SOLDIER
book one
It's been 97 years since a nuclear explosion radiated life on Earth and life support on The Ark is now failing. In a desperate attempt to grant the citizens of the SpaceCraft more time, 100 juvenile delinquents are sent down to the...
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THE weight of a lifeless head was heavier than Vivienne expected as it rested against her boots. Her legs trembled, but she found the strength to stand, gently nudging the boy's head to the floor. It landed with a soft thud. Blood soaked through his auburn hair, knotting it, and pooled beneath him as his empty eyes stared up at her, drained of life.
Finn Collins,known for wasting a month's worth of oxygen on the Ark,rushed over and knelt beside her. Quietly, he reached out, pressing his fingers to the boy's neck, searching for any trace of a pulse.
"Is he breathing?" Clarke called from nearby, where she knelt beside another body, Wells standing over her. "Finn! Is he breathing?" she asked again, more urgently.
But no answer was needed. The boy was gone, his blank stare was enough. A cold shiver ran down Vivienne's spine whilst Finn remained frozen, eyes locked on the blood staining her boots, guilt crashing over him in silence.
"The outer door is on the lower level!" a voice shouted up the ladder, sparking panic in Clarke as she rushed down to the ground floor of the dropship. Finn and Wells followed quickly behind, but Vivienne stayed, still kneeling beside the dead boy. Her fingers gently traced his cool skin, carefully closing his eyes, granting him eternal peace.
Grief pressed heavy on her chest, but she forced herself to look away. Rising to her feet, she began her descent, joining the other 97 teens below. She only climbed down a few rungs before stopping, gripping the ladder tightly for a better view of the crowd. A large industrial door loomed at the front, being the only barrier between them and what was left of Earth.
In front of the door stood an older boy, clad in a poorly fitting guard's uniform, setting him apart from everyone else. He was larger than most, and his hair was slicked back with too much gel. In his arms, he held a younger girl close, her face buried in his chest while his rested against her dark hair, breathing her in.
"That's Octavia Blake!" a girl shouted from the crowd, setting off a wave of murmurs. "The girl they found hidden under the floor!"
According to the Gaia Doctrine,written long before Vivienne's time,strict population laws were enforced on The Ark to maintain control. One of the harshest: no family could have more than one child. Breaking this law meant death or prison. Octavia Blake was punished like anyone else, just for being born.
Trying to lunge at the ones whispering about her, Octavia was held back by her brother's strong arm around her waist. "Let's give them something else to remember you by," he said, holding her tight.
"Yeah, like what?" she snapped through gritted teeth.
"Like being the first person on the ground in a hundred years."
Letting her go, the guard gripped the lever beside him. With a slow pull, he dragged it down and the rusty door clicked and creaked as it began to open.
