Within the very deepest depths of my soul, I have known for some time now that great change was upon us. I am but a girl, barely a woman, yet I am wise. The colony people have always sought out my advice. Recently, the seasons have begun to change and I immediately knew this was the first sign.
There are four seasons; The Sun, The Wind, The Snow, and The Rain. Each lasts about three to four months. For the past eighteen months, our colony has had nothing but Wind and Rain. The hills surrounding the metropolis by the water are completely drenched; growing crops is absolutely impossible. The sea levels have risen and pushed those closest to the shores, inland.
The colony has survived and thrived on it’s own for the past two centuries. Our ancestors broke away from the greater whole of society. The rest of humanity lived in a way that was leading to destruction and our ancestors were smart and brave enough to recognize the world for what it was; artificially self destructive.
Our ancestors slowly began to become one with the Earth in a very spiritual way. This eventually developed into an astral ability hereditary to the entire colony. My people are able to spiritually manipulate the Earth in natural ways. When large groups of us link our minds together by dedicating our total focus to one specific need, we as a whole are able to communicate with Mother Earth. We have lived this way, completely secluded by our hills and our water for the past two hundred years.
The four seasons are out of our power, however. Their elements aren't directly connected to Mother Earth, so our astral spirits aren't able to penetrate their forces. And no one in the colony knows why The Sun hasn't returned. Never in recorded history has this section of the Earth ever experienced such weather. Although the colony knows nothing about what became of the rest of the world, our people remember society before very well. The colony lives in what was known as San Francisco.
The clustered rectangular homes have returned to natural grassy hills and what were once cement roads have now become dirt paths. The metropolis by the water however, is still there. It’s been renovated to fit our liking's on a much grander scale. The buildings aren't as tall as they are wide, like they used to be. They’re also designed to completely fit the landscape, so many of our buildings exist halfway above ground and halfway under. Some of our grander architect’s have built rather lavish homes on the side of cliff faces so that large windows overlook the Pacific Ocean. Up in the hills our homes are small but perfect everyone. The hills are very steep, so we've incorporated bridges that take you over and across the land, rather than through it. It’s quite efficient.
The calm and quiet of our peaceful colony is changing, it has been for seven months, but why? The elements are speaking to me, but I don’t understand what they’re trying to tell me. When The Sun didn't return, I began to have similar dreams almost every night.
It always starts with me standing atop the tallest hill in the hills, overlooking the Ocean. Looming above my head is an endless black sky with the slightest hint of blue. In the very distant horizon of the sky, the bright stark of silvery stars arch over the vast grey sea, one after the other. At first I believe I’m watching many shooting stars, but then their colors and patterns begin to change. Fluorescent blues and greens zigzag across the skyline with fuzzy indistinct edges. Looking at it is overwhelmingly beautiful; I can feel my aura vibrating.  A nasty gripping sensation in the center of my sternum starts to blossom. I must have fallen asleep and started to dream because I can actually feel this. This is my warning, my first real sign as to what is coming.
I bolt upright in bed, my forehead covered in a sheen of sweat. As my foggy brain clears I take notice to the fact that it is the middle of the night. I live high up in the hills and one after the other shrieks of terror rip through the night. This is it, I have to act fast. I slide on my snuggest hoodie and slip into my jeans as quick as I can, followed by my hiking shoes. I take a peek out of the window to find that the colony is being attacked, by other people. How could this happen?
Leaving my one room home made all for myself, I shut the door quietly and poke my head around the corner. The invaders are far from where I stand, two hills away to the left, they've yet to reach me and my clan.
There are eight of us in total, four men and four woman; they’re all older than me. At the start of The Wind and The Rain months, I gathered seven of the strongest, and bravest, and most importantly, most experienced spiritual projectors to share my insights with. Each of them was on board with me from the start. We've been meeting in secret for the last seven months. I’d hoped that with constant training, maybe we could expand and stretch our abilities as individuals so that we wouldn't have to link our minds all the time. It was a risky task at first but eventually all eight of us became able to telepathically send thoughts to one another.
Moda, Paten, and Artella are the other girls. Moda is like a grandmother to me. She appears to be frail and fragile on the outside, but she’s absolutely tough on the inside. Frizzy grey hair falls down her shoulders in the way a witches hair would, only she has the kindest face. Paten isn't much younger than Moda; she’s more like a great aunt. She wears her hair short, with natural red curls clung to her head. Artella is the closest girl to my age. Her eyes are a brightest shade of blue, her skin is pale, and her hair is long and dark. Her face is worn with laugh lines and eye crinkles.
I send out one very specific thought. Get to the Sanction Ring. Now.
