The Great Split

Today May 10th 2025 is the day the world found out about The Great Split. I am at home, on the couch with my dog Lucy, watching the third Escape Room movie when it gets interrupted with a shrieking alarm as the screen goes blue. I jump from the sound and spill my Ramen on myself “Shit Emma! what's wrong with you?'' I yelled at myself. “Emergency broadcast announcement will begin shortly” scrolled across the screen ten times before it cut to the President of the United States on the screen. He clears his throat, looks down at his paper and begins.

“Today I come to you all with good and mad news. The second civil war has come to an end. The terms of truce are not ideal. The United States will come to an end as we know it. Today we begin The Great Split. as of May 10th 2026 there will be eleven nations of the formal United States. These nations will have until next year to establish their governments. Citizens will have this year to move to the nation they would like to settle. This system is based on the writing and theologies of Colin Woodard. For more information and details about each nation and The Great Split please visit www.11NationsofCentralNorthAmerica.gov. Thank you.” The tv goes blue again, beeps a few more times then goes back to the movie like nothing even happened.

My first thought is Mia, I have to get to Mia. I hold the silver heart shaped locket around my neck. I remember back to the day Mia and I got our lockets on your 5th birthdays. They were empty inside and our foster mother, Alicia said we could put any picture we wanted inside. I immediately said I wanted to put a picture of Mia in mine and Mia followed by asking for a picture of me. So Alicia printed tiny pictures of each of us and we cut them into terrible, almost heart shapes and put them in the lockets. It was the best present we could ask for. They were actually our first birthday presents.

I shoot up from the couch and run to the bedroom to start packing. I shove everything I can into a few bags and load it all into my car. I also bring hiking supplies and my emergency kit. I had a feeling this wasn't going to go well. Then me and Lucy hop into the car. Before I start driving I send Mia a quick text.

Emma: I’m coming stay put and stay safe I love you!

Mia: Okay I love you, be safe. Be careful. The Deep South isn’t a fan of New Englanders.

Emma: okay. See you soon

Driving to the highway was terrible. It looked like anarchy outside, buildings being broken into, cars crashed, fires everywhere, and protestors crowding the streets. I keep finding myself playing with the locket. As I was driving I saw two men walking the same direction I was driving. One looked like a very elderyl gentleman and the other looked about my age. He seemed familiar. I pulled over on the shoulder and rolled down my window. “Do you guys need a ride?” I yell out the window. The younger man stops and grabs the older man's arm to stop. As soon as he turns my way I recognize the younger man as my friend Mason.

“We are fine.” the old man says and tries to keep walking. Then Mason looks at me, the older man and back at me.

“Hold on. My grandpa can be...Independent.” he catches up to his grandpa and exchanges a few hushed sentences before returning to the car.

“We will take the ride. Thank you Emma.” I unlock the door and they get in.“This is my grandfather Herbert.” he says, gesturing to the older gentleman. “Grandpa, this is Emma, the girl I married in kindergarten.” I chuckle remembering it

“Hi Herbert, this is Lucy.” I say smiling and gesturing to Lucy who is already curled up on his lap. He smiled and pet her.

“Okay, where are you guys headed?” I say starting to drive as Mason buckles up in the back seat.

“We are trying to get to Orlando to get my brother.” Mason replied

“That's perfect, that's where I'm headed to get my sister.”

“Nice! Road trip with my grandpa and wife.” mason jokes.

We drive for hours upon hours. Mason and I took shifts driving in 5 hour increments. Harold hung out in the back with Lucy and complained about the split. We mostly tuned him out. I kept checking my phone trying to reach Mia but I lost cell service when entering the Tidewater nation so Virgina. All through the ride we see empty battlefields from the war but we try to avoid talking about the reality of what brought us here. Mason and I reminisce about growing up together and highschool durning the times we are both awake.

“I had the biggest crush on you growing up.” Mason confesses.

“No. no you didn't.” I say laughing at the idea.

“Yes I did.”

“But you always had girls all over you. even in kindergarten all the prettiest girls liked you.”

“I don't know about that but even if it's true. Who did I marry?” This makes me blush and he smiles.

“That's true. I'll admit, you were my first crush.” Now he blushes.

