that was really hungry and scared. Tom looked into the eyes of the men and saw compassion for one another and frustration (but he would also be frustrated if he was locked up in a cell for no reason at all). The same was with all the women and children. As he looked into their eyes, he no longer hated them. Why did Kay-Kumen put them in here. It wasn’t fair, they did nothing wrong. They were only teaching the things they knew and believed. Tom’s eyes went back to the eyes of the child. She looked oh so hungry. Tom fished out what was left of his waffle from breakfast and gave it to the child. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets. “Thank you,” she said in a whisper. 

Tom suddenly felt peace and happiness fill his heart spreading all the way to his toes. “No, thank you,” Tom whispered back, and after a moment or two Tom raced up the stairs to class. 

Something New

A few days had passed since Tom had gone to the prison. Since that day he could not take his mind off the child in the prison, her big round brown eyes, her long blond hair, and her sweet thank you. Tom could hardly stop thinking of her. It was almost like he was in love. No, he was not in love with a Mormon, that was absurd. No man in his right mind would do such a thing. But maybe he could go back down there and have a little chat with the girl. His heart soared at this thought, but if he went down there Mikal would make fun of him. All through the day he fought with the thought of going down there. Finally, he came to a decision, he would not go down. Proud at his choice, Tom could now focus on his studies.

But when he went to sleep that night a picture of the girl’s face haunted his dreams, so finally he went to the prison. With him he brought an apple he had gotten from the kitchen. Tom climbed down the stairs carefully. When he reached the cell that the girl was in, he started to look for her in the crowed of people that had been crammed in the cell.

Tom thought about calling to her but that seemed foolish, since he did not know her name and would be calling out blond hair girl, where are you, blond hair girl? Tom was about to leave when an elderly fellow called out, “wait young fellow. Is your name Tom?”

Tom turned around, “how do you know my name?”

“Sit and I will tell you,” the elderly man said.

Tom got a stool and dragged it to the cell. Tom sat down and faced the man. “How do you know my name?” Tom asked again.

“God told me,” the old man replied.

 Tom looked at the man, “You are a crazy old Mormon.”

“I am not a Mormon,” the man snapped back.

“Then who are you?” Tom questioned.

“I am from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,” replied the man.

“Ok then, how did God tell you?” asked Tom.

“Through the Holy Ghost,” said the man.

“What is the Holy Ghost?” Tom asked suddenly interested and wanting answers.

“It’s like a spirit that God sends to you if you need him, so he can help guide you,” the elderly man said.

“So, the Holy Ghost is a messenger that comes from God?” Tom asked.

“Yes,” said the elderly man. 

“How? How does he give this ghost to people like you?” Tom questioned.

The elderly man was taken back. “Do you mean how, as in, how does He give the Holy Ghost to people?”

“Yes,” Tom nearly shouted.

“When God gives you the Holy Ghost, he does it through a man who already has the Holy Ghost.”

“How does that work?” Tom asked still curious.

“The person that has the priesthood will lay his hands on the persons head and through God he confers the Holy Ghost upon another person,” answered the man.

“Ok and Where’s God,” Tom pressed on.

“He is in heaven,” the elderly man said simply.

“Did he die?” Tom asked.

“No,” said the elderly man.

“Then why would he be in heaven?” Tom asked not willing to drop the subject.

“Because that is where he lives,” said the elderly man.

“Oh,” Tom said finally satisfied. But a question still nagged him. “What’s your name?” 

“Eathrom,” Eathrom said. 

Tom got off his stool and walked up to the door, when he reached it, he turned around and said, “see you later.” Then went out the door. Tom walked quietly back to his dorm. That night Tom pondered on what the old man had said, but eventually Tom got too tired to think and went to sleep. 

In the morning Tom expected to be dead tired but instead he was full of energy. After class and dinner Tom went again to the prison. “Eathrom, Eathrom,” Tom called out softly. Eathrom came to the bars with the girl! Tom felt love swell in his heart at the sight of her.

Tom grabbed the stool and placed it next to the cell and eagerly sat down. “So, I was thinking about what you said yesterday. Could you tell me more?” Tom asked blushing. 

“Why yes,” Eathrom said taken back a little at his request. “Now where to begin.”

“How about the beginning,” suggested Tom.

“What an excellent place to start. We wouldn’t want to start at the end!” laughed Eathrom. He certainly had a sense of humor. “Well before we were born, we were spirits.”

“Like ghosts?” interrupted Tom.

“Yes, like a ghost,” Eathrom replied a little annoyed by the interruption. “Now let’s continue, we lived in a world without fear or sorrow.” 

“That sounds like a life for me,” Tom said ignoring the look Eathrom gave.

“Could I finish without interruptions?” Eathrom asked.

“Sure, whatever,” Tom said airily.

“Ok now there is a catch to this world without fear and sorrow,” Eathrom said.

“What?” Tom said bolting up, “what could be the problem?”

“Well they also lived in a world without happiness,” answered Eathrom.

“What!” Tom exploded.

“Shhh,” Eathrom said, “no more interrupting.” Tom said nothing. “Now God wanted them to be happy, so he created a world for them and the heavens.” 

“Do you mean we lived in heaven? He made this earth? How did he make all that? It must have taken years,” Tom said without thinking.

“Well we lived in what we call the preexistence, like heaven,” said Eathrom. “And it took him six days to create the earth."