Right after we formed our little clan, we found a spot in the woods at the very top of the hills. It’s a secluded opening, somewhat of a meadow. The grass is thick and full, but not the kind that’s scratchy. It’s completely surrounded by trees; the perfect ring of sanctuary. Ever since we found it, it’s been the place of our meetings, training, and practice sessions.
If it weren't for the guys, Shaggs, Kreg, Quade, and Hex, I don’t believe us girls would have persisted as diligently. Quade is close in age with Artella. He has a darker skin tone than most of us. His hair is jet black and short, worn spiky. Hex is older like Moda, with a small gut protruding from his midsection. A burly grey mustache hangs on his upper lip, while he keeps his chin perfectly smooth. Kreg is like a commander; being in his presence screams authority. His head is completely shaved, and his body is well toned. Shaggs is the only person close to my age. His dark blonde hair, with matching eyes, isn't long or short, it kind of just flops anyway it wants to. He isn't buff or anything, but he also isn't lanky.
I run hunched over close to the ground, staying near each home I pass. Homes aren't very big unless you have a mate and a child; even then they aren't too big. As I make my way between homes, I’m very exposed. One of the invaders could see me at any time; they’re only ten homes away!
Hurry! They've reached our hill! Go! I scream with my thoughts.
Kaymie, I've go, Paten, Moda, and Hex.
Oh thank heavens! I can always count on you Shaggs. I think very gratefully.
I have Artella, and Quade. You can count on me too, you know. Kreg says mockingly.
Of course I can Kreg. Thanks, you two for getting with the others, ill meet you all in the ring. I reach the trees just as the invaders peer into my home, and I run with all my might. Because it’s the middle of the night, and I’m sprinting through the woods, it’s hard for me to see. I feel my forearms and shins brushing up against twigs and overgrown bushes. At one point, I get a rip in my jeans on the side of my right thigh. Finally I make it to the Sanction Ring and I stop running. All seven of my comrades rush to my side; Hex helps me stable myself from panting so hard, I want to collapse.
The eight of us make our way to the center of the ring and sit in a tight circle. We place our palms on the knee of each person on either side of us and close our eyes. I show them my dream. Showing them is easier than trying to describe it.
When it’s over, Shaggs is the first to speak. Shaggs is at the end of his fifth spanse, I’m at the start of my fourth. The people of the colony count a person’s age each five rotations of the seasons, so one spanse is a total of five individual rotations. “What do you think it’s trying to tell you? I wonder what the lights on the horizon signify.”
“Yes I wonder the same thing. I don’t have an answer to that yet. But the pain in my chest, it felt greatly unnatural, almost other worldly.”
Quade, in his seventh spanse, adds, “You had this dream just now, didn't you?” The look on his face portrays the idea that there is more he wants to say.
“Yes I did, and I woke up as soon as I heard the screaming. I think it was a warning, one that came just in time. These invaders, they’re rounding up our people and gathering them on the trails between the metropolis and the hills. I spotted them just as I reached the tree line.”
“So chief, what’s our job?” Artella asks me. She’s in her seventh spanse, like Quade.
I stand up from the circle and walk to the outside perimeter. Turning to face everyone, I speak directly to Artella, “You, Kreg and your group are going to head off to the east,” I turn to face Shaggs, “You and your group go off to the west. I want you to observe and survey what the intruders are doing to the people they already have gathered. I want a report on how our people are handling this. I’m going to stay here. After you report back to me, I am going to try to penetrate their minds.”
As I’m speaking, everyone begins to rise and group up. When I've finished speaking, Moda asks, “Is there anything else we could do? I mean, when we get there, our separate groups could link together and try to immobilize the attackers.”
Interesting idea. Moda is in her ninth spanse, and one of the weakest in the clan. However, she has all the right kind of determination we need. “That’s actually not a bad idea. But before you do that, I want to hear what it is they’re doing to our people.”
“Fair enough.” Moda says simply enough in a light voice.
Kreg and his group have already taken off. Moda has grouped with Paten and Hex. Shaggs approaches me and places a hand on my right shoulder. A wide smile spreads across his face and he says, “You make a great leader Kaymie. I hope you know that.” In response I smile broadly as well, but before I can formulate words he and the rest of his group are running through the woods. Wow, did Shaggs actually just make me blush? It doesn't matter, I can’t think about that right now. 
I walk to the very center of the Sanction Ring and sit down with my legs crossed, waiting for someone to speak telepathically to me. 
Kreg voice suddenly invades my brain. Our people are physically unharmed. The intruders are in a giant standing circle around them. It’s hard to tell, but I think I can see an invisible field encasing our people. The air is visibly thicker.
What on earth is going on? How are they grouping everyone? I ask hastily.
It’s peculiar you should ask that. They've separated them into four groups; adults and children, then boys from girls.
