(Dreams) Chapter 2

The school day was way too long and I was exhausted. I’d had enough of Cooper to last me a lifetime. Ever since I’d turned him down, he’d taken it to heart to make every moment of my life miserable. I hated the group class system. It meant that I had every single class with the insufferable jerk. I stomped angrily out into the parking lot to my small ’98 Ford Escort. My parents wanted to get me something a lot nicer and from this century, but I’d fallen for my little green companion from the moment I’d laid eyes on her. Sadly, it was reaching the end of its days and it would have to retire to that great parking lot in the sky. My baby was right in the front of the lot thanks to my early arrival to the school premises.

I leaned up against the door and searched through my backpack for my keys. All around me people filed out of the school. Where were my keys? I just about dumped everything out on the hood so I could search more carefully when a somebody leaned up next to me.

“Looking for these?”

I glared at Cooper. I moved to snatch my keys but he held them above my head, way out of my reach even if I were to humiliate myself by jumping. “Hand over the keys or you’re a dead man.”

“Is that so?”

He made as if to consider my offer. I knew it was just a farce. He’d been planning this carefully since the moment he’d stolen my keys.

His hand dropped a fraction of an inch. “I don’t really believe you. So tell you what,” he paused and I knew I wasn’t going to like the next thing that came from his mouth, “I’ll give you your keys when you give me a kiss.” He tapped his cheek lightly in the place he wanted said kiss.

I took a step back, preparing to deliver a vicious kick to his gut.

A voice interrupted me. “Leave her alone!” Jason looked angry. Cassidy’s face was contorted in worry.

“Go away, Jason,” I snapped at him. “I’m handling this.” I did not need his help!

Jason didn’t listen. “Why do you always have to be so mean to Cadence? Why can’t you just lay off?”

“Couldn’t you try to be less of a jerk?” Cassidy interjected softly.

I hated that they talked like I wasn’t even there.

People were starting to stop and watch. I felt my cheeks flame in embarrassment at the scene.
“At least I’m only talk.” He seemed to relish the attention. “I’m not some wolf in sheep’s clothing,” he nodded at Cassidy.

She paled visibly.

He continued. I felt the ground fall out beneath me. “I’m not the one who broke her heart.”

The world was still. Jason’s mouth had fallen open. Cassidy gasped and took an involuntary step back. Her foot caught the lip of the sidewalk and she fell to the ground. My world was over.

“What did you say?” Jason whispered.

A grim smile broke out across Cooper’s face. “Let me spell it. You. Broke. Her. Heart.”

That’s it. I was done. I resumed the stance I had taken before Jason had materialized. Cooper doubled over gasping as my foot connected with his gut. The keys were in my hand almost before they’d even touched the ground. I didn’t even bother repacking my backpack. I smashed everything in between my hands and shoveled it in my car. My cell phone fell out from my grip and landed under my car. I considered it an inevitable loss of battle and left it. I climbed into my car and drove away. The time from when I’d kicked Cooper to when I escaped covered the span of about five milliseconds. I’d have to improve my getaway time later. Five milliseconds was four point nine milliseconds too many in an emergency situation.

My car’s air conditioning was broken and it was the middle of September. The hot smugness of summer had yet to melt away. My windows had to be rolled down manually with a handle that had fallen off. As I drove home, I didn’t take the effort to reattach the crank and open my window. I didn’t deserve to be relived of the sauna. I was a horrible friend who couldn’t let my two best friends be happy. I sweated like a pig as I drove the 18 miles back home. Sweating like a pig is a stupid expression, I thought moodily to myself. Pigs don’t even have sweat glands. That’s why that had to wallow in the mud: to keep cool.

I reached my home way too soon. I hadn’t had a chance to torture myself enough for being a bad friend. I stormed inside. My parents weren’t back yet from whatever charity event they happened to be hosting that day. Our house was so meticulous that if I wanted to grab a paper and pencil, I would have had to run all the way upstairs to the storage closet. Instead, I grabbed one of each from my backpack. I scribbled out a quick note:

Broke my phone. Took my jet ski. C.

Normally I would take the kayak, but I wouldn’t have time to make it to the island and back if I took the Kayak. Plus my mom was always happy when I used one of their gifts. The only reason I’d mentioned the broken phone was so my parents wouldn’t worry when I didn’t answer. Also so they could buy me a new one. It wasn’t exactly like money was an issue in my house.
I quickly threw on one of my warmer swimming suits and clipped a life jacket on over it. As an afterthought, I grabbed a small throw blanket. I stomped out the back door and along the dock. I didn’t bother looking around me as untethered the ski.

An eerie feeling washed over me. I stood up straight and looked around. Nothing looked at all out of the ordinary. The picture of a girl popped into my head. She had long blonde hair, a pale face, and eyes as dark as the back of the moon. A shiver passed through me. I repeatedly looked around me as I finished my preparations. I left the dock with a sigh of relief.

Even though the water was chilly as it splashed in my face, I reveled in the feeling. To be out in the open, breathing the crisp air, to be free. I was going to my favorite place. At least, it used to be my favorite place, back when Jason and I used to visit it, before Cassidy. Now it tormented me with memories of what used to be. It was now my own personal means of torturing myself.

I scowled as a plane flew by overhead. My parents loved that our house was so close to that “cute little airport.” I found it annoying. Luckily they didn’t get a whole lot of business. I urged my ski to speeds closer to 70 mph so I could pass Washington Island quickly. The sky was practically perfect, except for that one blot of clouds. It was a “good fly day.”

Who the heck did Cooper Little think he was?! All I’d ever done to him was decline going on a second date. The first had been a disaster after all. Cooper was on the varsity football team, not that that was really much of an accomplishment considering that our graduating class was only 42 people strong. The whole date, when he wasn’t ignoring me to watch nameless pro-teams plays on the TV above my head, he’d been bragging about his nonexistent football skills. He couldn’t stop talking about how he was in the starting lineup or how he’d almost scored a zillion and five points against that one team from down state. I’m pretty sure that everybody on the team started and that Cooper had never even touched the ball, forget about scoring points! I spent the whole time politely nodding and using incredible amounts of self-control to not bang my head repeatedly against the table. Thank you Cooper, now my life was over. When I got home I would have to tell my parents that I was moving to Florida to live with grandma.

I passed Washington Island. I’d made it a stupid game to guess when I crossed the border into Minnesota. When I was little, Jason and I had been so sure that crossing into Minnesota was like crossing into a new world. We’d often talk about how it had a different feel surrounding it. We pretended we were astronauts exploring a strange new place. I wondered if tears were slipping from my eyes, intermingling with the spraying surf. Each memory was like a knife, slowly cutting away at my soul. Wow, when did I get so overdramatic?

Minnesota in three, two, one, now. No wait! Now. No, definitely now! I was in Minnesota.

I weaved around the smaller islands waiting for my own little Poverty Island to show its face. I saw it and smiled. Just like always, the dilapidated lighthouse stood waiting to greet me.

I brought the ski in slowly until it lodged itself on the bank. I made sure that it wouldn’t drift off by securing it to a rock. The water lapped cold against my shins. I shivered and grabbed my supplies. As I walked up the beach I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders. I saw garter snakes flitting about among the rocks. They seemed more agitated than usual.

The lighthouse reminded me of happier times. I felt sick thinking about them, but that was kind of the point. In a way, the lighthouse was like me. At one time it had been the shining beacon , but now it was falling apart. I remember a time when people used to look to me for guidance. I’d kept the secret well hidden for a long time and no one had made the connection. Jason had been the only one and he hadn’t told anybody. But somebody found out, and like lightning it had flashed across the school. Now my life was endless thunder. Everybody knew I was filthy rich.

The change hadn’t been immediate, but slowly my friends had started dissolving away. I heard the rumors circulating about the outlandish things I owned, including a castle in Ireland made of gold. People said that I thought I was better than them, that I’d always held myself slightly aloof. My parents riches had robbed me. That was the real reason I was clinging onto my junker car until its dying breath. Everything I owned that wasn’t perfect helped me feel like a normal human.

