"Breaking news live from Sapporo, Japan!" a reporter screamed. "Just five minutes ago, the Asian sector of the U.S.C. had come under fire from a massive invasion! In just a few seconds, numerous soldiers were deployed as a full-on battle broke free. This marks the third invasion in just two days! With numerous cities already under the invaders command, the Asian sector of the U.S.C. is encouraging many young men and women to enlist and join the fight! I'll report mo-!"

"Oh my word," said the anchorwoman. The news feed cut back to her in an instant as her facial expression gave off a mix of shock and horror.

Johnny had sat up with realization. He just witnessed a man's life end on live television. His phone instantly started ringing as he looked at the caller ID.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Did you see that?" screamed Corey. The amount of feedback was destroying Johnny's ears.

"Yeah, I saw it," Johnny replied.

"You want to know something else?" Corey choked.

"What?" asked Johnny. "Are you, uh, crying?"

"Mara got drafted!" he screamed. "The drafts are back!"

Johnny's eyes widened. His hands shook a bit, and his heart started going off rhythm. Another friend is soon to be gone.

"Where are you, Corey?" asked Johnny.

"I'm on my way to her house," Corey replied.

"I'm on my way!" Johnny replied.

He got up and instantly grabbed his coat. He checked for his phone, his wallet, and his keys as he ran out of the house. He ran as fast as he could into the flooded streets as the rain smacked on his face and coat. She didn't live far, but the amount of stress he was in was causing him to lose it.

"The draft is back," he murmured. "I could be next? How long will I have with my family? Is it like the olden days?"

Johnny kept repeating those same words till he reached Mara's house. The television was on and could be seen from the window. A lot of people were at her house. Many bikes were in the muddy, overflowing yard. Multiple cars piled up in the driveway and even on the street.

Johnny walked up to the door and rang the doorbell.

Slowly opening the door, Mara's younger brother, by a year, looked at Johnny's face. He let out a silent but huge exhale as he opened the door more to let Johnny in.

"Victor," Johnny smiled. "How's it been?"

"It's going good," Victor replied. His voice was deep, and the way he spoke made it seem like he was an A.I. "What brings you here today?"

"Come on, Victor," Johnny said. "Think for a moment about why I'm here."

"Are you here to congratulate me on my drafting?" Victor replied. His voice is getting more robotic. "Well as mow, hot damn. What a time to be alive."

"You got drafted too?" Johnny asked.

"Well yes. I have the same birthday as my sister, just a year apart," he stated.

Johnny put his hands on Victor's shoulder. He nodded his head slowly before patting him on the back. They both walked into the living room as the draft was still being televised.

"Is it still going on?" Johnny asked.

Most of the people in the house were fixated on the television. Half of the men and women in the living room were shaking in fear.

The draft system went back to the old days. The date of your birth was what they'd call out. Since the war began, everyone from the age of 16 and up has been instantly asked to sign up for selective service. This was a law reinstated, and disobeying it could lead to heavier punishments. When your birthday is announced, the man announcing it will also state the day you ship out. You will also get a letter a couple days later on your ship out date.

Outside got darker as everyone crowded around the TV. Johnny's mother called him to ask where he was. In the background, the draft was playing on his TV. He hesitated before answering. Both of them stopped speaking for a moment as the man pulled a black ball out of a glass bowl.

Opening it slowly and looking at the words written on a small slip of white paper.

"November 27th," the man announced.

An exhale was heard throughout the living room as Johnny regained his train of thought. He spoke to his mother then hung up. He looked over at Victor and tapped him on his shoulder.

"Where's Mara?" he asked.

"Ahh, so that's why you came, heha," giggled Victor. His eyes were widening more and more. "She's upstairs, probably doing lady things. She's been sobbing nonstop, heha."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Johnny nodded and walked upstairs. He's been to this house for years. So much so that in the toughest times, he's even spent the night there. Mara's parents call for help or other needs all the time. The stairs leading up the second floor were full of pictures of their family and friends on the wall. It's as if you're passing through a portal to the past.

Once he reached the top of the steps, Mara's room was dead ahead. There was movement and talking in the room, along with small hiccups.

*Dun dun dun*

"Hello?" Johnny asked.

"Johnny?" replied a familiar voice.

Johnny opened the door to see Corey resting on the wall and Mara sitting on the edge of her bed. The three of them were looking at each other and smiling.

"So you're being shipped off?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah," Mara hiccupped.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'll be honest," she continued. "I'm excited, but I'm also really scared."

"Excited?" Johnny questioned. "That's a new one."

They all laughed. Both Johnny and Corey could see she was not in the happiest mood. Her voice would frequently crack, and she would constantly squint to force herself not to cry.

