The Eternal War

The Draft

The sun shined bright in my face as I opened my brown eyes. Getting up, I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and slide on some deodorant under my arms. Mornings. How I despise mornings. Brushing through my hair real quick, I grabbed some coconut lime breeze perfume and squirted some around my neck. Even though the thought of perfume made me sick, I knew I should at least smell like a girl. No matter how bad I did not act like a girl.

Throwing my hair up in two side ponytails with white ribbons, I glared in the mirror with my brown eyes at my dark red-ish orange-ish hair. I always hated my hair. Not sure why, but I always wanted a normal hair color like blonde, brown, or black. Grabbing my white tee shirt, black shorts, red belt, long black socks, and black long boots, I quickly took of my pajamas and slide the clothes on my tan skin. In twenty minutes, school was about to start, and my friends were late to walk to school with me.

Walking to the door, I decided to go by myself. The two friends I have had since kindergarten were late. When I opened the door, I saw both of them staring at me. Koga laid against my house with his black long hair almost covering his black eyes. With his red scarf laying on his pale neck, his white tee shirt blew with the wind along with his blue jeans, and Nike black shoes staying on his feet. Mako stood in front of the door with a concerned look radiating out of his green eyes. Along with his light brown hair, his brown tee shirt was blowing in the wind. His blue jean pants and black Sketchers shoes stayed on his muscular tan legs along with his green key necklace. A smile curved on Mako's face.

"Hey, Suki! You ready to get out of here?" (Mako smiling)
"We better get going before we are late!" (Me walking quickly out of the house and shutting the door)
"Always so rushed." (Koga walking beside me)
"No! I just don't like to be late." (Me walking)
"Oh come on, Suki. Relax a little." (Mako walking)
"I don't like being late. Can we change the topic?" (Me walking)
"Did y'all hear about the Eternal War?" (Koga walking)
"Not really. I know they are needing more soldiers." (Mako walking)
"I don't think they will come after some sixteen year old kids like us though." (Me walking)
"Like us? Do you forget you are a girl, Suki?" (Koga walking)
"Hey! I could kick butt better than both of you." (Me walking inside the school)
"Sure, you could, Suki." (Mako at his locker)
"I think she could. She did good in the exam yesterday." (Koga at his locker)
"See! Koga agrees with me!" (Me at my locker)
"He always agrees with you." (Mako shutting his locker)
"No I don't. We disagree." (Koga shutting his locker and hitting Mako)
"Hey. Don't hit me. Not my fault." (Mako)
"Haha. Y'all are so crazy." (Me shutting my locker and heading to class)
"So, what do you think Bighead is going to teach?" (Mako heading to class)
"Something you will sleep through of course." (Me heading to class)
"No wonder you are failing." (Koga heading to class)
"Hey! Junior year is supposed to be fun! Not boring! Who y'all going to prom with anyway?" (Mako heading to class)
"Prom? I really have no desire to wear a dress." (Me walking through the class door)
"Oh come on. I am even going." (Koga walking through the class door)
"With who?" (Mako walking through the class door)
"No one. I am just going." (Koga sitting to the left of me in his desk)
"We should all go together!" (Me sitting in the middle in my desk)
"Great idea! It's a date!" (Mako sitting to the right of me in his desk)
"Haha! Just shhh. The teacher is here." (Koga)

Looking at the long brown desk in the front room with papers on it, we saw a bald headed man in a striped tee shirt, blue jeans, and sandals walk into the room and sit in his chair behind the desk. Mr. Hargett or Bighead stared at all his students with his brown eyes, but something was different about him. A cloud of sadness covered on his face like something horrible was going to change everything.

"Students, yesterday the school had y'all participate in a athletic exam to determine if y'all could participate in the war if necessary. After first block, everyone meet in the gym for results. Now let us begin the lesson.." (Mr. Hargett)

After he said that, I could not pay attention for the rest of first block. In the right corner of my brown eyes, I saw Mako fast asleep, and out of the left corner, Koga was strongly paying attention and taking notes. However, I was focused on the exam. A couple of others girls and me were the only ones to take the exam. Did I do good? Wait, we are just kids. Why would they want to put us in that position? Placing my hand over my mouth, I felt my brown eyes widen. I know why they made us do that exam. They wanted to see who they could send to fight. I guess they were that low on soldiers, but I didn't want to leave. Was the war going that bad? I guess we were wrong to think that they wouldn't need us to help fight. Kids fighting a
adult war.