The stairs creaked something awful. My heart speed up its pace in fear, like it was trying to get as many beats in as it could before I fell through the floor to my death. I tried to be as light on my feet as possible. Chipping white paint flaked onto my back and hair as I pressed myself against the wall. I scooted slowly by the giant hole that consisted of more missing steps than I cared to think about. I push up with my back on the trap door and climbed from the hole to the upper house. My heart seemed to sigh in relief. I briefly wondered if other people thought of their heart as its own being. I thought mine had a rather strong personality with all the mood changes it seemed to go through. Like for instance, when I stood and saw the view, my heart dropped from a million beats per minute to maybe three.

I let the view overwhelm me for a moment. Then I turned away. I wasn’t there to experience happiness and beauty. I was there to be punished. I sank to the floor. From there I could only see the sky. I closed my eyes. Even the sky was too good for me.

Jason’s face swam behind my eyelids. I felt tears break beyond my eyelid barrier. I wasn’t worth Jason’s notice. I’d been stupid to convince myself. I built a fire in my mind and burned all of my break-up-Cassidy-and-Jason-so-Jason-comes-back-to-me plans, one by one until my mind was full of the ashes they’d left behind. I opened my eyes so that those too could wash out with my tears.

The world around me was considerably darker. I knew my imagination wasn’t great enough to overrule the logical part of my brain. In other words, I wasn’t seeing darkness because of my tears filled with imaginary ashes. The lighthouse shook as thunder rumbled across the sky. My heart began to speed again. I was stuck on Poverty until the storm passed. I raised myself to my knees and looked out.
My little water ski had become dislodged in the swelling waves. I watched in horror as it smashed again and again into the rock.

* * * * *

The boy felt extremely weak. He’d used all his meticulously stored energy on visiting the girl. His poor heart had been running solely on adrenaline when he’d returned to his self after his visit. As he reached the place he called home, he felt his heart begin to recharge. He felt happy that the little guy could take a break. Even so, it would be days before the boy could go running around fully juiced again. The boy briefly wondered if others personified their hearts as much as he did.

Objects around him focused and the boy’s smile faded. The land looked worse, not better. From where he was standing, he could see chunks of the wall falling away.

“What happened?”

The boy turned to see that the older lady was already there. “I’m sorry, Nayloni.”

The woman smiled sadly. “True as that me be, Nayto, you didn’t answer my question.”

The boy made himself look into her gray eyes. “She woke up.”

The woman closed her eyes. A sign escaped from her lips. “What did you say to here? I hope you did not scare her away from here forever.”

The boy looked at the wall. Cracks spread over every inch of it. Sections were beginning to crumble. “I did not tell her about this place. I told her to think of me when she went to sleep. I did not know what else to do.”

“You did well, Nayto. We can only hope she finds this place herself before it is too late.”

The boy’s eyes fell to the ground. “I’m sorry, Nayloni.”

“It’s not your fault.”

The boy walked away. The wall wouldn’t last the time it would take him to get the energy to return. He absentmindedly said hello to the quiet people he passed. Nayloni wasn’t happy when the boy did the thing he was thinking of doing. He’d left his light on in his room and not slept for enough time for his parents to think he had insomnia. He still had the sleeping pills in his drawer. He would force himself to sleep longer than his body thought it needed. He had to build up energy to make another visit. He felt a flash of anger at the girl. Why wouldn’t she do what he’d told her? Everything depended on her.

(Dreams) Chapter 1

My latest creation - Dreams. Give me your thoughts.


My eyes snapped open. My body was covered in a sheen of sweat. Breath escaped in short gasps form my lungs. The red glow of my alarm clock told me it was 2:37 a.m.

I sat up shakily and clutched my blankets tighter. I felt eyes on me. Somebody was in my room. There was a shuffle to my left. I jerked my head in that direction.

I saw a boy. He looked as if he were trying to retreat. As our eyes met, he stopped moving away and rose to his full height. He wasn’t tall, but he was probably still taller than me. From what I could tell, his hair appeared jet black. He had blue green eyes that seemed to glow out of his face.

We watched each other silently. Finally, he opened his mouth. “You weren’t supposed to wake up.”

I screamed.

He fell back at the sudden sound. I threw my pillow, catching him off guard. He stumbled back, into the stool I hadn’t bothered to push back under my desk. He fell over it and landed on the floor. His head smashed into my lamp, sending it crashing to the ground. The bulb sparked and shattered. I was still screaming.

“Cadence!” my dad yelled. I heard movement outside of my room.

The boy was across the room in an instant. I was still sitting up, and he slipped behind me. His hand slapped over my mouth. His other arm wrapped around me, restraining me. He was surprisingly strong for his build. The door flew open.

My dad looked around frantically. To my surprise, he relaxed slightly. “Are you okay?”

I was shocked. Did he not see the look of terror on my face? Was he seeing something I wasn’t?

“Not seeing, actually.” The boy’s breath was hot on my ear.

I froze. How did he know what I was thinking?

The boy physically made me nod my head in answer to my dad’s question. Adrenaline sent my heart racing. What the heck was going on?!

Dad’s eye’s flicked over my room again. He took in the fallen lamp. I could tell he wanted to say something, but his words were swallowed up in a yawn. “We’ll talk in the morning.” He closed the door and disappeared.

He left? He just left?! I sagged against my captor in shock.

“Don’t blame him,” the boy said. “It’s not his fault he can’t see me.”

Even if I’d have been able to say anything, I wouldn’t have been able to think of a response. With adrenaline and fear running at light speed through my veins, I tore away from the boys grasp and flipped him over me and off the bed.

He groaned and didn’t make a move to stand.

I crawled to the edge of my bed to look down at him. I grabbed the first thing my hand touched on the bed. I held the heavy edition of Crime and Punishment over my head, ready to use if he twitched a muscle.

He rolled away suddenly in a quick move I wasn’t prepared for. He was out of reach and I didn’t dare leave the safety of my bed. He lifted his hands to calm me, much like I can imagine someone doing to an angry bear. “Easy, I’m not here to hurt you.”

I hadn’t noticed before, but he had a slight British accent. It felt like this whole scene was straight out of Harry Potter. “Who are you?!” I hissed.

He smiled. Something glinted in his blue green eyes that I couldn’t quite interpret. “That,” he said obnoxiously, “is not a question easily answered.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not asking for your deep personal life history. Just tell me who you are and what you’re doing in my room!”

He raised his eyebrows at me. “But my deep personal life history is exactly what you’re asking for, you just don’t know it. Yet.”

I didn’t respond. The boy, so solid and so real at one time, seemed to be . . . fading. A franticness surrounded him all at once, and I knew that I wasn’t imagining it.

“Look, I can’t sit here and answer all your questions. I don’t have much time left. But you have to trust me when I say that what I’m about to say is important.” His eyes were pleading.

I glared. “I never going to trust anything you say!”

He looked down. “You have to.” The complete sincerity in his tone made me hold my tongue so he could continue. I could see my window through him now. “When you try to go back to sleep, focus all your energy into the thought of me. It doesn’t matter what you think about me, as long as you’re thinking of me.”

I could barely make out his outline.

“You have to do this. I can’t come back again until I gather enough energy. The walls might fall by then. The balance has to be kept!”

I couldn’t see him at all. I was alone in the darkness of my room. “What’s your name?” I called urgently at the place he’d been. At that moment, knowing his name was the only thing I wanted.

Out of the empty space, his voice floated weakly to my ears. “Ashton.” I knew he was gone.

I rolled the name over on my tongue. It didn’t feel menacing. Slowly, I lowered my book. I fell back on my bed and concentrated on breathing more regularly. There was no way I was going to fall asleep. My personal space had been violated, my dad hadn’t seen anything, and Ashton had disappeared into thin air.

“I’m dreaming,” I muttered to myself. It was the only explanation. People always said that you couldn’t feel pain in a dream. My eyes found Crime and Punishment. I briefly considered hitting myself with it, but discarded the idea. If this wasn’t a dream, I didn’t want to know.

I resituated myself in the blankets carefully so as not to accidently do something that would cause me to feel pain if this weren’t a dream. My pillow was gone, but there was no way I was going to go get it. I reached over and grabbed a different pillow. It was too fluffy. I didn’t care. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. I released the air in a slow sigh.

