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The Water
Faction 2859
Isabelle Alexandrakis
It hasn’t rained for decades. The whole world is a ball of desert. My
name is Aaliyah Wilson. Everyone says that rain was the most
beautiful thing on earth, regenerating and hydrating everything;
giving us all fresh and clean water. There was even something called
a ‘rainbow’ that glistened across the clear, alluring sky after the rain
had finished its job.
Sadly, that isn’t reality here on Earth. It’s the year 2859. Earth is
crumbling apart, people are starving and many can’t survive much
longer. The
UMOTW
(United Ministers Of The World) issued a
plan several years ago: in order to regain the amount of water, they
developed the Water Factions. Every year, the toughest two
competitors from each country are sent to space to find any remains
of water left in our galaxy. Many don’t return. The country to find
water first wins an entire year of ‘pampering’ and three quarters of
the water; the remaining quarter gets divided between the losing
countries. Australia hasn’t won the Water Faction for decades.
In a few weeks, the deciders (as they are called) will be coming
down to every town in our country to find the two toughest
competitors Australia has to offer.
‘
I can’t believe it. Today’s the day the deciders come and pick the
competitors. I am hoping they pick me but then again, what if I
never return?
‘You excited honey?’
‘I don’t know what to feel, mum. I want to go but what if – ‘
‘Stop focusing on the ‘what ifs,’ Aaliyah. You know you would love
to get chosen to fight for what we deserve.’
I could tell by the look in my mother’s eye how much it hurt her
to see me pleading to leave and fight. Her daughter would be gone,
out of reach, helpless in the endless darkness outside earth.
‘I better get going now if I want to go to the trials.’
‘Bye sweetie.’
‘
I enter the intimidating building with hope in my hand. I have
nothing to lose.
‘Name and age.’
‘Aaliyah Wilson, 16 years of age.’
‘Take a left turn. The first door to your right will be your warm-up
room. You will share it with five other girls. Then you will be called