Release Day by Ryan Matthews

SPSFC 2022

Earth’s surface is no longer ours. Humans thought they were safe underground where the invading Arthropods couldn’t reach them. After centuries of occupation, the antiquated subterranean cities have deteriorated and they have exhausted their supplies. Making matters worse, the hostile invaders have destroyed one of the ten remaining cities. Now Huck, Ariadne, and Hemant are in a race to destroy the Arthropod Hive before the “inverts” completely annihilate humanity. But before the candidates can begin, they must survive their corrupt government’s population control scheme—a highly-fatal, barbaric event known as RELEASE DAY. To accomplish their mission, they must enlist the help of a group of dubious transporters to trek across the planet through numerous biomes, infinite swarms of Arthropods, and deranged surface-dwelling humans on their perilous mission to recover a war-ending device and carry it to the creatures’ hive.