My eyes opened an instant later. Trying to wake up by going to sleep was pointless, and I wasn’t tired in the least. The clock glowed with the numbers 2:44. I watched it change to 2:45 then 2:46. I started counting the seconds between each minute change . . . 27 . . . 28 . . . 29 . . . nothing.

I wasn’t asleep. My eyes were wide open, but the red glowing clock had vanished. I was seized on every side.

I screamed against the hand that was clamped down over my mouth. Unseen assailants grabbed my struggling arms and legs. They lifted me easily off the bed and carried me across the room toward the balcony. We were outside and I could see what was happening. Men dressed from head to toe in black were stealing me from my room. My eyes were covered with something, and I didn’t see anything else. I never stopped screaming against the hand that covered my mouth.

I have no idea how they got me to the ground from my second story balcony, but they did. The sound of water sloshing against the bank clued me into where they were taking me. My suspicions were confirmed as they sat me down in a chair on a rocking boat. I felt myself being secured down. I took a breath to renew my screaming.

My captors took advantage of the momentary lapse. The hand lifted from my mouth and a gag was put in its place. Amidst the chaos, I heard a distinctly feminine voice break through. “Leave her be. There’s nothing she can do now.” All the hands lifted off of me simultaneously. I stopped screaming and blinked my eyes to focus.

The men were hard to see in the dark. They had formed a circle around me. The circle also extended around someone else. The girl was probably slightly older than my 17 years. Everything about her was pale; her perfect waist length hair, her porcelain face, her off white school girls dress. Everything except her eyes. Her eyes were like twin black holes. I imagined that life was being sucked out of me every second she watched me. Her face looked so calm and peaceful, like that of a mother sympathizing with her daughter.

My study of her physiognomy was interrupted by her voice. It was cold as ice. “I bet you’re wondering why I’ve had you brought here. The truth of the matter is that I don’t care if you know or not and telling you would just waste time. Besides, by morning you won’t remember any of this anyway. It’s a nasty side effect, but it suits my purpose here perfectly.”

My eyes widened in fear. The girl stepped up to me and put her hands on both of my temples. She was going to kill me. I knew it. I tried to scream again, but discovered that I was incapable. It felt like a blanket of darkness settled over my mind. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t think . . .

I jerked up out of my bed. The clock glowed 5:30. I felt a pervading sense of wrongness. I had no idea why I’d woken up. I felt violated. Something was in me that wasn’t supposed to be there. Had I eaten something that wasn’t sitting well? I followed my memory back. The last thing I could remember was having a sandwich before bed. The empty plate was still sitting on my nightstand.

Something caught my attention from the other side of my room. My head swung in that direction. My lamp was standing upright. Nothing was out of the ordinary about it. But the fact that it was fine did not sit right with me. I lied back down. My head rested comfortably in my favorite pillow.

For the remainder of the night I couldn’t go back to sleep. The feeling of wrongness never left me.

* * * * *

“So, are you going to tell me what happened last night?”

I glanced up from my toast. “What do you mean, Dad?”

Dad gave me that look that adults tend to give to children who are hiding something. “I’m referring to 2:30 when you woke up me and your mother with your screams.”

I raised my eyebrows at him. “Are you serious?”

His condescending look changed to one of confusion. “You really don’t remember? You broke your lamp when you threw your pillow, Cadence. Are you telling me that you didn’t even question why your lamp was broken this morning?”

“My lamp’s not broken, Dad. I used it to get dressed this morning.”

Dad stood up. He looked at me curiously. He turned and headed upstairs, most likely to verify my story. I checked the time on my phone. “Crap!” I was going to be late. If I didn’t make it, I would lose my alone time with Jason before Cassidy showed up. I swallowed the last three quarters of my toast in one bite. “Bye!” I yelled. I scooped up my backpack and ran out the door.

Lake Michigan peeked in and out of view as I recklessly drove the 18 miles to Gibraltar School. The parking lot was still empty. Jason had probably walked to school. When I reached the library doors, I had to physically stop myself from running. I patted down my hair. I’d taken extra care that morning to look good. I’d been trying to correct the feeling of wrongness I was still unable to shake. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. My eyes lighted on the corner table where we usually sat. They darkened an instant later. He wasn’t there. Maybe he was late.

I wiped the disappointment off my face and walked to the table. I smiled at the librarian as I passed. Pulling out my laptop, I opened up my unfinished paper. I needed to fix my procrastination habit, but that was a job or another day.

Younger grade children began to come in and look at the different picture books. Nobody in the older grades dared to show their faces in the library, something about being too cool for books. I took comfort in the fact that nobody would come in here and see that I was. Also, there was the whole thing that my last name was Beck.

The bell was about to ring, and Jason still hadn’t arrived. I forced myself not to feel anything. I pressed print and closed my laptop. I was waiting impatiently by the printer when Jason arrived. Cassidy was at his side. I deliberately didn’t notice how the backs of their hands brushed against the others. I also didn’t notice how much Cassidy glowed, the same way she did whenever Jason was around. I didn’t even notice how easy Jason’s smile came to his face. I forced down my pain.

Jason’s face drooped a little when he saw me. “I’m so sorry, Cade,” he said, walking up to me. Cassidy hopped along in his wake.

I waved him aside. “Don’t worry about it. I had a paper I needed to finish writing.”

He smiled at me. My breath caught. “You still procrastinating?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Well, you know me.” My paper finally spat itself out.

Cassidy giggled overly loud. The librarian shot us an evil glare.

“Let’s go,” I muttered, pushing by them. They followed me out.

“I stayed up too late helping Cassi with a project,” Jason continued, by way of explanation. “This morning I didn’t hear my alarm. Again, I’m really sorry.”

“Hey, it’s your grade, not mine.” The bell rang. “I’ll see you guys later.” I went to class. My school split the seniors into two different groups for our classes. It just so happened that Jason and Cassidy were in one group, and I was in the other. I cursed myself for ever introducing them last year. Now I’d lost my best friend.

I walked through the door to my English class. I took my standard seat in the front row and waited. I didn’t have to wait long.

“Look who got fixed up this morning,” a low voice whispered from behind me.

I didn’t bother to turn around. “Go away, Cooper.”

He didn’t listen. Cooper Little pulled up the chair next to me and sat. “Why the sour face, Cady Lady? Did Jason not notice your special efforts with Cassidy stealing all your thunder.”

I felt my face start to burn with a blush. “I said, go away.”

He leaned back in his chair and twined his fingers behind his head. “Bet you don’t feel so good about friending the new girl now do you?”

I reached down and pulled up on one of the chair legs that was in the air. Cooper sure didn’t look all that cool with his arms flailing as he crashed to the floor. A second later Miss Walker entered the room.

“Okay class, pull out your finished papers. And Mr. Little,” she gave him an annoyed frown, “I would appreciate it if you got up off the floor.”

I subdued my smile as Cooper climbed grumbling to his feet and fixed his chair. What he’d said had disturbed me. If it was so obvious to Cooper, why didn’t Jason notice? Or did he? Did he see my efforts and think them sad and pathetic? Or was I being so overshadowed by Cassidy that he didn’t notice me at all anymore? It was going to be a long day and I could already feel my eyes wanting to close from my lack of sleep.

(Dreams) Prologue

A little intro that doesn't make and sense, but that i feel needed to be there for later reference and current insight. :)



A boy watched the wall with fear and apprehension. The sky was darker than he could ever remember it. It reminded him of night back home. All the plants in the valley were dying.

“The balance has to be kept, Nayto.”

He didn’t bother to look at the speaker. “I know,” he said softly.

The older lady took a seat next to him in the angry, dying grass. “We don’t have time to wait for her to find her own way here. We don’t know how long that could take.”

“I know.”

“You’re the only one with the ability.”

“I know.”

“Then why haven’t you gone yet?”

He didn’t speak. The only visible sign no distress was his clenched fist.

She nudged him.

“Nayloni, I can’t.”

The woman read into the soul of the problem. “This is about what she can do, isn’t it?”

He didn’t respond, but they both knew she was right.

“We don’t have a choice anymore, Nayto.”

