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 early sun finally broke through the canopy, casting a soft light that made the crunch of twigs and leaves underfoot seem less ominous. Despite the morning's calm, they were still deep in Grounder territory, and every flicker of movement at the edge of Vivienne's vision kept her on edge as the group followed Finn further through the woods.
Walking beside Jasper, Vivienne let her gaze wander over the moss-covered trees, her attention frequently shifting to Bellamy. She cast quick, sharp glares his way through her lashes, though he remained oblivious, too preoccupied with the disappearance of his sister and the unnerving sense that Grounders were watching them from the shadows.
"I've got nothing," Finn announced to the group after hours of tense silence. "We've lost the trail," he added, frustration seeping into his sigh.
"Keep looking," Bellamy snapped, his voice sharp. A stern scowl settled on his face, masking the growing desperation that gnawed at his chest.
As the group's attention was drawn to the flurry of birds darting through the trees, John Mbege was silently yanked off the ground, swept up into the branches above. His sudden disappearance went unnoticed by those walking ahead, their focus on the woodland lurking around them.
"Wandering around aimlessly isn't going to find your sister," Finn muttered to Bellamy as they walked at the front of the group, frustration lacing his tone. The two were caught in a tense bickering when the rest of the group came to a halt. Vivienne, trailing behind, glanced over her shoulder. A sudden chill gripped her as her stomach dropped. Her brows furrowed as she scanned the forest, realizing with a sinking feeling that Mbege was no longer with them.
"Hey!" Vivienne's voice sliced through Finn and Bellamy's argument, snapping the group's attention to her. "Where's Mbege?" she asked, her voice dropping to a tense whisper. A cold wave of unease swept over the group as they instinctively glanced around the trees, searching for any sign of the boy, each of them silently praying he had only wandered ahead.
Yet all hope drained from the group as Mbege's limp body crashed to the ground at Roma's feet, his neck gushing blood, eyes empty and cold. His shirt and jacket were soaked in crimson, the deep wound around his throat bruised and torn. Roma's lips parted, a scream building in her chest, but before she could release it, Vivienne yanked her close, clamping a filthy hand over her mouth. The girl's muffled cries trembled against Vivienne's palm.
"They use the trees," Finn noted, his voice low as he glanced upward, eyes narrowing at the branches swaying above.
Vivienne's wide, fearful eyes darted around the darkened woods, searching for any sign of Grounders as she pressed herself tightly against Roma's trembling side. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig made her breath hitch, her heart pounding in her chest. She scanned the treetops, the undergrowth, every shadow, desperate to spot their attackers before they struck again. Yet, the silence that followed felt more menacing than any movement.
"We shouldn't have crossed the boundary," Diggs muttered, his voice trembling with fear as he backed up a step.
"Now can we go back?" Monroe added, her voice tight with nerves as she darted anxious glances around, gripping her weapon a little tighter.
Jasper's eyes widened as he pointed his weapon toward the shadowy figure standing tall among the trees. "There," he warned, his voice barely a whisper.
"Another one," Diggs added, his voice shaky as he spotted a second Grounder, then a third. Slowly, the group realized they were surrounded. The Grounders stood silent but menacing, weapons drawn, watching the teenagers from the shadows like predators toying with prey. They didn't attack—they just stared, taunting them with their quiet, overwhelming presence.
Swallowing the lump of nerves lodged in her throat, Vivienne slowly released her grip on Roma. Her eyes flickered between the Grounders before muttering, barely above a whisper, "We should run."
The group bolted, feet pounding against the forest floor in unison, branches snapping beneath their frantic steps. Vivienne occasionally glanced over her shoulder, scanning for any sign of the Grounders, but each glance only heightened her terror as they seemed to disappear into the shadows, their presence ghostly and unseen. Her breath came in ragged gasps as they ran, the muscles in her legs burning from exertion, but fear fueled her to push through the pain.
Falling farther behind, Jasper's limp worsened with every step, the pain from his old spear wound taking its toll. Each breath was labored, and his pace faltered more with every stride. "Come on, Jasper!" Vivienne called, her voice strained with urgency. But despite her words, he stumbled, his body betraying him as running became more and more unbearable.
"He can't keep up!" Vivienne shouted to Bellamy and Finn ahead, her concern evident as she slowed her pace to stay closer to Jasper, gripping his arm to help him forward. Her eyes flickered between him and the path ahead, frustration and fear mounting with every passing second.
"I'm sick of running anyway," Bellamy muttered, skidding to a halt. He spun on his heel, weapon gripped tightly in his hands as he faced the direction the Grounders were coming from. His jaw clenched, eyes dark with determination. Yet Diggs kept running, refusing to stop for Jasper.
"What are you doing?" Finn asked, stopping beside Bellamy, breathless and wide-eyed.
"They know where she is," Bellamy replied, his voice low and laced with worry, the weight of his sister's fate pressing on every word.
Grounders emerged from the shadows, encircling the group from every direction, as weapons were drawn with deadly precision. Vivienne's pulse quickened, her fear intensifying. Across the clearing, Roma spotted Diggs and panic gripped her. Without thinking, she sprinted toward him, her voice trembling as she called out his name, desperate to reach him before the Grounders did.
"Roma!" Vivienne shouted after the brunette girl, sprinting through the woods with Jasper, Bellamy, Finn, and Monroe close behind. Her lungs grew tight as they ran, but she pushed on, using the trail of footprints and broken twigs to track Roma's path. The forest seemed to close in around them, the shadows growing darker and more menacing with each step.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced through the woods, and Vivienne froze, causing Bellamy to nearly collide into her. Her heart pounded in her chest as she strained to listen. "Did you hear that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, not bothering to glance back at the chest pressed firmly against her back.
"Roma..." Bellamy's voice was heavy with concern, barely more than a whisper. Without exchanging another word, the group resumed their frantic run, driven by the urgency to find the girl before she suffered the same fate as Mbege—or worse.
After a harrowing trek, the dwindling group stumbled upon Diggs. His lifeless body was grotesquely displayed, pinned to a wooden board with a dozen spikes impaled through him. Blood dripped from his open mouth, a testament to the agony he endured in his final moments. His face was ashen, frozen in a ghastly expression of shock, his mouth agape. Vivienne gasped at the sight of him, his blood pooling and trailing down to his boots, where it dripped onto the forest floor, attracting swarms of insects eager to feast on the macabre scene.
"They were leading us here," Jasper gasped, clutching his side where pain radiated from his ribs. "It was the only way we could run."
"Hey," Finn said, his eyes darting around with alarm. "Where did they go?"
