Rhiannon

Part 5: The Ring

My grandmother sat beside me with my hand in hers. We both sat in lawn chairs out on her balcony that overlooked the city as she processed everything that I had told her.

"I remember learning in class when I was about your age how Providence was created and why. Nine hundred and eighteen years ago, aliens invaded Earth for the first time. Our world had not been prepared for it at all. We were still completely unaware that we were not alone in the universe. When the aliens began to attack, the leaders of the world immediately took action, and seventy years after that, Providence was built, as well as the entire system of our current government. Back then, everyone who was eighteen years of age was drafted. The government had not yet figured out a system of who exactly would be chosen to fight in the war. At the time of the first invasion, strange things started happening on Earth. People began waking up with marks on their arm, just like yours, and no one could explain how they got there. After a while those who were marked discovered that they had developed special abilities that could not be explained by science. The government naturally decided that not everyone was cut out to be a soldier and decreed that only people with the marks and the special powers would be drafted to fight in the intergalactic army. They gathered all of the people that had the marks and sent them away to Providence to fight off the aliens. That was the very first time in all of history that the world came together with one goal in mind, to keep us safe, and now, my grand-baby's gonna be a part of it." she said looking at me with wonder in her eyes.

"That's crazy to think that the aliens attacked around the same time that people started getting marked." I said. My grandmother nodded.

"Yes, that is a bit strange. The government could never figure out why that was. Humanity must have took it as a sign, a gift from some higher power to give us the tools we need to fight back against the extraterrestrial beings. We do what we can in order to protect our own, even if that means making some sacrifices." she said. My heart beat faster. "I don't want you to be scared. I want you to be proud. You come from a long line of strong women. I am not surprised at all that the government would choose you." she said.

"But I am scared!" I said.

"Your destiny is nothing to be afraid of. Everything that has already happened was always meant to be. You can do this. I believe in you." my grandmother said still clinging to my hand.

"I'll do my best." I said. "I'll miss you." I added. She smiled.

"I'll miss you too, baby. I know you'll do great." she said.

"My mom's gonna be a mess when I leave." I said.

"Your mother has a great amount of anxiety. She gets that from my mother." my grandmother chuckled. "But, I'm sure she has all the faith in the world in you just as I do. So, I don't want you to worry about her." My grandmother released my hand from her grip and reached into her shirt to pull out a necklace. Hanging from the necklace was a ring with the biggest diamond I had ever seen. "I want you to take this with you when you go. It was given to me long ago by your grandfather." she said.

"My grandfather?" I asked.

I had never heard my grandmother mention my grandfather before. I had never once heard my mother mention her father either. I didn't even know his name. He was a man that had remained a mystery to me ever sense I was born. I had begun to think that I somehow didn't have one even though that wasn't biologically possible. He was simply a taboo in my family, a secret that I had carefully respected.

"Yes. He gave me this after your mother was born, and now I want you to have it."

"Why?" I asked. My grandmother unhooked her necklace and transferred it to me with shaky hands. I looked down at the diamond ring in my grip. It sparkled as if it were brand new. I couldn't imagine my grandmother taking such care of something. The ring must have meant a lot to her if she kept it as clean as she did. My grandmother didn't even brush her own hair.

"Because this ring gave me the strength to let him go. It has that kind of power. You as a soldier will have to say many goodbyes from now on, especially to people you truly love. I want to give you this strength now. I want you to have that power." she said. The strength to let him go? Why did my grandmother have to let him go? I felt like if he had died, my grandmother would have told me. Out of respect for my grandmother, I kept my questions to myself and refused to ask her more than she was willing to tell me.

"Thank you." was all I could say. We sat on the balcony until the sun went down. My grandmother smiled and then I hugged her. After our long embrace, I finally said the words. "Goodnight grandma. I love you."

"Goodnight, sweetie. I love you too. I'm so proud of you." my grandmother said as she released me.

I went inside and walked back towards my grandmother's guest room. I held on to the ring the entire time. I never once looked back at the balcony. My grandmother was right. The ring gave me the power to walk away, to move on. I didn't know at the time how valuable that power would be for me in the future.