Chapter 3
Ryker
After completing my daily routine of reflection and self-loathing, I toweled off and pulled on my clothes. It was almost 5 am, and I had to get moving before I was late. There was a mound of cow shit that needed some attention and it had my name on it. Another day in paradise.
I pulled onto the property and saw my buddy Jeff sitting on his tailgate, waiting for me as usual—Mr. Punctual. “'Bout damn time you got here, Rike...thought I was going to have to get started without you.”
“Bahhh, relax, Jeff, the sun isn't even up yet.”
“Don't 'Bahhh' me, Ryker; nobody wants to be late for everything all the time, oh shit, I forgot you do.”
“You can kiss my ass, Jeff.”
“Pft, keep dreaming, Ryker, Enough flirting; let's get to work. Your uncle has a whole day of fun in the sun lined up for us, and I know how much you love your job.”
He wasn't wrong. I actually did enjoy the physicality involved in the work we did, but I had always dreamed of being more, of doing more, but it wasn't meant to be. I was doomed to spend my days on this ranch, busting my ass for a few bucks and a bad back.“Jeff, I'll grab the shovels, and you get the wheelbarrow. I'll meet you at the truck.” Jeff gave me a cocky smile and said. “Sure thing, but hurry the hell up; I am due for my insulin shot, and I will die just to spite you.”
I threw Jeff the middle finger before needling him one last time.“Okay, princess, I'll double time it just for you.”
I found the shovels and was making my way back to the truck when I noticed the sky starting to brighten. As I got back to the truck, Jeff had an odd look on his face. “What's your malfunction, Jeff?”
“Ryker, something ain't right about that sunrise.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“What do you mean? Looks pretty average to me.”
“Ryker, the sun isn't supposed to rise for another hour, and last time I checked, it doesn’t rise in the west…”
My eyes widened to match Jeff's when the realization hit me, he’s right. "what the FU…" I felt a vibration, and everything froze. I couldn’t feel anything; I couldn’t move anything. I was stuck in this moment. My mind was running a 100 miles an hour, but the light on the horizon continued to grow bigger, and brighter, to the point that it looked like the sun was going to collide with the earth. Then it stopped; the light dimmed and slowly went out. We were plunged back into the darkness of the predawn gloom. What was left in its place was a giant outline that took up almost the entire sky. Then in the east, our sun started to rise, and the first rays of light hit the shape, it was a ship.
Covering the sky was a gunmetal-gray vessel, just floating there! Its massive size was hard to comprehend. Then, all of a sudden, I regained control of my body and collapsed to the ground. I looked over at Jeff and found him next to me, crumpled in a heap, gaping up at the sky. “Jeff, what the hell is going on, man?” He just lay there, shaking.
Moments later, as I tried to climb back to my feet, a distortion around the hull of the ship could be seen rippling out in every direction like a wave. Then it hit us, and I felt that same violent vibration penetrate my body again, but this time I didn’t lose control. I heard a voice. It wasn't like hearing someone speak out loud; it was more akin to a very loud, intrusive thought. It said, “Inhabitants of Earth, your planet has been protected and monitored for thousands of years by the Galactic Empire and now has grown strong enough to be given the opportunity to join its ranks. Your population will be evaluated by our imperial A.I., and one of three caste designations shall be selected on your behalf. Standby for execution of the lowest caste in 10... 9... 8…”
I saw Jeff steel himself, and I could see a calm fall over him. “Ryker, I don’t know what's going on, but we gotta stick together. We will get through this, brother!”
“OK! I got your back. We just…” 2... 1…Jeff exploded into a gory mess, all that made up my best friend in the world now hovered in front of me like an inside-out abomination of what was once a person, he didn’t fall to the ground; he started to rise into the sky and separate like he was being pulled apart on a molecular level into smaller pieces until he was nothing more than a bloody mist, rising towards the ship.
As I watched in horror, I saw a blood-tinged cloud of what I assumed were thousands of people from the nearby town being drawn towards the ship; then, with finality, Jeff and all of those people were gone, absorbed into the metallic monstrosity that loomed over me. The flame inside me began to grow, and all I could see was red. A primal roar forced its way out of my lips; then, all I knew was darkness.