“I know.” He was silent for a moment. He looked at her for the first time since she’d taken place at his side. “Nobody should be able to cross back over. It’s not right that we meddle in their affairs.”

The woman laid her arm across his shoulder. “You do not abuse the power. You will teach her that she must not.”

There was nothing more to be said on the matter. Even if he didn’t like it, they had no choice. They had to keep the balance. “I’m going to wake up soon.” He could feel his body humming with the energy that had been slowly building since his arrival.

“Then you should hurry. Go now.”

He left.

Story 5

Escape

Shivers raced over my skin. A long cold river flowed swiftly passed. Snow covered the land. I was on one side of the river. My friends, my family, and my heart were on the other. To them I was lost.

I climbed the dead tree that overlooked the mountains. The small boat I’d used to row over was banked just below me. I couldn’t go home ever again. My destiny was now intertwined with that of the river.

“Madge!” a voice floated over to me. I glanced down from my perch to see Parker looking lost and lonely on the opposite side of the river.

I’d said my goodbye for long enough. Now it was time to leave. I slid out of the tree and into the boat.

“Madge, please, no!”

I couldn’t look at him as I picked up the paddle, and began rowing downstream with the current.

“Madge! Don’t leave! I love you!”

The paddle landed with a clatter in the bottom of the boat. I spun around, and gazed longingly after him. He was the prize I couldn’t have. He was the only thing I wanted. But I had to leave. I had no other choice. “I love you too,” I whispered at his diminishing figure. I turned forward and picked up my fallen paddle.

A sudden splash made me turn around. Parker was no longer there. His head popped above the water, and he began taking awkward strokes in my direction as the ice cold water began to freeze him.

“Parker!” I screamed. I rapidly paddled in his direction. I’d almost reached him when his head disappeared from sight.

I threw myself at the side of the boat, and stretched my arms as far as they would go into the place he’d disappeared. Please grab my hand, I screamed in my head. Grab my hand!

Something bumped against me slightly. I clung to the hand and pulled upward with all my might. Parker came up out of the water gasping. He was only half in the boat, and I struggled with all my might to pull him the rest of the way without capsizing. When he was in, I striped him of his coat and shirt. We both knew we had to get his clothes off him quick or he’d suffer from hypothermia.

I tossed him one of my blankets, and turned around while he peeled away his wet leggings. I busied my self with taking off my own coat and shirt, leaving only my thin undershirt.

When he was ready, I grabbed another blanket and spun to face him. He was sitting on the seat, bare-chested, to one side, shivering. The first blanket was wrapped like a cocoon around his lower half. I wrapped my large coat around him and draped the blanket over it. Sitting down on the bench but facing the other way, I slipped my arms inside the coat and wrapped them around his chest. He pulled the ends of the coat and blanket around my back and held the tightly.

“Sometimes you’re so stupid, Parker,” I mumbled against his chest as we floated down the river, willing my body heat to warm him. It was all I could do to hold back tears.

“I-I c-c-couldn’ le’ y-y-you g-go,” he stuttered. “N-n-not wi’ou’ m-me.”

I felt a warmth spread over me. Maybe I wouldn’t have to go alone after all.

Story 4

This story came from my friend Emily shooting words at me as I wrote. The bolded words are the ones she gave me it you couldn't guess. I can see lots of possbilities with this one. It might be just the thing I was looking for. More posts from this one might come in the future.


Telepathic. More like tele-pathetic. I was a failure, I thought as darkness surrounded me. It was a massacre. Everything was destroyed. A feeling of malcontent permeated the air.

I felt miserable. Everything was my fault. The malicious people knew it too. They said I was a terror. A menace. I didn’t even cry out for help as the stuffed me into a bag to carry me away. The fatalities were too great for me to feel otherwise.

The remaining people dropped me on the ground. Cold rose from the hard floor, chilling my skin. I couldn’t fathom the things they had planned for me.

The door slamming closed reached me. After a bit of careful maneuvering, I managed to slither out of the bag. I was in a dark room. Not even a sliver of light existed for my eyes to use to adjust. Most likely I was underground. Most likely, the people weren’t coming back.

Ever.

I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself.

Telepathic, they’d called me after seeing my first demonstration of the power I didn’t know I had had. They didn’t know it was something much more. It was magic, pure and simple, and I had no control over it. Mostly, it manifested itself in moving objects. But lately, it showed itself more and more in displays of fire. “I wish I could create some fire now,” I thought aloud to myself. But, as I said before, I had no control.

(Branded) II

How could have been so stupid?! I had tried to erase those memories over the years, and I had completely forgotten my best friend.

My thoughts were interrupted by the door slamming again. I looked up to see who it was. It was a huge man.

He had a dark mask over his head, so I couldn’t see his face. The only part of his face that I could see were his eyes. They were a deep crimson red. They seemed to be searching my soul for my darkest secrets. With sickening recollection, I realized who this man was. He was the Seeker.

The Seeker was sent out to catch those who had rebelled against the Watchers. It was also his duty to protect the Watchers and the Perfects. This man was the figure who haunted the Unclean’s darkest nightmares.

I could feel a scream building up in my chest as he took another step closer to me. My eyes were focused on his every move, fear pinning me down in my chair. If he were to attack, I knew I would have no chance against him.

Just as the scream made it’s way up to my throat and I opened my mouth to let it escape. The seeker jumped forward.

My scream froze in my throat. I didn’t recognize this boy, but he appeared to be my age. It was with a shock that I realized he was a Perfect. As I realized this, he pulled a red contact from his eye, revealing bright green beneath.

“Follow my lead,” he whispered, replacing the contact and mask. He grabbed my wrist and spun me in a circle so my back was pressed against his chest. His giant arm wrapped around me, pinning my arms to my side. His other hand came to rest over my mouth.

With his elbow, he pounded on the wall in the same place the head Watcher had prior. The door swung open, and we stepped out into the dark hallway beyond.

“You need to look as though you are fighting me,” the masked Perfect whispered in my ear.

There was no need to pretend. I started to fight back with all my might. His grip around me tightened, and he slowed down.

“No need to be that realistic,” he hissed.

The scream started to build up again. I didn’t know him. He said he was trying to help, but fear was still gnawing at me.

We were half way down the hall when two Watchers turned the corner. I started to struggle harder.

“Hey!” one of them called out.

The Perfect stopped and, once again, tightened his grip. As the Watchers came closer, something seemed vaguely familiar about them.

“Sedate her,” the first Watcher ordered. He had on dark glasses, but a thick mass of blond hair fell over them.

As my eyes widened in recognition, the other Watcher pulled out a long needle from his bag. He came forward and pushed my sleeve up. My heart rate accelerated as I felt the cold sting off the needle.

My eyes felt heavy, and my arms and legs seemed to relax. The masked Perfect lifted me into his arms, and started down the hall again.

* * *

Josh paced the hallway. Up, down, back up, and down. Impatience filled him to the very core. His eyes flitted over to the room then turned back to the imaginary line he paced.

I watched him through half-lidded eyes. I felt sick. It seemed as if the world wouldn’t stop spinning. And there was Josh. I’d see him appear momentarily while passing the door. He would then appear an instant later, walking in the other direction. He wasn’t helping my nausea any.

A small groan escaped my lips as he disappeared again. He appeared, again, in an instant, backpedaling. Seconds later, he was kneeling down by the side of my bed. Worry creased his brow. He took my hand gently and held it in both of his. Eyes the color of sapphires gleamed at me. MY mind flashed: Eyes in the forest, eyes of a child, eyes of a Watcher.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I rasped. “You knew me before.”

His eyes dropped, the last conformation I needed. When they lifted, I could see a deep sadness. “I was waiting for you to remember. After I told you my name, I thought you’d know for sure, but there was no recognition.

I thought that over for a moment. “Where am I?”

He watched my face closely. “Totus.” *

Totus! I was in the city of the Perfects! Another thought jumped at me. “Where’s my brother? Where’s Rick?”

His expression told me everything I needed to know. Slowly, he shook his head.

Tears welled up in my eyes. They had left Rick in the Waste. Sadness turned to anger. I threw my pillow at Joshua’s head.

“How could you?!” I screamed. “He is just a little kid!”

