“Divided Through Rise” is a climate fiction story that uses various aspects of climate change such as sea level rise, genetic modification and world powers, to bring awareness to climate change and the potential impacts that could be brought upon humans in time of desperate need.

Our story, “Divided Through Rise” follows the life of our two main characters, Ripley and Atmus. Atmus was born in Southwest Asia. His dad Vance, is a scientist that studies genetic modification. When Vance learns that sea level rise will affect his country sooner rather than later, he sets out to genetically modify bird and human DNA and combine them, in which he is successful.

As he learns about sea level rise, Vance tries to warn other countries that haven’t been affected yet, but many of them won’t listen. Ripley was born in Africa, where the sea level rise had already taken her country. She and her  parents adapted to the water and learned to live and survive in it. Ripley’s parents become the leaders of their community underwater and live happily as the sea takes over the world.

Fast forward 18 years later and Ripley and Atmus are all grown up and sea level rise has been getting worse. Countries all over Southeast Asia have been nicknamed the Fliers, as they all have moved to the sky and have the characteristics and modifications of birds. Ripley and her family are nicknamed the Atlantics because they live in the water. The final group being the terrestrials. The terrestrials are normal humans that have not underwent any genetic modification or evolution. Terrestrials are found in North America and are avid climate change deniers.

The plot goes like this: As sea level rises and overtakes some of the terrestrials land in north America, they call a meeting with the Atlantics, accusing them of “controlling the sea” and taking their land as a power play. Here we see the Atlantics deny this and try to tell them that climate change is to blame. The terrestrials don’t believe this and decided to start a war with the Atlantis. All the while, the Fliers don’t know, nor care, what is happening because they mainly keep to themselves and don’t associate with the “lower levels”. 

The terrestrials soon start bombing the water with nitrogen bombs to start algal blooms. This eventually kills many Atlantics, including Ripley’s parents. During this war, Atmus and Ripley meet. Atmus saves Ripley’s life after she almost gets killed by Terrestrials on a boat. She and Atmus exchange stories and struggles, and come to respect one another. This is when Atmus decided he and the Fliers must intervene and stop this war between the Atlantics and the Terrestrials. Atmus convinces the Fliers to help the Atlantics and stop the Terrestrials overall.

A massive wave strikes the Terrestrials and swallows almost all of their land. They are forced to confront climate change and ask for help from the Fliers. This is when the Fliers, after much deliberation, agree to give them access to the genetic modification and accept the remaining Terrestrials as Fliers. The story ends with only the civilizations of the sea and air surviving, where people live in harmony.