Youth

Italy was the second country to contract “Juvi-Fever”. Any child who reached the age of about eighteen developed something like a common cold. That cold turned to pneumonia, which evolved to a previously nonexistent malady. With Juvi-Fever, the child spent three weeks in intense pain and suffered physical mutilations. In the fourth week, they died. In the first year, all people between the age of eighteen and twenty died suddenly and mysteriously. At the time, it had been treated as a freak viral epidemic that infected the young and vital. England became the first to succumb. Then Italy, Germany, and so on until all of Europe was forced to realize they had a terrifying problem on their hands. Eventually Asia joined the ranks of the loss. Africa was checked off the list in less than a year.

Over the course of four years, every country in the world reported the strange epidemic. Every country, that is, except the United States of America. World leaders met. Conspiracies were considered, but no matter how many fingers were pointed at the US, an equal number of one way plane tickets were immediately purchased. Despite the outrage of diplomats, parents could not deny that there was safety for their children in the United States. For a while there was mass chaos with the government enforcing immigration laws. Then they gave in. The entire world had to admit that America was a safe haven for the children of the world.

It wasn’t for another three years that the new system came into complete effect. When it was discovered that children were safe until the age of eighteen, the US government declared that no children under that age were allowed within US borders. Not even American born citizens. Eventually all children, once born, are immediately to be given a number or ID and sent randomly to a country where the population can handle the addition. Every child becomes an orphan. No exceptions. I myself was lucky enough to remain in the country of my birth; Italy has not been teeming with orphans in the last year. Despite this, I was still sent to an orphanage immediately. I have never known my parents. I doubt I ever will.

My name is Leonardo.
I am a Juvenile-Citizen of Italia.
I am sixteen years old.
I have a cough.

...tomorrow I go to the United States of America.