101YearsLater

Iamwokenupbythesoundofmycelldoorcreakingopen.
Getup,Jensen!yelledoneoftheguards.
Istayedinbedthinkingitwasjustadream.Ihaventbeenoutofmycellindaysdueto
mybehavior.Theysaythattellingpeoplewhattodoisrude.Iwasjusttryingtohelp.Anyways,
theguardsdraggedmeoutofbed.Theywerepushingmeandshovingme.Iwasreallypissed
off.Itriedtofightit,buttheyweretoostrong.Theytookmetothechangingroom,andtheytold
metochangeintoaleatherlikejumpsuit.Iputiton.Again,theydraggedmeoutoftheroom,
andtookmetotheleader,orasIliketocallhim,TheBigShot.
Asweapproachedhim,mymomwasstandingneartheslidingdoor.Sheistheheadof
themedicaloffice.Sheperformsthesurgeries,andinspectsthesick.
Wherearetheytakingme?Iasked.Shesaid,Youregoingdown.
Down?Isaid.Yes,downtoEarth.
Ifroze.
Itsbeen101yearssincethenuclearbombhadexploded.Billionshaddied,exceptforus.
Wehavebeenupin
The

Crescent
,aspaceship,sincethebombexploded.Only500peoplehad
survived,includingmymomandI.Iwonderedwhytheyweresendingusdownandifitwas
evensafe.
Theguardstookmetothemainroomwhereallthespecialcomputersandtechnology
are.Ourchiefandabout200otherpeoplewereintheretoo.
Asyourchief,Iamsending200ofyoudowntoEarth.hesaid,Theairisbreathable,
andIamexperimentingtoseeifitcanberepopulatedagain.

Allofthesepeopleareyoungadultslikeme.Someofthemlookfrightened,andsome
lookbrave.Thechiefsaidtakeoffisintwohours.
Theyprepareus.Theygiveusropes,flashlights,cannedfoods,basicallyanythingyou
wouldneedtosurvive.Theyalsoputathick,metalankletonustotrackourlocationonEarth,
andtoseeifwearealiveandstable.Ifwetakeitoff,thepeopleon
The

Crescent
willthinkwe
aredead.
Anhourhaspassed.BigShotgivesustimetosaygoodbyetoourfamilies.Iapproach
mymom.Iamtallerthanherbyabouttwoinches.Ilookherintheeye,andIcanseethatsheis
scared.Shedoesntshowit,butIcanseeit.Shegrinsatme,andshegivesmeawarmhug.
Besafe,andbealeaderoutthere.
Inodmyhead,andIgiveherakissonthecheek.Iturnaroundandleave,neverturning
mybackbecauseifIdid,Iwouldsurelycry.ShesallIeverhad.
Itstimetoboardtheshipweareeachassignedaseat.Iminthefront.Ithinkits
becauseImthedaughteroftheheadofthemedicaloffice.NexttomeisBigShotsson,
Chris.Weusedtobethebestoffriendswhenwewereyounger.Idontknowwhathappened.
Wejustslowlydriftedapart.Nowwenevertalktoeachotheritsalmostlikewearesilent
enemies.

Nowitwasjustafewminutesbeforetakeoff.Iwasscared.IdidntknowifEarthwas
actuallybreathableorifitssafeatall.Ijusthopedforthebest.Itookdeepbreathsuntilitwas
time.Thecountdownstarted.5...4...3...2...1...Blastoff!Wezoomedoutof
The

Crescent
,and
straightdowntowardsEarth.Ifeltalargesurgethroughmystomachitwaslikemystomach
wasnteventhere.Theridefeltlikeitwouldneverend,butafterwhatfeltlikehoursoffalling,

wefinallylandedveryroughly.Weunbuckledourseatbelts.Therewerenowindows,sowe
couldnotseewhatwasoutside.Weweretooscaredtoopenthedoor.Aboutahundredofus
wantedtoleavethedoorclosed,whiletheotherswantedtoopenit.Iwantedtoleaveitclosed.I
mean,wedontevenknowwhatwasoutthere.Chris,ofcourse,wasontheotherside.He
alwayswenttheotherway.
Finally,aftertwentyminutesofarguing,Igaveupandwalkedtotheswitch.Islowly
pushedthelever.Thedoorsopened,andallyoucouldseewastrees.Itwasthemostbeautiful
viewIhaveeverseen.Iwasthefirsttostepoutandbreaththeair.Itsmelleddelightful.Iwas
happyandveryrelieved.
Afteraanotherdeepbreathtosavorthemoment,Iwentbackinsidetheshiptocontact
The

Crescent
.ItoldthemthatEarthissafe,andtheyshouldcomesoon.Ihungupandwentback
outside.Everyonewasjumping,dancing,laughing,andsmiling.Itwasthehappiesttheyhave
everbeentoo.AsIspunaroundincirclestogathertheviewaroundme,mysenseskickedin.I
realizedthatweneededtogolookforsuppliestobuildashelter.Iorderedeverybodytosplitup
ingroupsoften.Weneededtogetwoodandanyothersuppliesthatcanhelpusbuildafort.
Somegroupsstayedtoworkonfires,andtogetthesuppliesfromtheship.Ileftwithmygroup.
Ididntknowanyofthem,soweintroducedeachother.
MynamesisJensen.Isaid.
ImAaron.oneboysaid.
ImCallie.agirlsvoicereplied.
AveryattractiveboysaidAndImGage.Andsoonandsoforth.

