Mary Weber - The Sofi Snow Novels

The ice-planet arrived in the dusky heat of summer twilight during Earths Fourth World War. Just when the moons jeweled fingers were slipping through that one broken slat in the barn roof that Papa always said hed fix but never did. The same slat through which hed pointed out Ellas favorite star to Sofi and her brother, Shilo.

As if everything within Papas wrecked heart was trying to keep their focus off Earths brutality by reminding them of their half sisters spot in the heavenly skies. As if their forsaken little hearts needed any reminding of where her spotor their mothersshould be.

Shh. Papa put a finger to his lips and beckoned Sofi over to watch the planet settle in place. I wont let anyone harm you. See how its moving across the moon?

Six-year-old Sofi mimicked him to her brother, putting her own finger to her lips. Shh. Theyre coming, Shi, but we wont let them harm you. To which baby Shilo spit and giggled before swatting at a firefly.

Sofi pulled his tiny hand into hers as the sinister globe stopped a good distance beyond the moonand uncomfortably too close to Earth. To them. To their little broken-slatted barn that sat planted like a patch of sumac right on the decimated border of Old North Carolina and the rest of the starving, war-ravaged world.

Planet Delon the broadcasters had called it.

The Delonese Death was what her expatriate neighbor, Mr. Watte, was calling it.

The blasted planet from the pit of you know where was what Sofi had decided to call it...

That had been years ago.

Eleven to be exact.

But now here she was...

Standing in the same place, same barnjust missing a few wallswith Shilo.

Still calling it that.

A sudden rustling emerged from the overgrown bushes, causing Sofi to glance around.

You think its the tech buyer? Shilos twelve-year-old voice cracked mid whisper.

She peered into the dark. I dont know, but if I tell you to run for the hover, you run.

He looked insulted. And ditch? More like Ill kick whoevers sorry bu

A boy emerged. Two boys in fact, each barely older than she was. Clearly drugged up. Skin and bones. Like many in the populations being overseen by the United World Corporations.

The bigger kid held out a broken-tipped knife and Shilo slid in front of Sofinever mind she was half-a-head taller than her brother.

Sofi scowled. She shouldnt have let him coerce her into bringing him. Especially for the thrill of earning a few extra bucks off her old tech devices.

We only want food, the boy said. Just give it to us and well leave. He brandished his half knife again, wider, before doubling over in a coughing fit.

Sofi nudged around Shilo and reached down into her pack to pull out a sandwich. Then tossed it to them and watched the taller boy fall on it like a starved animal. The shorter boy took one bite, then slumped down and stared up at the sky. Sofis gaze softened. Food wasnt going to fix them.

Are you guys from out here or from the child black markets? she asked gently, but the boys hacking up of phlegm cut her off as he squatted by his friend, and Sofis handheld buzzed.

And there she is, Shilo groaned. Tell her were getting tattoos.

Sofi snorted and swiped the screen to see their mothers face looming.

Sofi, where are you? What have you two done? FanFight III starts tom

Sofi clicked her off. As if the woman will even be at the Games. Time to go, she said to Shilo, then turned toward the impoverished boys, only to find the shorter ones foggy breath had stopped and his gaze fallen still. It was fixed in a frozen stare on the ice-planet.

She tossed the bigger one the few tradable coins she had in her pocket. He took them and turned without a word.

The next moment Shilo slid his oversize hand into hers, his voice quiet. Sofi, sometimes I hate all the death. It makes my soul tired.