Josh ducked as the pillow flew past his head. “Hey! I’m sorry! We didn’t have enough time to get both of you out!”

My breath was coming out in hysterical sobs. “You should have tried! Do you know what they will do to him? No! Of course you don’t! You have absolutely no idea!!”

My anger faded away and my voice came out in a whisper. Josh had to lean closer to hear. “He was still a baby when we first arrived at the Waste. I was the one who raised him. He was all I had left.”

Making a sudden decision, I climbed from the bed, and headed to the door. Before I’d made it two steps, Josh stopped me. He pulled me toward him, and I collapsed against him as his arms wrapped around me.

“If it makes you feel any better,” he whispered, “we don’t think he was taken. We think he probably ran away after you were taken yourself.” He released a sigh. “I’m sorry Sam. We would have searched for him, but the Watchers were onto us. We still have people, though, hiding out in the Waste, watching.”

I rolled this over in my mind, and my sobs quieted. “Thank you,” I croaked with a voice that could barely be heard above the wind.

We sat there holding each other for a few more moments. Strangely, it felt right . . .
“Break it up!!” a voice shouted from behind. Instantly, Josh and I separated. Laughter broke out almost as instantly.

We turned around to see two more teenage boys, both our age. One had thick brown hair that cascaded right above his chocolate brown eyes. The other had strawberry-blonde hair and florescent green eyes. Both looked oddly familiar. Something in the way they held themselves.

“Hey there,” Green-Eyes greeted. “My name is Shawn, and this quiet thing beside me is Carson. We welcome you to Josh’s humble abode!”

It’s then that I realized that Shawn was the boy I’d mistaken for the Seeker. I offered them a smile of gratitude. “Thanks, you know, for everything.”

Shawn laughed. “Don’t mention it. Josh has been talking and planning to rescue you ever since I’ve known him. It’s an honor to finally meet you. In fact―”

He cut off as Josh plowed into him. Josh’s face was bright red. The two then commenced to fight as boys do. So I turned and began looking around the room.

Everything about it was . . . perfect. Smooth walls. Nice furniture. Clean floors. It was homey and filled me with a sense of security. But I couldn’t linger long on such thoughts, I had to make sure that Rick was safe. Somehow I had to leave to make sure that Rick was safe. Somehow I had to leave Totus without being noticed as an Unclean.

I paused in thought for a moment. Perhaps if I changed my appearance―

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door. The boys stopped fighting and looked at each other.

“Were you expecting anyone?” Shawn asked.

Josh came and stood close to me, grasping my shoulder. His grip was tight and frightened. He brought his hand to his lips and signaled everyone to be quiet. With his other hand, he pushed me behind the bed, and motioned for Carson to open the door.

Before he even took a step, the door swung open. There stood a girl with short blonde hair. She wore dark jeans with a white shirt.

“Seriously! You guys take forever to open the door!” she said, letting herself in.

I could practically feel the tension drain from the room. Josh still seemed a little tense, shifting his weight from side to side.

“Maybe there was a reason for that, Tesla,” Josh commented irritably.

The girl named Tesla turned towards Josh and placed a hand a hand on her hip. “Well excuse me, but I received a phone call from a very hysterical person telling, practically commanding, me to sprint over here with a bag of my clothes. Which, by the way, are mine and very expensive. Whatever you’re planning on doing with them better not involve scissors or the neighbors pet dog.

I stood up while she was talking. She barely gave me a glance as she continued her rant.

As the girl continued talking, Josh had somehow snatched the afore mentioned bag away from her grasp. He face me, rolled his eyes and mouthed, “drama queen.”

I barely contained laughter from erupting, but smiled as Josh handed me the bag.

“Here, we’ll go so you can change.” I waited for them to go, but Josh didn’t move. *** Shawn gave me a significant look I couldn’t interpret, before following Carson and Tesla from the room.

I looked into Josh’s eyes. He crossed the small distance between us with his hand until it grasped mine. Softly, he said, “I’m not sorry.”

I felt a prickling behind my eyes as his hand left mine, and he was gone.

My dead, scratchy colored clothes felt extremely uncomfortable against my skin. I snatched the bag from the place I’d set it on the floor. In an instant, my breath was coming out in short gasps when I thought about the way he’d looked at me. The worst part was, I still knew I had to go back to the Waste to rescue Rick.

As I thought of Rick, my stomach churned. I had left my brother. He had always counted on me, been there for me, and I had deserted him. All because I couldn’t pull myself away from the stupid fence.

Unwanted tears seeped out of the corner of my eyes. I quickly wiped them away, and grabbed the first clothes I touched from the bag.

I pulled out a beautiful white blouse that was light-weight and seemed to float around me. I had also grabbed a pair of blue skinny-jeans.

I looked at myself in the mirror across the room. My jaw dropped slightly. The clothes seemed to be made for me. They fit my non-curvy body like a glove. The only thing I didn’t like was my hair, but I would worry about that later.

Turning towards the door, I suddenly felt self-conscious. What would Josh think?

I shook my head at myself. I was being ridiculous. I had no reason to feel this way. So, with my head held high, I raised my voice. “I’m ready.”

Trying not to appear self-conscious as they entered, I tucked my hair behind my ear and looked towards where Josh was standing. A look of awe crossed over his face, but was quickly replaced by something I couldn’t comprehend. He shuffled his feet awkwardly, and looked down.

“You look . . .” Josh began, the same look of awe I’d seen before was prevalent.

Shawn didn’t feel the same reservations. “Hot!” he finished for Josh.

He wasn’t the only one that finished the statement, though. “Atrocious!” Tesla declared.

I looked at her in shock. She could at least try to say something nice.

“Don’t give me that look, darling. Sure the clothes are cute, but your hair needs a bunch of work before that outfit will look as fabulous as it has the potential to be. A little make-up wouldn’t hurt anything either.”

I kept my eyes firmly on the floor,

Tesla sighed and walked over to me, running her fingers through me drab brown hair. I heard her gasp, and she jerked away. I suddenly realized what she’d seen. My hand shot to the back of my neck, and I retreated to the far side of the room, away from her accusing stares. My small number brand seemed almost to burn beneath my hand. ‘I’m an Unclean,’ it seemed to scream. ‘I’m a mistake in your perfect world.

“What is going on here?!” Tesla demanded, looking at each of the boys in turn. She was wiping her hands vigorously on her jeans, trying to get my uncleanliness off of herself. Her eyes leapt to Josh. “Why is there a filthy Unclean in your house?!”

“Oh come on Tesla! Grow up,” Shawn said crossing over to her.

“Grow up?! No! I think my actions are quite appropriate for this time and place. It’s a filthy . . . thing!” she screamed.

Josh stood up straighter, and glared at her. “She’s a person, the same as me and you.”

“Ha!” she burst. “That brand on her neck says otherwise. I’m going to go find the Watchers right now!”

She turned on her heel. Shawn sidestepped right in front of the door. Tesla stopped in front of the door. Tesla stopped in front of him, and, without a word or warning, slapped him hard across the face.

As he looked at her with surprise she said with malice, “Out of my way Shawn.”

All I could do was watch as Shawn stood up straighter, glaring down at Tesla, and puffing out his chest.

“Make me,” he practically growled.

Tesla tried hard to hold onto the sense of duty she felt. She held her head up high, and glared right back at Shawn.

“Get out of my way, brother.” Each word was emphasized until she practically spat out “brother,” as if the taste of the word displeased her.

Shawn stood her ground, taking a step closer to Tesla so their noses were inches apart. “Like I said, make me.”

With a huge intake of breath, Tesla’s cheeks began to burn red, and she brought her hand back menacingly. But before she could release her wrath, Josh grasped her wrist, and twisted it behind her back. His other arm wrapped around her waist, just as she began to struggle.

“Josh! Josh, let me go!” She opened her mouth to scream, but Shawn put his hand over her mouth, silencing her. Tears of betrayal fell down her face as she thrashed around. Quickly, Josh and Shawn ushered Tesla through the door behind me that Carson held open. As she passed by, she threw me a glance that seemed to scream her displeasure at having me there. Her fury hit into me, and I crumbled against the wall as my knees buckled.