"You'll be alright," Corey replied. "I'll pray for you."

"Thanks, Corey," she smiled. "Thank you both for being here."

"So do you know where you're going?" asked Johnny. "What branch are you joining?"

"Well, this announcement was for the need for more air force personnel," she replied.

"Air force?" Johnny replied. "That's cool!"

"Yeah, you can become a pilot or something like that," Corey said.

Mara fell on her bed. She looked up at the ceiling. She was tired and had goosebumps all over her arms.

"It's getting late," she said. "I don't feel like talking about this anymore."

"When do you ship out?" Johnny asked.

"In a few weeks," she said. "That's why I want to relax."

Johnny and Corey looked at each other and nodded. They gave her a hug before walking out of her room. Downstairs, everyone was fixated on the TV. Five more dates were given, and two young boys who came to the house were in the mix of it. They were losing their minds and stuttering around. Johnny asked if his birthday had been announced. Mara's father smiled and said it wasn't. He also told Johnny and Corey to help Mara cherish their few days. The thought of her leaving to join a bloody war ached in his heart. The more he thought about it, the more tears would try to flow out of his eyes.

Johnny gave him a hug and promised to cherish these few weeks with her and Corey. Even Victor can tag along as well. With that being said, the crew spent their last few days with each other. Enjoying every bit of time they had.

The day came as both Johnny and Corey stood on the sidewalk in front of her house. Watching her sobbing face as she walked into the car and drove off with her father, mother, and Victor. Both Johnny and Corey didn't cry, but they couldn't believe another friend of theirs was gone.

"What now?" asked Corey.

"Now we relax and think about other things," Johnny yawned.

The sun didn't shine today either. It was cloudy and foggy. Outside was sluggish and damp. The grass was muddy, the air was cold, and noses were runny.

As the week went on, nothing happened. There is no information about the draft; nobody is losing their minds. More pictures accumulated on the wall, but that was it. Shortly after, another draft took place. After that, the history class was down to just four people.

From the quiet room to the quiet hall, the war was surely progressing. The need for young people to enlist in the military and fight for their planet has been the norm. Deaths climb for both forces. Pictures of the dead, of the tired, and of the shell-shocked surround the internet.

Soon it was May, and the warm weather slowly crept in. It was colder than usual, but it was a change from the harsh winter and the beginning of spring.

[The List]

"Morning, Johnny," Corey called out. "It seems you've finally got a job."

"What are you doing here?" asked Johnny. "What's with all these groceries?"

"Dinner and snacks," he replied.

"They got you running errands now?" Johnny laughed. "Poor Corey."

"Yeah, well, it'll be over when the war ends, most likely," Corey said.

"Why's that?" Johnny asked. "Some sort of timed event?"

"Timed event? Heck no," Corey replied. "My dad has been busy taking care of the soldiers with PTSD and their families who need prayer."

"Are pastors supposed to do that?" Johnny asked. He continued to put the groceries in bags.

"Yes, well, at least he does," Corey said. "He's been at it all day."

"Dang, that's insane stuff," Johnny said. "And here you are running family errands."

The supermarket was pretty empty. There were three lanes open out of sixteen, but due to many young employees getting drafted, not many people are available to work on short notice. Johnny got the job a few weeks ago and has been at it ever since. His mother now partially relies on him for financial help. With the hard work he's putting in, Johnny is only a year and a half away from graduating high school.

"Johnny?" Corey asked. "There's another draft announcement soon."

"Yeah, I know," he replied.

"Are you feeling queasy?" asked Corey. "I am."

"No," Johnny said.

"Ever wonder what Mara is doing now?" Corey sighed.

Johnny looked at him with a straight face. He also wondered what Mara was doing right now. It's been a few weeks since she left them. Her parents came back but have been shut in. She and her brother were both drafted into the Air Force. Their casualty list isn't as big, but it's still frightening.

"Hey, if you were to get drafted, where would you go?" asked Corey.

"Probably Navy, or Marines," Johnny replied. "Tough question since I don't want to do any of that."

They both chuckled. The draft announcement was beginning soon; this was for the Marines. Corey had his phone on him and decided to take a rest before going home with the groceries. Since Johnny was going on break soon, they decided to watch the draft together.

"You feelin' as nervous as I am?" Corey asked.

"Eh," Johnny replied. His eyes were glued to the screen. His teeth were silently chattering as the man in a nice black suit started the announcement and started selecting dates of birth.

"January 1st," he announced. "January 5th, January 9th, February 24th, February 25th, March 10th, March 11th, March 23rd, April 1st, April 12th, April 23rd, May 9th, May 23rd, June 23rd, June 29th, July 6th, July 8th, July 14th, July 25th."

Silence covered both of them.