Thinking it over, I thought about the war very deeply. From what the news said, it was a powerful force in the Northern states but nothing else. The news never said what the force was just that it was powerful. From the news, they said most Northern towns effected by the war were destroyed. People taken in as hostages or killed. What was going on? Why were we about the enter a unknown war? To be killed!?

In my shocked state, I did not notice the bell ring to go to break or for my friends and me the gym to decide our fate. Suddenly, Koga and Mako were shaking me to snap me back to my senses.

"Hey. What's wrong?" (Koga looking worried)
"Nothing. Just couldn't believe how hard today's work was." (Me getting up grabbing my books)
"*yawn* You leave your books here, Suki. Bighead said we don't need them after today." (Mako holding his hands behind his head)
"Oh ok. Well lets go." (Me walking out of the door leaving my books)
"You sure you are ok, Suki? You were zoned out the entire time." (Koga walking beside me)
"Suki zoned out? Are you sick?" (Mako walking beside me)
"No no! I was just thinking about some stuff. Guys, come on." (Me walking in the gym)
"Well if you say so, Suki." (Koga walking in the gym)
"What y'all think is going on?" (Mako walking in the gym)
"Just telling our results." (Koga sitting in the stands)
"What if it is more?" (Me sitting in the stands)
"No. I don't think so." (Koge sitting in the stands)
"Look at those uniforms." (Me)

The uniforms were different than I thought they would be. With the girls' uniforms, they were camo short jackets, a black sports bra, loose cargo shorts and long black boots like mine. There were five girls in count, and three had their beautiful long hair down while two had their hair in a side ponytail. Around their waists was a belt with two pistols on each hip and two knifes. I think one had a sword, too. Also, there appeared to be holders for extra bullets.

On the other hand, there were a good twenty boys there. I lost count, but Koga told me there were that many. The guys were camo shirts, camo cargo pants, and brown boots. On their belts were two pistols on each hip and two knifes. Also, there appeared to be holders for extra bullets, too. Most guys had short hair, but some had hair like Koga and Mako. Most of them appeared bored being here.

Looking in the stands, I noticed there were a lot of guys here and only another girl and me. Why were we the only girls here? Where was everyone else? I remembered at least ten girls in the training area. Did they not finish the course? Wait, could they be skipping the results? Do they know something we don't know?

"Yeah. The girls' uniforms are a lot skipper than the guys." (Mako)
"That is sexist." (Me)
"Says one of the two girls in a room full of guys." (Koga)
"Don't push me." (Me)
"Be careful. Suki might bite." (Mako)
"I am not a dog." (Me hitting Mako)
"Haha. Hey guys. I think it is starting." (Koga)

Walking up to the microphone, a general in a blue suit stood in front of us. His brown hair was covered under his uniform hat. The assorted medals on his chest proved he was a high ranking general. His green eyes stared at all of us with fear but courage. Strange combination, but that was how he looked. Finally, words came out of his mouth like thunder during a storm.

"Welcome young minds. I am General Caesar. This test was to prove whether each student would categorize into what squad. The three squads are what different team members will go into. Alpha, the elite fighting members. Beta, the secondary weapons members. Omega, the low snipers members. When I call your name, please stand up. First, Omega. Brock Yates. Isis Black, Daniel Brook." (General Caesar)

Each name made my heart skip a beat. Holding both the boy's hands, I prayed all of us would be in the same group. The names went on and on. Each name the guys would stand up with happiness on their faces. Stand. Stand. Stand. I continued to squeeze the boys' hands with all my might with my brown eyes glaring at the ground. Finally, my friends, three others, and me were the only ones who were not standing. Looking back at the general, I saw his expression of fear and courage turn into a look of anger. Was he upset that so many people from a small school be in Omega? Apparently, Omega was not a very high ranking squad, but what does he expect from us?

"Well, only three of each of y'all made it into Alpha and Beta groups. The people in Beta are Timothy Foster, Trevin Hester, and Zach Martin." (General Caesar)

Looking at each other, smiles grew on our faces at the thought of us being together, but we are in a high class. What does that mean? Glaring back at the General, I saw a serious face cover him, but that did not stop from the excitement growing on our faces. We were still together, but when our names got called, no smiles appeared on our faces. Only serious. Not even fear.

