“I’ll drive at record speed to get you home before the sun is up,” Laurie tries to soothe me as we head down the highway toward the town line.
“Yeah, great idea, Laurie. Speed so you get caught by the cops, who, with our luck, will ask if our parents know we’re out in the early hours of the morning and call my mom and dad to confirm. Good one.” I feel like smacking him on the back of the head.
“Oh yeah,” Laurie answers after a moment of quiet. Becky starts laughing, and I roll my eyes.
Laurie’s a nice boy. I say ‘boy’ because he’s only just turned eighteen and frankly, he’s not too smart. I know he thinks more with the brain inside his pants than the one inside his head because Becky tells me how many times they do it. She says he’s insatiable. Laurie’s nice, though, and I like him. But I know Becky, and within a few weeks—or months—she’ll get sick of him.
Becky is what’s politely known as a free spirit. She doesn’t want to be tied down to anything but her music. She’s an incredibly talented guitarist, and she writes her own music. But her goal is to be up on stage in a band with a vocalist singing her songs.
“You excited?” I ask Becky as Laurie gets closer and closer to our destination.
“Hell yeah, I am. I’m gonna rock it hard.” She tosses her hair, but I can tell she’s nervous from the way she’s twisting her fingers together.
“Yeah, babe. Rock it,” Laurie pipes up to encourage her.
I laugh, because Laurie says it in a way that’s supposed to be sexy. But to me, he’s just Laurie.
“Hey, guess what I heard at school today?” Becky turns in her seat to look at me.
“What?”
“Elijah Turner has the hots for you.”
“Elijah? Really?” I wince at the thought of him asking me out. He’s always been a total pain in my neck. In elementary school he used to call me “germ girl,” and I haven’t seen any evidence he’s changed. “Whatever.” I sit back in the seat and watch the darkness outside the car and think about what Becky just said.
“Hey, what’s that?” I turn to Becky who’s pointing a finger at me.
“What?”
“You’re smirking.”
I make an effort to blank my expression. “I am not.”
“You are too. Look at you, you’ve got a big, cheesy grin on your face.”
“I do not.” I turn to hide my face from Becky. She’s always been able to read me like an open book.
“Oh my God! You have a crush on Elijah. Since when?”
“I do not. Shut up and concentrate on your music for tonight.”
“Since when?” God, she’s stubborn. “Alice,” she says, but I ignore her. “Alley-cat.” I turn to look at her and raise my eyebrows. “Since when have you had a crush on Elijah?”
“I don’t have a crush on him.” But my stupid mouth turns up in a smile. I can’t hide the fact I think he’s cute.
“Don’t bullshit me, sister. I can see it! It’s so obvious even Laurie here can see it. Can’t you, babe?”
“Huh?” Laurie grunts from the front. “Did you say something?” Laurie generally tunes out when Becky and I are together, which is often.
“Nah, nothing. Go back to driving.” Becky runs her fingers through his long hair then turns back to look at me. “So, tell me. How long’s this crush been going on for?”
“It’s nothing, really. Don’t worry about it.”
“You’re so telling me. How long?” She flicks me on the leg.
“You know.” I shrug and turn my head so she can’t meet my eyes, or my smile.
“Nah, I don’t know, which is why I’m asking. Come on, spill!”
“Nothing to spill. I just saw him playing ball out on the back field a couple of weeks ago, but I didn’t know who he was until I sat down to have lunch and he ran down to my end of the field. When I saw who it was, I got a bit embarrassed.”
“When was this? I don’t remember you ever sitting at the back field for lunch.”
“You were sick. I had a crapload of work for English, so I went to sit out there for lunch to catch up, and I kinda . . . you know.”
“You were drooling over Elijah.”
“I was not!” I was.
“What is it about him? His blond hair? How damned tall he is? Those deliciously toned legs? Mmmm, mmm.”
“Hey!” Laurie protests from beside her, suddenly tuning in at the most awkward of moments. “I’m sitting right here. Do I have to go punch him out?”