“Is that how everybody sees us?” I asked the floor in question as the door closed. I knew they were my betters, that I was beneath them. But I’d never faced it up front like this before. Living among the other Uncleans in the Waste had, in a way, protected me by shielding me from people like Tesla. It was only now that I realized Josh and his friends were in the minority.

I raised my head slightly, and was shocked to see that Carson was still in the room with me.

“Not everybody,” he said softly. I remembered I had asked a question. “Just a vast majority,” he finished.

Something in the way he’d said it made me start laughing. He examined me thoughtfully for a moment before walking toward me and extending his hand.

“Come on,” he said, “I want to show you something.”

Cautiously, I slipped my hand into his, and he pulled me to my feet. He led me out the door and into the hall. Soon, we reached another door that opened to outside.

I gasped as the sight of thousands upon thousands of stars greeted me. Carson caught my attention. He pointed to the brightest star in the sky. “You see that one?” I nodded. “It’s name is Sirius. While it is the brightest star in the sky, aside from the sun that is, it’s not actually the closest. It’s over eight and a half light-years away. That one, on the other hand,” he pointed to another bright star, “is called Alpha Centauri. It is the closest, at four light-years distance.”

“What’s a light-year?” I asked in confusion.

He was silent for a moment as he pondered how to answer. “You know how when you turn on a light, the room is instantly filled with said light. When light doesn’t have a stopping point, like walls and a ceiling, it keeps traveling. The distance the light is able to travel in one year is a light-year.”

“But, isn’t light without delay? Instant,” I said, grabbing onto the word he’d mentioned before.

“No,” Carson laughed, “that was a bad word to use on my part. Let’s put this in better terms. If something was to disturb the light from the sun, we wouldn’t become aware that any such disturbance had occurred until roughly 8 minutes later.”

I was so shocked at this. For the first time, I had a glimpse of how small we really were.

“Makes you feel insignificant, huh?”

I nodded.

“Tesla and others like her are like Alpha Centauri. Through pomp and circumstance, they were placed closer to the center.” He indicated the world at large. “But you,” he continued, “are like Sirius. You might be farther away, but you are still the much brighter star.”

I felt his eyes on me and turned to look at him.

“Is any of this helping you feel better, or am I just rambling on?”

I gave a small laugh. “Surprisingly yes, it does help. Thanks.”

“No problem.” He smiled.

“Sam?” I heard Josh suddenly call from inside the house. “Carson?”

Quickly, I dropped Carson’s hand I’d noticed I was still holding onto. “We’re out here," I called back, my voice shaking slightly.

The door creaked open and Josh stepped through. “What are you guys doing out here?” he asked curiously.

I gestured toward the stars. “Just looking.”

Josh gave a short bark of laughter. “Knowing Carson, you probably did some talking to. Ever since we found that book, he can’t stop talking about the stars. I hope he didn’t bore you too much.”

I looked at Carson, then back at the stars. “No, actually it was fascinating.”

Josh laughed again. “Don’t worry about hurting his feelings, Sam. We’ve all said it to him.”

Before I could argue my position, Josh continued.

“Are you ready to come inside?”

I glanced at Carson. He was leaning up against the railing, eyes fixed on the stars. “Yeah, I am.” To Carson, “Thanks again.”

He gave me a half smile out of the corner of his mouth, but didn’t look over.

I felt Josh’s hand slid into mine, and he pulled me inside.



* Totus – Latin word for whole

*** Just for fun, insert the following to where you see the *** in the story, then read until the end of the bolded part after the ***. It takes on a whole new meaning, and teaches you something about assumption words like gone.


“Can I have a moment?” When we were alone, he continued. “I’ve had a lot of time to think. Ever since they took you away I’ve been thinking. The first week after you were gone, I decided I wanted my friend back. I was angry at the Watchers. One day I followed a supply truck into the forest to the Waste. I saw you immediately, gazing outside the fence. You were so beautiful and so . . . sad.

“I went again and again after that day. I couldn’t stop going. Sometimes Rick was with you. Most of the time, though, you were alone. Other times you didn’t come at all, but that didn’t stop me from hoping to catch a glimpse of you.

“Then yesterday when you ran at the fence, Sam, it broke my heart. I couldn’t wait any longer.”

He gazed deep into my eyes. My mouth was hanging open slightly from shock. I was trapped in his deep blue sapphire eyes.

“I couldn’t stop myself.” His eyes darkened with need as he drew closer. His next sentence was hardly above a whisper. “Just like I can’t stop myself now.”

His lips met mine. All the air escaped from my lungs as I melted into his embrace.

There was a sudden gasp from the direction of the door. Josh pulled back and looked over. Tesla was standing open mouthed in the doorway. In a flash, her shock transformed into anger, and she had a gun in her hand. With a smile that a Watcher would envy, she pointed the gun at me, and pulled the trigger. I barely had time to see it happen when something slammed into me. My breath rushed out of me as something landed on top of me.

I pushed it off and realized it was Josh. I gasped and reeled back. A bright spot of red blood was blooming across his left shoulder.

Tesla growled from the doorway, and aimed the gun again. “Josh was mine!”

Carson’s arms were suddenly around Tesla. He pulled her from the room. Shawn looked shocked.


Now you see what I’d meant about gone. The first time you read it you probably assumed it meant he left the room. In this version, however, we see that gone meant death. You now know the power of the words of vague.

Story 3

Betrayal

Betrayed. I felt myself collapsing inside. He had betrayed us all. And it was my fault for giving him the secrets.

I raised my head and looked out the window. Men in body armor were standing down below. They were the Enforcers. In quick fashion, they prepared to storm the building. Behind me, all the other Resistors were crouched low in deep, agitated conversation. I was set on watch. They didn’t want to talk to me at the moment.

The expected flurry of activity ensued in the courtyard. “They’re coming,” I said quietly.

Brad, our leader, stood up slowly. “Time’s up,” he commented sadly. “Scatter,” he commanded, and was gone.

I stood and ran deeper into the building. As if on their own, my feet carried me to the room. A hand tightened over my heart, but I had to hide somewhere so I stepped inside. This was the room he had first kissed me. The whole time he had been planning the betrayal.

As I backed away from the door, a hand slapped over my face from behind. An arm wrapped itself securely around my waist.

“I knew I’d find you here,” Damien whispered dryly.

My heart beat began to race.

“Trust me,” he whispered.

That set me off. I pushed his hand away from my mouth. “Trust you? What reason have you given me to trust you? You betrayed us!”

His hand was covering my mouth again. Footsteps went running beyond the door. “There are bigger things happening than you understand.” He turned me around in the circle of his arm and looked pleadingly into my eyes. “I need you to trust me.”

I couldn’t break away from the chains his eyes bond me with. I knew what I had to do. Slowly, I nodded.

Relief broke out across his face, and he pulled me into a tight hug. “Follow my lead.”

He held both my hands behind his back with one of his. After opening the door, he put his hand on my shoulder, leading me down the hall.

We passed by Enforcers searching the building, but the paid us no mind. I began to fell nervous as we reached ground floor. Damien could sense my agitation. He leaned close to my ear. “Be still. Trust me.”

I clung to his words.

We stepped outside. I blinked as my eyes adjusted. Damien walked me over to a man who appeared to be in charge. My nervousness increased. Damien’s hand tightened over my wrists.

“Is this her?” the man asked.

“Yes,” Damien said, and my heart crumbled. “This is their leader, as promised.”

“What?!” I exclaimed.

The man signaled, and Enforcers seized me from either side.

“Damien!” I called as they dragged me away.

He looked me straight in the eye. “It’s what has to happen.”

My crumbled heart wrenched in half as the men threw me into the back of a truck, and drove away.

Story 2

Playing with Fire

Flash! She couldn’t see. The light filled her whole frame of vision. It seemed to burn her from the inside out. She couldn’t breath. Amid the flames, a voice seemed to call to her.

“Lauren!” The voice seemed vaguely familiar. She released a rasping cough as she tried to call for help. The building shuddered beneath her. She heard a crash.

Another shout rang out. It seemed to be getting farther away. Then it disappeared entirely. The fire seemed to be growing dimmer.