"Well sit down. The final three stand up. Look at the real soldiers. Shoot one is a girl. Our Alphas. Now, it is time to get serious. We have where all of y'all live, so no running. Today is your last day of school. At five'o clock, everyone of y'all named will be departed into their own squad. We are not playing games any more! This is war! Each of y'all will be briefed on everything once you arrive. Do not supply clothes, but anything you can fit into a backpack. If you have a weapon you would like to bring, you are free to pack it. Oh, Welcome troops to the Eternal War. May God keep all of y'all safe." (General Caesar)

I felt my heart skip a few beats. Not saying a word to Koga and Mako, we walked down the stairs but were stopped by three male soldiers.

"So fresh Alphas huh?" (Soldier 1)
"If a girl could make it, the test was rigged." (Soldier 2)
"Only girl in the Alphas. I agree to the rigged part." (Soldier 3)
"Now, Suki was better than both of us." (Koga)
"Yeah. Don't talk down on her." (Mako)
"Haha! So cute. Y'all won't be so tight once y'all leave here." (Soldier 3)
"What do you mean?" (Me)
"There are three groups in the Alpha different from how the test results went, The advanced, proficient, and basic. I doubt y'all made it into the same teams." (Soldier 1)
"That is how y'all will get picked up, too." (Soldier 2)
"She already looks like she is about to cry!" (Soldier 3)

Pushing the soldiers aside, I ran start away from the gym. I heard my friends yelling my name, but I couldn't stand the idea of not staying with my friends. They were everything to me. My father is a drunk who never comes home, and my mother works on the corner every night to have me a place to live. Those two are the closest things to friends I have.

Ignoring the rest of the school day, I ran home. Fast as I could. Who cares about staying at school? I am about to go in a war that I don't even know what I am going to be fighting. Also, I do not want to be in it! I want to be a normal junior high student for once! Running in my house, I ran straight to my room and glared around.

Under my bed, I grabbed a small black backpack. Going to the dresser, I pulled out a locket first. Opening the locket, on one side was a picture of mother and father when everything was perfect, and on the other side was my deceased brother. He died in a car wreck with father. I think every day about what if that girl wasn't on her phone. The thought will never bring him back though.

Next, I grabbed a picture of Koga, Mako and me being goofy. Koga was sticking his tongue out and hugging me tight on the right side on me, Mako was doing a duck face and hugging me tight on the left, and I was shooting peace signs with my fingers while smiling with my mouth open like a idiot in the middle of them. My favorite picture. I felt horrible for not telling them bye, but we will be in the same area. Maybe I will see them again.

Then, I grabbed the red key necklace. Even though it was just a key hanging from a string, it had value to it. Koga, Mako, and me each have a different color key because of some old crazy woman. Five years ago, she just ran up to us and told us never to loose them. Strange how she just gave them and ran. I told them they were magical keys that the world would need one day, but we were just eleven year old dreamers. Inside of putting this in my bag, I placed it around my neck and hid it under my shirt.

Finally, I grabbed my brother's favorite black and red 9 mm pistol and glared at it. Engraved on the handle was his name, Satoshi. I wanted to cry, but I didn't feel them coming anymore. After seven years, the tears kind of disappear. I felt like a heartless monster not being able to cry. I knew I wasn't though. Satoshi would want me to move on. No matter what.

Zipping the backpack, I wanted to tell mom what was going on, but I didn't want to wake her up. Walking to the kitchen, I found a piece of paper and a pen and wrote a note telling mother and father what was going on.

"Dear mother and father,
I do not know if they have told you, but I am leaving to go fight the Eternal War. I am so sorry I could not tell you to your face or hug and kiss you goodbye. Do not give my room away or mess it up though. I will be back. I promise. I am taking Satoshi's gun with me. All my clothes are saying here, so please do not get rid of them. By the time you see this, I will be on my way to the Alpha unit. Mom, do me a favor and find a better job. You are killing yourself. Dad, stop drinking. It wasn't your fault. Mom needs you. I need you.  I love both of y'all with all of my heart. Stay safe."
Love,
Suki

Folding the note, I left it on the table. I felt bad for leaving mom with dad, but the military would come after me and drag me away. I did not want my parents to see that. Along with my parents, I still felt horrible for leaving Koga and Mako without saying goodbye. How could I do that? I hope no pray we are on the same squad. I need my friends by my side. Then, a knock came from my door. They were here. Ready to take me away from my home, but now I get to see if I will be with my friends. Nerves covered my entire body as I thought about it.

Walking to the door, I took a deep breathe and twisted the doorknob that would change my life forever.