Becky and I smile at each other. Laurie is so sweet; he wouldn’t be able to punch anyone even if he tried. “Sorry, babe,” Becky says, rubbing his thigh.
“It’s okay,” he mutters.
“Anywho, spill. What is it about him you like?”
“Nothing. I just thought he looked kinda hot out on the sports field, and then when I actually realized who he was, I was turned off.” I look out the window and notice we’ve exited the highway. We should be there soon.
“Is that it?” Becky asks, smacking my leg again.
“Stop hitting me, and yeah that’s it. There’s nothing more to it.”
WHO COULD HAVE known my life would be so drastically altered?
I didn’t know. My parents didn’t either.
It was a few weeks before my seventeenth birthday when everything changed. I was rushed into the hospital in the back of an ambulance, unconscious.
I got there just in time.
My appendix erupted, causing poison to leak into my blood stream. The doctors operated on me and removed it before the toxins could contaminate my other organs and kill me.
They said I had a brush with death. They said I was lucky.
When I woke I felt . . . different. Something inside me had changed.
I knew it from the moment I opened my eyes. Something felt weird.
Something was wrong.
Or maybe something was right.
This is how I received my gift.
. . . Or maybe it’s my curse.
“ALEXA, CAN YOU hear me?” Someone pinches my arm, causing me to mumble in pain. “Alexa, wake up.” The pain continues and I want to swat at it, but my arms feel weak and weighted. “Alexa,” the voice becomes harsher and louder. “Wake up, Alexa.”
Shut up! How many times can you say my name?
“Alexa, if you can hear me, you need to wake up.”
My eyes flutter open, then quickly close when the bright overhead light blinds me.
“Nice to have you with us, Alexa.”
Ugh, shut up with my name already! “What happened?” I ask. My throat is dry and irritated. When I try to open my eyes again, I quickly close them. The light is still too bright.
“What do you remember, Alexa?” the woman asks.
My memory is hazy. I was at home with my parents. I try to remember, but the image in my mind’s eye is filled with a white cloud, and only pieces of what happened are clear to me. “Um, I was home.” Man, my throat is so scratchy. “I’m thirsty.” I try to swallow, but the lack of moisture in my mouth makes it feel like my throat is coated with sandpaper.
“I can’t give you anything until the doctor says it’s okay.”
“Doctor?” I ask as I force my eyes open again, squinting against the bright light. There’s a young woman standing beside my bed. She doesn’t look too old, maybe in her mid-twenties. Her black hair is tied into a high ponytail, and a bright pink bow frames it. She’s got the kindest brown eyes, and a sweet smile. “Where am I?” Looking around, I notice the sterile environment.
“You’re in recovery. You came in by ambulance and were rushed into surgery. Do you remember any of that?” Her gentle eyes assess me as she tilts her head, showing me a kind smile.
I shake my head slightly, because I really can’t remember more than being at home with my family. “Where’s my mom?” Suddenly, panic fills me and I look around frantically.
“Your parents are both outside. They’re waiting for you to wake up so they can come in see you.�
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Although she’s gentle and kind, hysteria takes over. My body trembles and my heart rate speeds to an unhealthy fast rhythm inside my chest. “Mom!” I croak through the hoarseness of my painfully dry throat. “Mom!”
“It’s okay; both of your parents are right outside. Please, settle down, Alexa.” Her gentleness increases as she attempts to calm me.
“I want my mom!” Tears fill my eyes, and my body trembles violently. “MOM!” I yell with all my might.
“What’s going on?” Another woman approaches, and judging from her appearance, she’s nowhere near as gentle as the first.
“Alexa is panicking slightly and I’m trying to calm her.”
The other nurse looks me over and arches her brow. She’s older, with a stern face and hard eyes. Her weathered appearance says she’s been here for a long time, and knows exactly what she’s doing. “Go get her mother,” she says in an emotionless voice.
