After the Coming

They said they came in peace, wanting only to gather the righteous and take them to paradise. The aliens did so much more, emptying entire cities of humanity, destroying governments and political borders, taking all resources they considered valuable, and departing just as suddenly as they arrived, leaving Earth devastated. Their families taken, fourteen-year-old, Luke, and his best friend, Arnie, find themselves just trying to survive. Ten years later, Luke and Arnie are as close as blood brothers. They survive as nomadic traders, traveling the continent, salvaging whatever they can find and bartering for food and water. They trust few, and call no place home. It's not the life they thought they'd be living, but it's the best they can do. Rhett and his parents survived the alien invasion by retreating to their bunkers in rural Oklahoma. He keeps his family hidden and only ventures out on sporadic trade runs. Until, he is, caught by an interloping, gang bent on destruction. When a good turn for a woman on her own leads them into the middle of a war between rival factions, Luke and Arnie must decide whether, to finally stay and fight for those they care about, or keep on running. Trust is hard when morals and integrity are forgotten words and you're not even sure who your real friends are.

Mick lived through hell until he escaped two years ago. He was too young to understand when the aliens came, or the devastation they caused, but he sure knew what growing up in the aftermath was like. Surviving under the thumb of a crazy, self-proclaimed preacher and his equally psychotic soldiers, he lived each day wondering if it would be his last. Arnie has decided to settle down and put the life of a nomad behind him. He has his hands full taking care of three orphaned, teenage boys and helping his chosen family provide for themselves. When Mick decides he's waited long enough for Arnie to see him as a man, Arnie finds himself running scared for the first time in his life. Arnie dealt with aliens invading their world and taking everyone and everything they could get their hands on. Defeating encroaching gangs and scavenging for food is just part of surviving. A determined young man changing the way he sees himself is something else. New beginnings. Friendships end. Life goes on.