Suddenly, she seemed to rise into the heat. She was being lifted up, pressed against something. Her eyes fluttered open to see an alien looking down at her. It placed something over her head and began moving. Lauren lacked the energy to be scared. She wanted the flames to snuff her out as she would the flame of a candle.

The heat seemed to grow more and more intense. Then in a moment, it was behind her, like a distant memory. Or not-so-distant-, she decided as a wave of heat rolled over her. Even that, though, was fading away.

Shouting assailed her ears. The alien lowered her to the ground. Soft grass brushed her cheek. Smells of warm summer evenings caressed her. Her sore eyes blinked open.

The alien, or fireman she now realized, was speaking to her frantic parents. Some dropped down beside her. Worried eyes floated over her. “Chris,” she mumbled with a raspy voice.

Her best friend was covered head to toe in soot. “What happened, Lauren? Where did go Bryce? I thought you were supposed to be on a date.” He looked over at his house next door. Firemen were pouring water on it to prevent it from catching fire as well. Her house was a total loss. “I was home when I noticed the flames. I ran over immediately and saw Bryce leaving. I went inside to find you, but . . .” He raised his hands in a helpless gesture.

I closed my eyes against the pain: The pain of the burns and the pain in my heart. “It was Bryce,” I rasped. “He set fire to the house with me inside. He said he’d gotten everything he’d wanted out of me.”

Story 1

This is the first story in a series of stories I find fun to write, and will maybe someday add to. If you really want to, feel free to use them as writing prompts for yourself.


Ghosts

Kya cried out in alarm as the hulking figure rose up before her. She backed away until her foot caught a root, and she fell to the ground. It was over. She knew it. She was going to die in the forest by the hands of a stranger. Kya should have known better than to wander off alone in the woods. The stranger had been popping up everywhere for the last week. She curled into a ball and closed her eyes as the stranger stepped out of the shadows toward her. Tears were streaming from her pinched shut eyes.

“Kya?” the stranger asked softly.

The voice haunted her. She hadn’t heard that voice in years. Blinking her eyes open, she peered out at the stranger. She couldn’t speak.

He pulled her off the ground and hugged her tightly. “I had to be sure it was you.”

Kya’s voice cracked out. “Trevor? But . . . but . . . you’re supposed to be dead.”

(Branded) I

Here is a little something me and my friends have been working on. We don't really know what's happening so some of the details clash. Nikki Melanie Heather


I rounded the corner only to find a chain link fence blocking me. But I didn’t have time to pause. With a ferocity I didn’t know I had, I threw myself at the fence. As I did, a melancholy thought struck me. Why was I there? What did I expect to find? I’d known my time was limited. But that didn’t make me feel any better. Just a little more time, I pleaded silently. Just one more solitary hour.

But alas, no. I was stuck inside. I’d been able to pretend I was a normal person living a normal life. Pretend I wasn’t one of the “Unclean.”

“What are you doing?” a voice called from behind me.

I spun around quickly, expecting to see the Watchers, but it was Rick.

“What are you doing? You aren’t even supposed to be here!” I snapped angrily at my little brother.

“Oh, and you are?” he countered. I turned away in shame, thinking of how I could get away without involving my brother. It wasn’t him that had a problem with the strict schedules and so-called life that all of us stuck within the chain fence were forced to live by. There was nothing wrong with us, and yet they insisted that there was.

“Don’t leave.”

I turned back to Rick only to see his eyes glassed over with unshed tears. With a sigh I walked up to him and pulled him into a hug.

I put my hand on his shoulder and made as if to go with him home. Something caught my eye. Two bright blue eyes were watching me from the foliage. My fantasy was over. Time to get to reality. Accept my “uncleanliness.”

When I glanced over my shoulder, the eyes were gone. I released a shuddering breath. He was gone. It was for the best.

“What’s wrong?” Rick asked.

“Nothing,” I said with a sigh.

I hated that place. Eyes always watched. No privacy. No secrets. Someone must have let it out that I was leaving again, or trying to. But who would let it loose? Josie, Kyle, Eric? None of them would, but someone had to.

‘I have to get out of here,” I thought after Rick had gone to his room. There had to be a way. With a heavy heart I sat down on the chair closest to me. My eyes wandered around the place I’d called home ever since I was seven. Plain cement walls were devoid of any imperfection. A rule we were forced to live kept all pictures or personal belongings locked up in a chest at the foot of a bed —my bed to be precise, so the floor and table were completely clean.

Everything was regulated. The Watchers made sure of that. Every choice that should have belonged to us didn’t. That privilege was taken from us after the war.

I pushed myself off the couch with a shove. “I’ll be back in a sec,” I called to Rick as I walked outside. I went a few feet in front of our home and closed my eyes. If I was like this, I could almost pretend I was outside. I released a sigh and began to turn away.

A sudden commotion down the road brought me about. A group of teens my age were running up the lane. I immediately knew what they were. They were Perfects.

Behind them I could see the Watchers giving chase. I couldn’t move. They began to flash by me. I met the eyes of one of them and was startled to see that they were the same eyes I’d seen outside.

The boy met my glance, and last second, snatched my hand, dragging me along. “Come on,” he laughed. I felt panicked. Rick’s face peered at me from the window. His shock matched mine. And I was gone, with the strange group of Perfects, and the even more strange blue-eyed boy still holding my hand.

The group ran on, Blue-Eyes dragging me behind him. The group was laughing as the distance grew longer between them and the Watchers.

Blue-Eyes darted around a building with me in tow. He pushed me up against the wall and covered my mouth.

I heard the Watchers run past the building. Blue-Eyes smiled and then released me, but stayed close, his hand resting on my shoulder. He was a full foot taller than me. So I found myself staring at his chest. I took an interest in his shirt. Not only because it hugged his torso in a way that showed off his muscle, but the color was a shockingly warm brown. It was nothing like the dead scratchy color we Unclean had to wear almost every day.

“I think it’s safe to leave now,” the boy’s voice pulled my attention up to his face, “don’t you think?” I recognized the tone he was using as sarcasm, yet another thing I’d been robbed of.

His laughter rang out again as my face turned bright red. Sadly, it was probably the only thing about me that had any color. My drab, nearly colorless, brown hair fell limply on my shoulders. My ugly brown eyes matched it perfectly. I dropped them in embarrassment. What was he doing here? Why did he drag me here with him? Wasn’t he afraid my uncleanliness would rub off on him?

I glanced up at him before dropping my eyes again. His golden blond hair gleamed in the sunlight. He had a small dimple on his cheek when he smiled. That was another thing. He was smiling. It’s been so long since I’d seen genuine happiness. He really was a Perfect. I was an Unclean.

“Sure,” I mumbled in response.

I tried to walk away, but his grip only tightened. His eyes bore into mine, as if he was searching my soul.

“Let go of me,” I said casting my eyes down. “I need to get back to my little brother.”

He sill failed to let go of my shoulder. I panicked and did the only defense move I knew against a boy. Soon he was on the ground moaning and I was running back to my “home.”

I opened the front door, flung myself through the opening, and slammed the door behind me. My back was facing the main part of the house so I didn’t see Rick as he walked up to me.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice tired. When I turned to face him, I could tell that he’d been asleep before I’d so rudely woken him.

I kneeled down in front of him and took his hands in mine. “I’m sorry. Were you sleeping? I didn’t mean to wake you.”

A knock sounded through the house. I felt a nervous sweat break out on my back. The Watcher’s must have seen me with the Perfect. The consequences of such a thing would be disastrous. They would take me away and Rick would be left on his own. I couldn’t move.

The knock resounded again. I knew I couldn’t ignore them. Slowly, I shuffled to the door and eased it open.

I leapt back in shock. Blue-Eyes was standing there, casually leaning against the frame. I went to slam the door closed, but he’d lodged his foot in the way. He reached out a hand and easily reopened it.

I backed away in fear as he sauntered in and closed the door behind him.

“You know,” he said smugly, “you have pretty good defense.”

As he crept forward, I grabbed Rick and put myself between Blue-Eyes and him.

“Please, just leave us alone,” I begged, my voice quivering.

