It's been 300 years since a nuclear apocalypse happened on Earth. To escape, we fled to the sky on a massive ship called the Eclipse. There was another ship called the Eukata that also fled with us. They call themselves “Grounders” I guess they always believed that one day they would return to the ground. The Eclipse was supposed to be a safe haven, our future, but it quickly became a breeding ground for power hungry people who wanted to not only rule the Eclipse but rule the remaining survivors on it as well. I was selected to be sent down to Earth on a mission, as they call it, to find out if after 300 years Earth was still habitable. On this mission, I was accompanied by 49 other teenagers from the Eclipse. I’ll explain later why it was only teenagers sent to Earth.  Once we had safely landed on Earth, we got word that the Eclipse had been taken over by a group of radicals who call themselves the Grounders. 

Ten years ago the Grounders were able to communicate with the Eclipse and claimed their ship was in distress.  The Eclipse offered them safety.  Though there were many people left on the Eukata, the leaders joined the Eclipse. The Grounders created mayhem almost as soon as they boarded. I believe their ship was never in distress and that they had been planning to attack and take over the Eclipse since the beginning.  In retaliation, the Eclipse set five rockets to hit the Eukata and kill the remaining Grounders. The leaders of the Eukata knew that they had no chance against the Eclipse and they conceded to be in union with the survivors on the Eclipse. 

The Grounders are not scientists, engineers, or doctors. They did nothing for the survivors on the Eclipse. The decision to let the Grounders stay on the Eclipse might have just insured the death of all of us. I don't know if I'll ever know why our president allowed this, but if I was prescient I would put no one over my people. Now you're all caught up on the mission and history of why we were brought here today.

On Earth, I walk inside the tent to hear the satellite ringing. I put on the headphones hanging from the satellite to listen to the message. It's Monroe, he's an engineer on the Eclipse. He was like a father to me and taught me all that I know. As soon as I answer, he immediately says: 

“The Eclipse has been taken over by the Grounders and they are headed down to Earth to kill all of you.”

“Wait hold on, what!” I say frantically.

My older brother Stefan walks through the curtains covering the door to the tent and asks what's going on. I'm typing as fast as I can on the computer to try to stay on the line with Monroe and talk to Stefan at the same time.

“Listen, get to the mountain, there's a bunker there with the supplies you need until we can come down and get you, but you have to travel fast. Stay safe, understand. You're the future, we need you guys to live.”

The video message cuts out and I slowly stop typing. I'm breathing heavily when I look up at Stefan and say “we have to go now.”

We've since evacuated our camp on Earth.  The remaining 40 of us who have survived this long are currently on the move to try and find safety before they land. We currently don't have any food or water.  All we have is a radiation soaked forest to travel through.

Crunch, crunch, crunch that's all I've heard for hours underneath my feet. Five miles into the treacherous walk, we find water.  Finally, it felt like forever. Trees drape over us creating a shady canopy. I couldn't do this in the sun, that's for sure. We fill up on water and splash ourselves to cool down. Our group of forty has whittled down to ten from lack of food and water. We thought it better to split up for a better chance of surviving. Luckily, my best friend Carloine and I are together. 

Oh, I didn't mention yet that all fifty of us were delinquents. That's why we got sent down to Earth.  We were replaceable. Caroline killed a guard on the ship that arrested her father. Me, I stole medicine. We rationed everything on the Eclipse so stealing was a big crime. My mother was dying and I had been stealing medicine for her for weeks. When she needed it most, I got caught. She died before the takeover.  The only reason the leaders on the Eclipse didn't kill me was because I volunteered to sacrifice my life and come back to Earth to see if it is habitable.  

I need to stop daydreaming and thinking about the past, I have to focus. Focus on surviving, I think to myself. We barely had enough to make it through the night and we’re only on mile six with at least seven more to go. 

“Why did we have to leave camp? It's probably safer back there than in this jungle that we know nothing about. These plants will probably kill us before the Grounders even land.” Luna says (Luna, someone who I grew up with but someone I would not trust to not stab me in my sleep).

“There's supposed to be a bunker on Mount Kiro, it'll have all the survival stuff we need and then we'll wait for everyone to come rescue us. It's the only option.” I say back to her.

“What do they even want with us? We're just delinquent teens. We have no value.” Says Jasper.

“Monroe didn't say, but we should assume the worst. Maybe there is more to this mission than we actually think” I reply back.

“Why do you think it's called my Eukata mission idiot.” Luna says to both of us.

“It's called the Eukata mission?” I am confused with a million theories of why this cloud is running through my head.

“Mission number 11657, Mission Eukata.” Luna says confidently

“We need to stop and make camp while we still have daylight, we'll worry about all that once were safe. Ok?” I say to everyone panting as I drop to my knees on the ground, throwing my backpack off my shoulder. I spotted a cave almost thirty feet away.

“That's where we'll make camp” I say as I point to it.

We begin to set up camp, and all of the sudden I hear an agitating, grading voice coming from the back of the cave.

“Do you really even know why we got sent on this mission” Luna says sitting in darkness.

“No, but I bet you're going to tell us aren't you.” I say

“I bet you think this is some kind of new leadership role for you to take over but this isn't the Eclipse. There are no rules. And you are not our leader down here so don't try to control us like you are.” She looks right at me with scorn on her face.

“Oh my God, let's just finish the mission, I'm not dying here.” I say as I slap my hands on my legs, stand up, and walk out of the cave. 

Two more hours of walking go by and we arrive at Mount Kiro. The only thing separating us from our survival is a river.  

“My map doesn't even have a river on it” I say walking toward a big rock facing away from the river. Think fast, I tell myself. Don't let them see you struggle. 

“Let's make a rope, then we can cross” I say.

We make it out of vines and branches, then connect it to a tree. Jasper swings over the river first and makes it to the other side. He falls right on his butt, but then he stands up and turns around. He throws his arms up in the air. We all start to jump up and down. We're all screaming with joy and I'm even crying. I know that we made it to safety.

But then, BOOM, just like that it was all taken away from us. From me. A gunshot, the bullet hits Jasper right in the chest. I turn around to see who the culprit is that just stole my life and friend away from me. I stand there shocked at who I see but then Stefan dives into me to get both of us to the ground. I put my hands around my head to protect me.

“TAKE COVER” Stefan screams.