Aswewalkedaroundtheterrain,Iwonderedifanypeopleoranimalssurvivedthe
nuclearbomb.Then,Irealizedthatwouldbeimpossible.Icontinuedontofindsomewoodand
metal.Aswewerewalking,Iheardatwigsnap.Atthatmoment,Ihadafeelingitwasntoneof
us.Iturnedaround,andIsawthateveryonewascroucheddownbehindabush.
SHHHH!Gagesaid.
Theywerepointingatsomething.Itwasananimal.Itwasanelk.Ialmostscreamed,but
thenIrealizedthatitwouldscaretheelkoff.SoIhelditinandcrouchedneareveryoneelse.We
satthereforafewseconds,thensuddenlysomeonemoved.Apparentlyitwasloudenoughfor
theelktohearit.Theelkturneditshead.ThatswhenIscreamed.Therewasanarrowinits
headandthewholeleftsideofitsbodywasbareskin.Nofuratall.Itwasquitenastyandvery
gory.Therewasbloodallovertheleftsideofitsfacefromthearrowwound.Ifainted.
Iopenedmyeyesslowly.Blinkingonce,thentwice,thenthreetimes.Finally,myeyes
werewideopen.Gagewaskneelingnearmycot.
Youfainted,andyouwereunconsciousforaboutahalfhour.hesaid.
Ihaveneverseenanythinglikethatbefore,Isaid.Imean,no,Ihaveneverseenan
animalbefore,butIhavelearnedaboutthem,Continuing,Isaid.Imprettysureanelkdoes
nothaveanarrowlodgedinitsheadandonlyhalfofitsbodyiscoveredinfurandtheotheris
justbareskin.
Theonlythingthatbotheredmemorethanthatwashowthearrowgotinits
head.AretheresurvivorshereonEarth?

Itwasthenextday,Icouldntgetthethoughtofrealsurvivorsoutofmyhead.Ididnt
tellanyoftheothers,becausetheywouldlaughatme.Ikeptwonderingwheretheywereand
whytheyhaventhelpedus.Dotheyknowwearehere?
Iwalkedoutofmytenttocontactthe
Crescent
.Ihadtotellthemaboutwhatwesaw.I
toldthemtoholdoffonleavingthe
Crescent
.Aftertheconversation,Ihelpedoutwiththe
suppliestryingtogetmymindoffoftheelk.AsIpickedupapieceofwood,anarrowgrazed
myshoulder,andithitatree.Everybodystoppedwhattheyweredoing.Ilookedatwherethe
arrowcamefrom,butIcouldntseeanyonethere.Then,Ilookedatthearrow.Therewasanote
attachedtoit.Itsaid:
GETOUTOFOURTERRITORY!THISISYOURONEANDONLYWARNING!
TheEaters
Iwasshocked.IknewIwasright.TherearepeopleonthisEarth,buttheyarentthenice
onesthatIwashopingfor.AsIlookedupfromthesheetofpaper,everyoneaskedwhatitsaid.
TherearepeopleonthisEarth,whichmeanstheysurvived.Isaidbravely,Theyare
notthepeoplewewerehopingforthough.
Whatdoyoumean?Chrissays.Imean...thattheywillkillusifwedontmoveoutof
theirterritory.
Everyonebecamechaotic.Ijuststoodtheretryingtocomeupwithaplan.Suddenly,
therewasrustlinginthetreesandbushes.Secondslater,agroupofabout50peoplecameout.
Oneofthemsteppedforward.Hestartedtospeak,butheahadalittlestutterinhiswords.
IaamFFFausto.hesaid,WWWearetttheEEEndurers.

ThefirstthoughtthatcametomymindwasthattherearemorepeopleonEarththanIthought
therewouldbe.Thereare
Eaters
and
Endurers
?
Anotherpersonsteppeduptotalk.ImguessingitsbecauseofFaustosstutter.
MynameisAmira,weareheretohelpyou.shesaid.
Help?Why?Ithought.
The
Eaters,
theyarecannibals.shesaid,Whentheysaykill,theymeaneat.
Irepliedinascaredvoice,Whyareyouhelpingus?Shesaid,Thereisastorythatwe
follow,
Theoneswhocomedownfirst,willhelpyou,butfirstyoushallhelpthem.
Webelieveyouaretheones,butyouwillhelpusinreturn.shesaid.Ithoughtfora
littlebit.Agreed.Isaid.
Soon,the
Endurers
createdalargewallofthemselvesaroundourfort.Theyguardour
shipandourspace.Ifinallyfeelsafeagain.Isitnearonablockofwoodnearthetinyfire.We
sitinwaitforthe
Eaters
tocome.Iknewtheywillsurelylosetothe
Endurers
.Isuddenly
thoughtaboutrepopulatingtheEarth.Whatwoulditlooklike?Howwouldwetravel?Istarted
tocomeupwithabunchofquestionsinmyhead.Then,Irealizedthatweneedtogetthepeople
from
TheCrescent
downherefirst.
Babysteps.
Ithought.
Babysteps.