The younger of the two turns and quickly walks out of the room. The scary one stares down at me. My heartbeat stays erratic and she frowns disapprovingly. “You’re disturbing the other patients,” she says in a tone as cold as her features.
“I just want my mom,” I’m panting now, struggling to breathe.
Her lips purse together into a tight line, and she places a hand to her hip. I quiver even more. She’s scaring the shit out of me.
“Sweetheart,” I hear Mom’s voice, and I instantly relax because I know she’s near.
“Mom,” I call in a quiet, reedy voice.
She rushes over to the bed and takes me in her arms. I try to lift my arms to hug her, but I can’t. They’re still so heavy. “What happened?” I ask. The mean woman backs away and disappears, and the kind one joins my Mom.
“We were at home and you doubled over in pain. You fainted and fell to the floor. Don’t you remember?” I try hard, but the haze is still there. I shake my head feeling troubled about how I can’t recall any of the events that led to me being here. “We had to call an ambulance.” She gestures toward the blank wall opposite me. “You’re in the hospital.”
I nod my head, but the damn cloud is still hanging around. “Why?”
“You had appendicitis. The doctors had to rush you into surgery to remove it.”
“What?” I feel a sudden discomfort pinch my lower stomach.
“Your appendix burst and they had to get it out quickly before the toxins spread. You could’ve turned septic, Alexa.” Her eyes tell me she wants to say more, but she chooses not to.
I feel the blood drain out of my face as a rush of air escapes my cracked lips. “How long have I been out?”
“You were in surgery for just under four hours. But you’re okay now.” Mom leans down and places a kiss on my forehead.
“Okay,” I mumble, finally calming down.
“I’m sorry, Mrs Murphy, but you’ll have to leave now. Alexa will be in her room within the hour, so you can wait for her there,” the kind nurse instructs.
Mom looks hesitantly at the nurse and then to me. “It’s okay, Mom; I‘ll be fine.”
“I need to check Alexa’s vital signs, then we’ll bring her to her room.” The nurse smiles.
“Dad and I will wait for you there, okay?” Mom leans down and kisses my forehead again.
I give her a weak smile and watch as she leaves. “Your mom is so sweet,” the nurse says.
“Thanks.” I take a few deep breaths and shut my eyes tight. When I open them, the nurse is gone, but she soon returns. “What’s that?” I ask eyeing the monitor she’s wheeling in.
“It measures your blood pressure to make sure you’re okay.”
“Oh, right.”
She sets it up beside me, then untucks the blanket and grabs hold of my hand.
The moment she touches me, my skin tingles with cold. I’m transported to a place I don’t recognize, but have no idea where I am. “What’s going on?” I breathe.
It’s dark and I’m standing outside in a parking lot.
A train speeds past. A light flickers in an overhead street lamp. I turn to my left, and I see a woman walking away from me. There’s a pink bow in her raven hair, and a bright red handbag slung over her shoulder.
The parking lot is dark and isolated. I can still hear the speeding train in the distance.
My focus goes back to the woman walking in the night. Her shoulders are high, and she’s walking so fast she’s almost running.
“Hayley!” I turn to look behind me to see where the male voice has come from. I hear a gunshot and feel the thud beneath my feet. The man is hooded. I can’t see his face. He calmly walks toward where I am.
I’m stunned. My voice is stuck in my throat. My hand flies to my mouth in complete shock.
The man looks over his shoulder in my direction, then quickly to the opposite side. His face is clear now. He’s young, maybe her age, and he’s got an old scar running down his cheek. He steps forward, and shoots her again in the back. “I told you. You should’ve listened.” He stands over her body for a moment before turning and fleeing.
I look at the body lying face down on the dirty asphalt. Rushing over to her, I try to turn her over. My hands go through her body. I can’t touch her. I can’t move her. I can’t do anything except stand there and watch the rich, red blood seeping from her motionless body.
“Hayley,” I gasp.
