The Years After

Chapter 18

    Days are passing by fast, it's already August 1, and on a hot summer day, my cousins and I have a "tradition" of bathing in the lake downhill from Diana's house.

     "What's up skanks?" Hulk greeted

      " Do you even know what that means?" Diana asked him.

     "No, but the teen tourists always greet their friends like that." Hulk explained.

    "You get used to it, since my dad is the mayor, I am forced to hang out with those kids at the Presidential Parties." I said

    "Sucks for you." Julissa said giggling.

    I am utterly surprised, all my cousins are growing fast, Alex is almost fourteen, Julissa turns fifteen next month, I guess it's the war making them mature early, but I don't like it. Their teenage years are gonna go by fighting and killing, I feel sorry for all of us. Sometimes I wish we would have been born tourists, but everything happens for a reason, and I can't complain.

     The water is warm, and crystal clear, so clean you can drink it. Pollution is not a thing these days, we innovated and got rid of it.

     "CANNONBALL!" Bryan shouted and jumped, curled into a ball into the deep water.

     "I'm next." Hulk went.

     From behind Julissa, I gestured Hulk, Get out and let's throw her into the water.

    "Whoops," I said when she was floating up to the edge.

    "I hate you, all of you." Julissa said laughing.

    Her bright smile makes everything she says a complete joke to everyone. Charming, it makes everyone she is around like her instantly. Next I ran to the far end where the smooth boulders boast out that make the perfect slide and jumping spot. Splash. I heard just as I hit below the water. Perfect everytime.

     "Guys, let's eat." Diana said.

     We ate roasted wild goat from the hill in the north side. I miss these meals, healthy and completely natural, not like the "fancy" ones they give in the palace.

     "Diana can I invite Nicole?" I asked her, since it's her house.

     "No prob," Diana answered.

     "Are you dating her?" Alex asked.

     "I might be," I answered smiling. I put on my shoes and stepped outside, dripping water, on my way to Nicole's "new" house. It's actually her aunts, since hers was burned down. It is not far away, half a mile uphill.

     And that's when I saw it, a high tech military vehicle from the Master Town. Immediately I hid, and everyone out in the dirt road did too, but especially me, I am not supposed to be here. The stupid law, All upperclass citizens are not to mix with the workers, under no circumstances. I was about half way to Nicole's house, but I waited for the vehicle to be out of view, so I could run back to Diana's house.

    I got back to Diana's house and said, "Guys, the Master Town has new weapons, and they are looking to kill us, destroy the warehouses where we meet, so they could control the rebellion."

     "They've been wanting to kill us in the first place." Hulk remarked.

    "But this time, it's for real. The real war has started." I answered.