Sixteen year old Aine lives in the Colony, and his whole life was decided before he was born. In two years he will marry the girl next door, Brin, who was assigned as his Other at birth. Then he will be given a position in the Colony's workforce that best suits his talents. Each night he takes four pills, like everyone else in the Colony, and he knows the pills keep them safe and their world in order. Everything is fine. Perfect, in fact. Until Aine accidentally drops one of his pills. Terrified, he tries to hide the mistake, but when he dreams for the first time in his life, he discovers all he's been missing. What scares him more than not taking the pill, though, is how alive his dreams make him feel. Because it isn't Brin he dreams of but his best friend Kyer. Another boy. Suddenly Aine's world turns upside down, and he doesn't know what to think or who to trust. All he knows for sure is he's falling in love with Kyer, which is forbidden by the Colony's Code, and he will do anything to protect their budding relationship. Even if it means defying the Overseer and leaving the Colony behind.

The Colony Book 1: Rebellion

Brin scoffed. “You’re always thinking instead of listening. You know that’ll get you into trouble one day.”


For the second time that morning, I bit my tongue to keep from saying something I might later regret.


The Oversight Center was the tallest building in the entire Colony, towering above its neighbors and seeming to scrape the clouds. I stared up as we approached, my head back as I tried to see the top, but another elbow from Brin made me stop. The Teacher held the door as we filed inside, two at a time. Our tags beeped as we entered, though I thought mine made a slightly different sound than the others. I stopped in mid-step, confused, but Brin pulled me inside after her before I held up the line.


A worker stepped around a white desk and approached, console in hand. She glanced at me—I saw the look—but it was the Teacher she addressed. “Thank you so much for accommodating this visit, C-4542,” she said with a smile. “I’m sure your class will enjoy the tour.”


Chapter 39