"Wow that is fast!" Tom said amazed.

"Well that is six days in God's time. On the first day he created light and darkness.” Eathrom frowned at the word darkness. “On the second day he created sky and water. On the third day God created land and plants. On the fourth day the sun and moon. On the fifth day God created birds and fish. And on the sixth day God created the animals of the land, and last of all he created man. And on the seventh day...,” Eathrom gave a dramatic pause. 

“What?” Tom cried out forgetting himself again.

“God rested. And that is why we rest on Sunday,” finished the girl.  

“Hey I was going to say that,” Eathrom joked.

“Good story Eathrom, I still can’t believe that it took him only 6 days,” Tom laughed.

“It’s true and God's days are more like 1,000 years,” said the girl.

“How do you know its true?" Tom asked a little harshly.

“I prayed,” the girl said simply.

“Like how? The Lord’s prayer? You know that’s against the law, right?” Tom said mockingly.

“No, we pray like this- we fold our arms, bow our heads and close our eyes, and then we start the prayer with dear Heavenly Father. Then we talk about our troubles and hopes and thank him,” answered the girl doing the motions as she talked.

“And we end with in the name of Jesus Christ amen,” finished Eathrom.

“Why would we thank him?” asked Tom. “For the sky?

Tom laughed at his joke, but it came to a stop when the girl said, “yes, we do thank God for the sky.” 

“Why?” Tom asked.

“Because, like the old man said, God created everything,” answered the girl. 

“Even this prison?” Tom questioned.

“In a way,” said the girl.

“Like how?” asked Tom.

“God created the material to make the prison,” said the girl.

“Hum, I guess that’s true,” replied Tom, “oh and by the way, what’s your name?”

Before the girl could answer, a shout came from overhead, “it’s 9 o’clock, all to bed!”

Tom yawned and went to the door. “Good bye,” Tom said to the girl and Eathrom.

Then Tom opened the door to find the General standing there. “What are you doing in the prison?” demanded the General.

“Just, um, just...,” Tom stammered.

“Tom was saving me from a snake bite,” the girl spoke up rolling up her pant leg and showing two little holes in her skin dripping with blood, and a little bit of black stuff.

“Oh, my dear, are you ok?” General Kay-Kumen said in a sweet voice.  Tom had never heard such a sweet voice from the General before. “Here, I will take you out of this prison to my chamber and clean you up. The General unlocked the cell, picked up the girl like a baby and strode past.

As the General passed Tom the girl whispered her name, “My name is Galena.” And then she was gone. Gone out the door and gone to the General’s quarters. Tom silently went out the door and to bed. 

A Dream

When he fell asleep that night, he dreamed that the General was going to marry Galena. They were in the chapel and the preacher was speaking, when all of a sudden, the General turned into a monster. Galena screamed, but the General held her hand and refused to let go, no matter how hard Galena struggled. Then the General did the worst thing imaginable, he kissed her! But no one noticed, they all were singing hymns like nothing was happening!

Tom woke up bathed in sweat. But when Tom’s eyes closed to go back to sleep, Tom remembered the dream and it sent his heart racing again. Tom’s heart was beating fast and Tom was panting like he had ran a mile. Finally, Tom’s heart slowed down.

But Tom still could not sleep, so he shakily went down to the prison, and there was Eathrom waiting for him. Eathrom looked up and put his face in his knees. Eathrom was in an awful state, his eyes were blood shot, his nose was runny, and he was laying down in a very uncomfortable position. “Could you not sleep either, Tom?” asked Eathrom.

They sat in silence for a few moments, then Eathrom pulled a book from his back pocket and gave it to Tom. “This is for you Tom,” Eathrom’s voice cracked from all the crying he must have done. “God told me you are ready for it.” The book was the ‘Book of Mormon.’

“Really? Thank you,” Tom said holding the book to his chest. Tom was touched. “How did God tell you to give me this book?” 

“Through a vision,” answered Eathrom.

“God can give you visions? How can he?” Tom wondered.

“Well it can be in the form of a dream that means something,” Eathrom said.

“Like my dream?” Tom asked.

“I don’t know,” Eathrom said, “You did not tell me about your dream.”

“Oh, right,” Tom said. So, Tom told Eathrom about his dream. And made sure no part was left out. Eathrom was shocked after Tom had finished telling about his dream.

After a moment Eathrom said, “I think you should pray to God to find the answer.

“Couldn’t you just tell me what it means?” Tom asked. “I mean you know so much!”

“Well not that much,” Eathrom said modestly.

  “Why can’t you?” Tom asked throwing his hands into the air.

“I don’t have enough faith and it is something you must find out for yourself,” Eathrom whispered.

“What is faith?” Tom asked.

“It’s what we call believing without seeing,” answered Eathrom.

“What do you mean?” Tom asked more gently.

“It’s like,” Eathrom closed his eyes then opened them, “it’s like another word for believe except in religion standards.” Before Tom could ask any more questions Eathrom spoke up, “I think I can hear the General coming.” Quick as a flash Tom bolted out the door. When Tom got to his dorm he went to his knees, folded his arms, and prayed,

"Dear Heavenly Father are you really there? Is what Eathrom says really true? Do you love me? Where are you? How did you create the earth? Is the Book of Mormon true? Why am I on this earth? Did you really make me? Why did you make me? What about this dream? In the name of Jesus Christ amen."