The Divide (Soldiers of the Earth Book 1)

Chapter 1

I remember bits and pieces of what life was like before the war started. My little sister Annie used to steal my jewelry and wear it around the house. The Beatles would play loudly from the car stereo as my older sister Mary would drive me to and from school, singing along at the top of her lungs. My father would sit on the couch with his arm around my mother as they watched TV. Sometimes he would tickle her sides, and she would laugh like she was the happiest woman in the world.

Then, the Émigrés attacked. Out of nowhere, reports of a huge spaceship were all over the news. We could only watch as it dropped nuclear bombs onto Earth and somehow resisted our every attempt to fight back. Going to school, talking to friends, and coming together with family on the holidays were all things of the past. My family and I spent months on the run, hoping that we would somehow end up somewhere safe. But in the midst of all this chaos and panic, we ended up being captured by the Émigrés.

A large group of them had stormed in to the abandoned barn we had been seeking shelter in. They forced us against the wall with their guns before my father had time to reach for his own. With their violet eyes cold and calculating, they spoke perfectly in our language, telling us that we could either surrender and come with them, or we could resist and be killed on the spot.

We surrendered and were taken to the Reserve. They clasped a silver bracelet on each of our wrists in order to identify us and gave us a small, newly constructed house of our own. The Émigrés that ran the Reserve provided us with food and water, and all we were told was to stay in the Reserve and not cause trouble. You do your assigned job, you take what you are given and nothing more, and what you get in return is a life of comfort compltely out of your control.

But people began talking about a group of rebels forming outside of the Reserve. These rebels were supposedly working to find a way to overtake the Émigrés, and although they had little food or water, they would rather die than surrender and be kept alive under the control of the Émigrés.

My father left to join them one year ago, leaving only a note behind that said that he loved us and he'd be back when this was all over. But I'm a little impatient, so tonight is my night to go find him. All I have to do is avoid being seen by the Émigrés patrolling the Reserve, hop the wall separating the Reserve from the outside world, and be on my merry way searching for my father. All while doing everything I can to avoid being killed by aliens. Simple, right?

I decided to leave a little differently than my father did, however. I'd been telling my mother since the day my father left that I wanted to leave the Reserve and find him. At first, she would just tell me that he would come back one day, but eventually she would just sigh tiredly and tell me to wait until I was 18. She was hoping that by the time I turned 18, I would change my mind and stay in the Reserve, but I haven't.

All I think about is bringing my father back and allowing us all to be a little happier for once. I'm tired of all of us going through our boring, controlled daily lives pretending that everything is fine. I'm tired of seeing my mother cry, of watching Mary tend to the gardens and cook and clean because she doesn't know what else to do to get her mind off of it. And I'm tired of little Annie having to see us like this.

Today was spent saying tearful goodbyes to my mother and my sisters. My mother reminded me to try to come back if I found my father, and her kind green eyes that had been so dim lately sparked to life for a few moments. She smiled the briefest hint of a smile at me before hugging me goodbye.

Mary wanted to help me escape, and already had everything planned. She listed out every detail to me before ending it by saying that I really did remind her of our father. I had his warm brown eyes and thick brown hair, but I also had his impatience and his passion. Mary also said I was brave, like him, but I don't believe that. I still fear what I'm about to do.