Blue-Eyes stopped and looked at me with surprise. Slowly I started to back away. What did he want? I considered calling for help, but I would be the one in trouble for being with a Perfect. I was on my own.

“No, no, no,” he said putting his hands up. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to talk to you.”

I stopped, but didn’t drop my defensive stance. “Why would you want to talk to me?” I asked. “I’m just one of the Unclean.”

The pain that appeared on his face after I’d spoken made me want to walk up and comfort him. But I didn’t. I still didn’t trust him. I couldn’t. His kind were the ones that had locked the Unclean away. At least, that is what I kept telling myself. The Perfect took a step closer towards me and Rick, and in response I pushed Rick into the next room. I made to follow him, but a hand on my wrist stopped me.

“Wait, I’m sorry. Whatever I did, I’m sorry.” He slightly tightened his grip on my wrist to keep me from pulling away. When he spoke again his voice had returned to the same teasing tone he’d used before. “Besides, where would you run off to anyway?”

I turned to see a smile on his face — a smile that made his blue eyes shine in a way I’d never seen.

“My name’s Joshua.” He slowly released my hand, as if being on a first name basis made me feel comfortable. “What’s yours?”

I did not feel comforted. There was no way I was going to tell him my name. But before I could catch my mouth up with my brain, I heard myself blurting, “Sam.” Would somebody please kill me?

His blue eyes glittered. “Sam? Isn’t that a boy’s name.”

My cheeks flared and I felt very self-conscious. “It’s short for Samantha,” I mumbled. I felt a sudden flash of irritation. “What is it you wanted to talk about?” I asked curtly.

Josh stood for a moment, thinking.

“I’ve been watching you,” he said quietly.

At first I wondered why, but then I felt my guard go up. What would a Perfect want with me?

“Sorry!” Josh said quickly. “I probably shouldn’t end a sentence like that.” He shifted awkwardly. “Like I said, I’ve been watching you for a while now and well . . .there is something different about you.”

Now it was my turn to shift awkwardly. “What do you mean?” I asked.

He sighed and said, “I don’t know. You’re now like the other Unclean. You seem perfectly . . . well, perfect.”

“Should I take that as a compliment?” I asked, looking down so he couldn’t see the blush on my cheeks.

He took a step closer, and I took a step back when he reached his hand to touch mine. “ I don’t know why you seem different, but just watching you . . .,” his voice faded away. When he continued his brow was furrowed in concentration. “You always look outside the gate. Your behavior isn’t like the other Unclean, and after hearing that the Watchers could have made a mistake—.”

“Wait! What?” I interrupted, “The Watcher’s made a mistake? When? How?”

He paused and watched me before continuing, cautious now. “It’s been found out that the Watchers have locked up Perfects and made them Unclean. No one knows why. But rebellion forces have started showing up here and they’re attempting to free the Unclean.”

“But . . . but . . .,” my mind whirled around in search of something to grasp onto in the chaos of my thoughts. “How could there have been a mistake?”

I was an Unclean. It was one of the only things I was sure of. I knew it surely as the sky was blue and the grass green. I couldn’t breath.

Joshua must have seen it in my face. He caught me as my legs gave way. He led me gently to the couch and sat me down. I took deep breaths as my brain tried to overheat.

A knock on the door echoed in my eardrums. Seconds later it slammed open. In walked a Watcher.

He signaled behind him and five more stormed the room. They couldn’t do anything to Joshua; he was a Perfect. But I had broken the rules.

Some of the men grabbed me and dragged me towards the door. Joshua tried to get to me, but the other guards held him back. The last thing I saw as they pulled me outside was Rick’s horrorstruck face peering through the door.

“No!” I heard Rick scream. The sound pierced my heart. Rick was going to be all alone. I knew what happened to the Unclean when the broke the rules.

Joshua ran to catch up with the Watchers. The guards held him back, but did not hurt him. He may be breaking the rules, but he was still a Perfect.

“What has she done?!” he shouted at the Watcher leading the way.

Simultaneously the group stopped. The guards holding me gripped me tighter. The leading Watcher turned towards Joshua and walked slowly up to him.

“She,” he said, “has tried to escape. Such actions are not tolerated here at the Waste.”

Joshua stared the Watcher down. Anger and hate seemed to radiate from his eyes, but he said nothing.

The Watcher turned back to me. “Samantha Grey,” he said calmly. “What do you have to say about these accusations?”

My mind tried to wrap around the situation at hand. I knew I had to respond fast otherwise I could be punished for not speaking when spoken to. Without thinking I blurted out, “I never planned on escaping.” I had meant to keep my tone calm, but it came out more hysterical.

The leading Watcher took a menacing step closer to me and I shrunk back as far as I could as he leaned closer to me.

“Plotting were we?” He practically hissed, “a much worse punishment than escaping.”

My hear thudded in my chest. “I was just looking,” I whispered weakly.

He gave me a malicious smile. The men started dragging me away again. Joshua demanded they let me go as he hurried along beside us. The Watchers wouldn’t respond or make eye contact with him. Why would they want to? He was their better. He was what they were trying so hard to become. I would have joined the Watchers myself if the thought of being one of them didn’t make me ill.

Ignored, Joshua became increasingly angry until finally, he stopped walking altogether. I looked at him anxiously over my shoulder, and saw him turn and run in the opposite direction. My breath caught in my throat as my only ally disappeared.

Looking forward again, I saw the Watcher’s headquarters looming over me.

The cold iron doors creaked open. A burst of blistering cold air rushed through me. As we walked through the dimly lit hallway, the doors closed with a resounding thud.

I could feel the darkness all around me. Our footsteps echoed down the hall. My heart sped up the deeper we walked. Soon the lead Watcher stopped and opened a door. The guards walked to the door and then threw me through the door. As I struggled to regain my balance, I heard the door slam shut. As I turned to look at my new “home,” I was the lead Watcher. I stood my ground, but my hands shook with fear.

“Please, have a seat,” he said calmly.

I spun around to see what he was talking about, and saw the table and chairs. Cautiously, I took my seat on the far end of the table. The Watcher took the other chair opposite of me.

“Now,” he began, “now, we can talk.”

I could feel my hands sweat as the Watcher stared at me, waiting, almost willing me, to speak. My throat felt dry and each time I tried to swallow it felt as if I had to cough. Trying to disguise my fear as nonchalance, I looked around the room.

The walls were made of a silver metal that seemed to absorb all the light in the room and reflect it at the center of the table. There were no mirrors, windows, or doors. In fact, the only décor in the room was the table and two chairs.

The Watcher cleared his throat and sat back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head.

“As you can see,” he explained, gesturing at me with his hand, “you aren’t tied up. You can freely move about the room, but you will never be able to escape this building . . .,” he paused, “you will NEVER escape, unless you cooperate with me and tell me what you were doing by the barrier.”

Still, no words could escape my mouth. I could feel the Watcher’s impatience as second after second ticked by. Eventually, he stood, so abruptly that I jumped nearly toppling over my chair.

“Very well,” he hissed, walking over to the wall, “we’ll see how you fare after a few days in quiet solitude.” With this, he knocked on the wall, and a door was pushed open, materializing from the smooth metal. The Watcher gave me one last hate filled glance before stomping out of the room.

I rested my head on the table and my breath came out in a short hiss of frustration. I knew I shouldn’t have lingered by the fence.

My emotions and thoughts swirled through me as if I were a blender on high. I was surprised they hadn’t been angry at me for talking to a Perfect. I was worried about what would happen to Rick because of my stupidity. I was also angry at myself.

Amid the blended mess, my mind kept returning to what Joshua had revealed before the Watchers arrived. There had been a mistake. How could there have been a mistake?

In my head, I clearly saw that fateful day all those years ago . . . The war was lost. Father was dead. Mother was missing. I could hear Rick crying in the other room. I wanted to comfort him, but I lacked the energy to do anything. The door crashed open and soldiers poured in. Our parents were deserters. We were being relocated to somewhere special. Somewhere they could keep a close eye on us. As they put us into the truck, I looked out and my eyes met those of the small blue-eyed neighbor boy next door.

I gasped and came back to myself. Only now I remembered my best friend from before. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner. I closed my eyes, and floating before me was the one and only, blue-eyed Joshua.