Alright, tell Shaggs and his group to hold. I’m going to try and get into one of their minds.
Kreg doesn't reply to me after that. I lie on my back and shut my eyes. Immediately, I’m filled with the image of a dark grey ocean drifting below a vast violet sky scattered with brilliant diamonds. Somehow, it’s as if I've been transported into one of my dreams. The fluorescence of blues and greens dance across the horizon, blooming so brightly I have to squint. When the lights are too unbearable to look at, my eyes shoot open.
Kaymie! Can you hear me? Get here, now! It’s Shaggs screaming into my brain. The terrified shock in his voice has me up and sprinting within a matter of three seconds.
As I run through the trees, I start to see things through Shaggs eyes. Peering through the thick bushes, crouched next to five other people, I watch as a transparent glow of blue and green creates a blanket suspended over my people. All at once, all the girl children are lifted off the ground and into the air. When the tops of their heads reach the colorful blanket, it’s looks as if they’re being dissolved into a million pieces then sucked up into the dark vortex that is the sky. Only seconds later are some of the girls spit back out; they fall helplessly to ground.
This repeats another three times with each other group they've gathered. When my people are finished being chosen for this other worldly disappearance, all the transparent colors and all the intruders evaporate into thin air too. It happens so fast that the entire invasion is over by the time I reach Shaggs. Whoever these human look-alikes are, they've decided that some of our people are of no use to them, but why? I tuck myself under the bush that the other six are in and get close to Shaggs.
“I saw everything. It was like I was seeing it all through your eyes.” My own brim with tears. “How could anyone do this another people? What could they possibly want with so many of us?”
“Kaymie, you mustn't lose yourself now. Let’s get out of the bushes and let the people know that we’re here.” Shaggs says trying to compose me.
Hex looks at me with a smile that touches and wrinkles his eyes, illuminating his face. “What are you cryin’ about young lady? You’re of the toughest we got, heck, you’re our leader.” Hex lifts a hand to my face and thumbs away my falling tears. “C’mon, let’s get out of this bush.”
The four of us climb out of the thick, tall bushes and enter onto to trail. Kreg’s group must see us because the four of them are quick to follow us. I can’t help but feel responsible for what hopelessness I’m witnessing. Every person who wasn't chosen by the invaders is weeping harder than I ever thought possible. Only a few take notice to the fact that somehow eight of us escaped, yet no one moves or directly acknowledges us. I turn and face my clan.
“We need to tell them what we've been doing, about my dreams, our speculations, all of it. We cannot let something like this happen again. I, I feel personally responsible for this, like we could have warned everyone somehow.”
“I agree,” says Kreg, “I also think it would be wise to train them, like we've trained ourselves.”
“I've already decided that.” I respond brusquely.
“What about the fact that they know where we live. I think we should leave.” Artella adds with her voice pitched high. Her voice elevates whenever she’s nervous. All eyes shoot toward her, in shock. Our people haven’t left in two centuries. Where would we go?
Moda steps forward and quietly says, “Before we make any rash decisions, I think we should continue this discussion away from the rest of the colony.”
We keep quiet and start walking along the trail, away from the sobbing people. Once we've reached an opening in the bushes, the eight of us cross over onto the grassy hills. We find a flat area and sit in a circle, this has become somewhat of a tradition.
“We cannot just up and leave our whole life behind, all our land behind. Our colony has been decimated. We have less than a fourth of our people. We know absolutely nothing about the rest of the world.” Kreg says passionately.
“I’m with Kreg on this one,” says Paten, “Where would we go?” she asks quoting my earlier thought. “We don’t have any means of travel other than our own feet. We don’t have enough food and water here, so it’s not like we can stock up and carry it with us.”
“Well there are more options than just leaving.” Moda adds, “We can train the rest of the colony to match our standards. We could hole up somewhere in the center of the metropolis, or even go underground.”
“And do what?” Artella asks with attitude, “Wait to be ambushed again?”
“Yes.” Kreg says instantly. “Because this time, we know they’ll be coming. And this time, we’ll have more force, more heads to put together.”
“Kreg has a point. I say we stick with his plan. We’ll come up with back up plans in case what we have doesn't work. Then, maybe, we’ll talk about what Artella has suggested. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” Everyone says simultaneously.
“Great. Since we have that squared away, let’s get back down to the trails. We need to tell our people what we know.” I say
With that, we all start to rise and walk silently back to the opening in the bushes. Once on the trail, I walk in the behind everyone else. Quade had nothing to say throughout that whole discussion. In the Sanction Ring, he had seemed to be itching with information, yet he holds back and kept to himself. I wonder why. Quade definitely knows something and he’s certainly hiding it; I’m going to find out what it is.