We continued flitatiously talking until his five hours was up and it had gotten really dark. We are just entering The Deep South.He pulls over and says that we should both get some sleep and we will start driving first thing in the morning. We settle in and get comfy and turn on the radio for some background music. Unfortunately there is no music, just news but we listen anyway. We learn that many in The Deep South are angry about the split and even angrier about northerners coming down. They have been threatening and hurting northerners and people known to have beliefs of other nations. Mason qdecides to take off the license plate from the car and leave them on the side of the road. We get in the back seat and fold the back seat down so it's like a bed and wrap up in the blankets from the trunk. We talked some more about where we might settle. Mia and I always talked about California which is now The Left Coast Nation. Mason talks about how he and his brother used to talk about moving to Colorado or California.

“If you and your brother end up in California. Let me know.” I suggest

“It'd be nice if we both end up there. It'd be kinda crazy too. We've been in eachothers lives since we were three.” he says moving in closer. It makes my heart race a little.

“That's true. It would be weird not having my husband around.” i joke

“Remember when my mom almost killed me for stealing her rings?”

“Oh yes! And Alicia almost killed me for destroying my first communion dress because I insisted on a garden wedding right after it rained.”

“It was a nice wedding though.”

“I agree.” We laugh a little and then lock eyes. We slowly moved closer to eachother. My heart is racing and I'm hoping his heart is too. Then our lips touch and I feel my whole body tingling. I had never felt this way kissing someone before. I grab his face as we kiss harder. He grabs my waist pulling me closer. Suddenly we hear a loud snore that kills the mood. We look in the front seat to see Harold passed out with Lucy still on his lap.

“He's going to try and steal my dong isnt he?” I say and Mason laughs.

“We should get some sleep shouldnt we?” he says, sounding a little disappointed.

“Yah, probably.’ I say, just as sad. He kissed me one more time. I lay my head on his chest and we fall asleep.

In the morning i wake up to the sun shining through the windows into my eye. I feel a slight weight on my mid section. A nice weight not heavy but comforting. I peek over my shoulder carefully to see Mason asleep peacefully with his arms wrapped around me. I turn towards him.

“Hey sleepy head.” I say wakeing him up gently.

“Hey.” he says, opening his eyes with a smile.

“We should get going if we are going to make it there today.”

“Youre right. This just feels so nice” he says, setting a piece of hair behind my ear.

“You too arent going to get it on while i'm in the car, are you?” Harold startles us and we both sit up.

I agree to drive since Mason was the last to drive last night. We head into the deep south where the country has basically been destroyed from the riots of the split. It takes us about seven and half hours to get to Orlando.

“What if the split causes another war?” i ask

“Honestly I'm expecting it. That's why we should get as far west as possible.and why i got this bad boy.`` Harold replies, showing us his gun. Me and mason look at eachother a little concerned but decide not to worry about it.

“Why west?” mason chimes in.

“Becuase no one wants war there. The Left Coast and “The Far west” never wanted the war in the first place and got dragged in by alliances. They are done fighting.” Harold informs.

“You're right. That's probably the safest place to be.” I agree.

“Sounds like we both might end up in California afterall.” mason says smiling

“Yah?”

“Yah there are a lot of perks going there.” he says winking at me and I blush.

We reach Orlando and when we turn into Mia’s neighborhood it looks like a war zone, homes being broken into, garbage cans on fire, cars left running with doors open. We get to her house and I see the door wide open. My heart is racing a little as I jump out of the car and run to the door mason running after me.

“Emma slow down you dont know whats in ther.” he yells. I dont listen i burst through the doorway.

“Mia! Mia! Where are you! Hello! Mia!” I ran through every room and she was nowhere. My head is spinning and my heart drops to my feet. I pull out my phone to call her and the call won't go through. I look down at her bed and see her bags still there all packed. I fall to the floor as my mind floods with the possobilities of where she is. The tears pour out of me. Mason comes in and Harold and Lucy are not far behind. Mason sees the bags, reads the room quickly and kneals down next to me pulling me into his chest. As he does, I open my eyes slightly and they catch something shiny under the bed. I pull away and crawl toawds it. I pick it up and my heart breaks. She would never purposely take it off. I open it to see my younger face staring back at me. I grip the heart shaped locket in my fist. “I need to find her.” I say all tears are gone, all I can feel is determination.

“We will. I'm not going anywhere until you find her.” Mason says.

We hear Harold checking his gun and then say “Let's go get her.”