I’m returned to the present, and she’s standing over my bed looking at me with a perplexed expression. “How do you know my name?” she asks and steps back.
Hyperventilating I stare at her. “What just happened?” I ask, freaking out.
“What? I took your pulse.” She reaches for my hand again and I pull it back. The moment her fingers touch my bare skin, I’m transported back to the parking lot. The train is coming past, and I see her walking quickly. It’s the same. Exactly the same.
“Hayley,” I hear the same deep voice call.
“No!” I scream and try to launch myself between the guy with the scar and Hayley. But my feet have now melted into the ground, and I can’t move. What the hell is going on?
The sound of the gun shot vibrates through my head. This time more intensely, because I’ve already lived this moment.
“Hayley!” I scream as my feet refuse to move from the spot.
Again, I’m transported back to the now. Hayley steps back and her eyes take in my hysterical state. “Are you okay? I’ll get the doctor. You blacked out for a few seconds.”
“I’m okay.” I study her, making sure she’s the person I saw in this crazy awake dream I just had.
She steps forward to grab my hand again, but I pull it back, too frightened to touch her in fear of reliving the same moment.
“I have to check more of your vitals, Alexa. If you won’t let me, I’m going to have to get the other nurse.”
My heart rate spikes as I dread her touch.
My head is jumbled with confusion. I have no idea what’s going on. Why on earth am I seeing this tiny snippet of . . . of . . . of . . . I don’t know what I’m seeing.
The muscles in my body completely tense. I don’t want her to touch me. But she does, and I’m back to the dark lot with the flickering light and the passing train.
It’s on repeat. The same thing. Nothing changes.
What’s going on?
What am I seeing?
What’s happening in my head?
What’s happening to me?
Am I going crazy? Am I losing my mind?
There’s a lot of people I need to thank while writing this book. I’m not even sure where to start.
Debi Orton: she’s my editor and she’s the most patient woman I know. She’s American, and I’m Australian and many a time I write what I know (which is Aussie slang) and she has no idea what I’m trying to say.
Kellie from Book Cover by Design: I saw the cover to Drowning as a premande, and I knew the story the moment I saw the cover. Your covers are always so beautiful.
Tami from Interg
ity Formatting: you make my words sparkle by your attention to detail in formatting.
Terry, Sam, and Mandy: thank you for taking the time to proofread this story. I know you all hated on me at some point, but remember—Don’t be hating the author.
Kylie from Give Me Books: You have to be one of the sweetest people I know. You always manage to fit me in for whenever I have a release. You really do work your butt off.
Jo Raven and Dzintra Sullivan: You two ladies bought me out of my dark place when I couldn’t write. You probably didn’t know that. I had nearly given up on this book, about to put it away and never go back to it, but your sprinting spurred me on to finish, and give these characters the dignity and ending they so desperately deserved.
Bek, Anna, Brittany, Halle, Kimmy, Lyndal, Jodi, and Tina: Thank you. You’ve been in my life and made it a whole lot better. You’ve encouraged me, and given me confidence when I thought I had none left.
Mum, Dad, Andrew, and my girls: I love you.
And lastly, to my readers. It’s humbling to know you’ve read the words I’ve spent months writing. I’m honoured and blessed to have your support. Thank you.
The Gift
I have something people want. I have something they cannot take or steal. I have something they'd kill for.
The something I have, isn't a possession, it's more.
Much, much more.
It's a gift.
It's part of me.
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The Curse
It's been the butterfly effect.
I changed the course of my life because I warned a man.
I thought what I had was a gift, but it's quickly turning into my curse.
Now I realize I'm much more than a girl with an ability.
Because now... I'm becoming a weapon.
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Dying Wish
I have three major loves in my life: my family, my best friend Becky, and ballet. Elijah Turner is quickly becoming the fourth.
He's been around as long as I can remember. But now he's much more than just the annoying guy at school.
My life was working out perfectly...until it got turned upside down.
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