Rider

Sixteen

                                                                              Sixteen                                                                                                                       

         Zoe rolled out of bed groggily. She ran a hand through her messy brown hair, trying to straighten it up before the big event. Today was Zoe's sixteenth birthday, the day when she was placed in a legion. It was unlikely that she would survive her first battle, let alone the war. Only the Riders had a chance at survival, and even then they fell like leaves in autumn. Her only hope was that the war would end soon. Tugging on her dress clothes, which were simply less torn than the rest of what she had, she walked into the kitchen.

        "Zoe!" Her mother greeted her enthusiastically. "Today's the big day! We're leaving as soon as Aidan gets over here. We're taking him to town as well."

         Although her mood seemed jolly, Zoe could tell her mother was upset. The telltale signs were all there- puffy eyes and a cracking voice. She didn't mind, of course, if she could cry herself she would. But if anyone found out that she was weak enough to cry, into the front ranks she would go. Dead in an instant.

        Zoe stood tapping her foot by the door. She was growing impatient. Aidan was late all the time, so often that she had begun giving him earlier times to arrive so that he would maybe come when he was supposed to. Although he was late, Aidan would be a perfect soldier. In her mind, he was already marked as a Rider.