When the Chips Are Down Read Online Free PDF Page A

helping him, “They’re limiting public knowledge now by burning certain books.” 
    “Burning books!” Brooklyn exclaimed. 
    “You bet, sister.  I witnessed a bonfire at the Helena library.  They were supposed to be burning leaves, but I climbed over their back fence and stole ten crates full of books and periodicals before they could pitch them into the fire,” Lars divulged.
     
    “That’s crazy,” Brooklyn said, picking up the container she had dropped. 
    “That’s our Big Brother government body looking over our shoulders.  Power and knowledge are concentrated in the hands of few.  They lie, deceive, corrupt, and threaten, and we’re the criminals, all of us who won’t wear their barcode.  They called us ‘bottom feeders’ in a press conference and said that anyone who isn’t micro chipped isn’t a true American citizen and should be forgotten about.  They’ve destroyed our humanity.  Museums, art galleries, and concert halls are closing their doors now,” Lars said, helping Trent load the containers into the truck. 
     
    “Why are they all closing?” Brooklyn wanted to know.
    “Big Brother has mutated the people with that microchip.  Their individuality and self expressionism are gone.  They’re too brainwashed to care about anything anymore.  Even charities are starting to die off.  The St. John’s Cancer Center, one of the biggest charity organizations in the country, might have to close its doors due to lack of funding.  Birth rates are at an all time low.  The general population is a bunch of dead men walking, no opinions and no feelings. Can you believe this is supposed to be the land of the free?!” Lars scoffed.
     
    Brooklyn stared at Lars speechless.  She couldn’t imagine life without music, books, or art and she didn’t want to.  Writing poetry had been her way of dealing with things she didn’t want to talk about ever since she could remember. 
     
    “We’d better go before it gets dark,” Trent said. 
    “Right, there’s all kinds of freaks around here at night,” Lars replied. 
    Brooklyn tried to imagine anyone creepier than Lars lurking around rural Montana at night, but was not able to do so. 
    “Take care, brother. Be safe,” Lars said.
    “You too,” Trent waved.
     
    “I can’t believe libraries are burning books now.  Chips aren’t enough; they want to control knowledge and education as well,” Brooklyn mused on the way home. 
    “Consider the source, though.  You should probably take anything Lars says with a grain of salt.  He’s beyond weird.  He lives with a group of people in an old bomb shelter.  They get by stealing and hunting animals.  I think he’s been living down there too long.  He wasn’t as strange when I first met him,” Trent said. 
    “Still, book burning is a serious statement,” Brooklyn said.
     
    Zane was anxious and excited all week. He had been anticipating Ben and Brian’s arrival for a long time now. He had managed to get a bed for Brooklyn so she could move out of Ben and Brian’s room and into the smallest and coldest room in the house, which she was not thrilled about. A party was being planned, and Zane wanted it to be the best celebration anyone had had on the farm. He had planned everything right down to the last detail. Brooklyn, Trent, and Caleb found his perfectionism annoying and his joy completely understandable.
     
    “Don’t forget to be up bright and early tomorrow,” Zane said, hanging up the last of the streamers,” I’ll be leaving to get Ben and Brian and I should be back around six and there’s plenty to do before we get home.”
    “Yeah , yeah, I know,” Brooklyn said, grumpily.
     
    She had been cooking, cleaning, and decorating for Ben and Brian’s arrival all day, and she was exhausted and tired of hearing Zane talk about it. Caleb and Trent had already given up and gone to sleep.
    “Hey , Brook?” Zane called when Brooklyn had reached the top of the stairs. She