The Ash Cloud Freeze — Phillip Lesbirel

Born a Freeman, Peter is employed as an accountant at a large company manufacturing slave chains. In 2016 the volcanoes of the Pacific Rim all erupted within a short time spewing millions of tons of ash into the atmosphere blocking the sun's rays from the southern hemisphere and plunging it into an Arctic freeze causing the military to take control of the running of the country. They rule with an iron fist; forcing all youth of 16 years of age and older into the military. They remove the Constitution and bring back the class system; Freemen or the elite, workers with none allowed to lift out of their status, and slaves. Education for workers is only allowed until grade 8 so few have any education. Apprenticeships are hard to obtain and are the only way to avoid military service; which is for life. Slavery is legislated into law and the prisons sold to the slave holders. Once a slave, the slave owners have a cart-blanch license to do whatever they wish with their property and few slaves live longer than 2 years in captivity. Peter is arrested for a minor mistake in his accounting and forced into slavery. He refuses the slave guards request to join them as a guard and is sent to a chain gang. His gang find a way to overpower their guards and all run into the woods. Peter manages to stay free for over 2 years before John finds him and offers him a way to return to society as a worker. Peter agrees but is not aware of John's plans for him. Eventually there is a coup and the military is overthrown and Peter is placed as the head of the country by being made President. Peter does all he can to right the dreadful wrongs of the military and to find homes and work for the hundreds of thousands of slaves now released, and to allow the young military men to join society once again.