by Arden, Mari
Chapter 31
Jerking awake, I sputter, coughing hard. Something wet is rolling down from my mouth.
"What is that? What did you do?" I accuse, pushing Kaiden's hand away.
"Medicine."
"Are you sure? Because it tastes more like roots and bark," I say, wiping my mouth with my hands.
"That's because it is." Abruptly, I want to vomit. "Keep it in. You're getting a fever and you need it in your body."
"Ugh." I try to stand but I'm wobbly. His strong arms pull me up.
"We need to get you to a doctor. We're heading into the city now," he says.
Cheering considerably at his words, I brighten. "Where are we?"
"This facility's in Wisconsin. We're almost to Milwaukee." My face breaks into a huge grin. I'm almost home!
"Nymphora and Chloris are supposed to meet us there." If possible, my smile grows even wider. We made it. We're actually going to make it out alive. Then I think about whether anyone else has survived and I feel my smile slip, disappearing beneath my worry.
Kaiden notices and he squeezes my hand. The sky is getting lighter. I tell him we need to go. "I want to see the sun rise over the city," I breathe. I'm so excited I don't allow Kaiden to carry me, choosing to have him half drag me instead. I suddenly feel stronger. Kaiden points out smugly it's probably the medicine, but I know it's because my heart senses it's almost home.
We move in companionable silence, listening to the leaves rustle and the insects calling. Eventually the pain gets to me and Kaiden sweeps me in his arms. It's become such a familiar habit for me I know right where to put my head, and how to grasp his neck.
"When we get back I'm getting two Chipotle burritos," Kaiden says, breaking the amiable silence.
"I'm getting a Big Mac."
"I'm drinking a liter of coke," he continues.
"I'm eating ramen noodles."
He stops. "Really? That's not cool."
I shrug. "It reminds me of home."
We're slowly going up a slope. "Do you still want to see a sunrise?" he asks me. I smile radiantly at him. He bounces me in his arms, happy at my excitement.
"It'll be nice to see something man made," I say, thinking about our skyscrapers.
"Something that doesn't crumble."
Brightness flickers up ahead, and it can only be the sun making its way up. I vow to never take it for granted again. My heart is pounding with exhilaration. When we're close, I tell Kaiden to put me down. He obeys, laughing at my childish joy. We're on a hill overlooking the city.
I limp forward, desperate to see the city lights, dimming beneath a rising sun. When I finally get to the top, I halt. What I see brings me to my knees.
The city is in ruins.
Burning.
End of Book One
Chapter 31
Jerking awake, I sputter, coughing hard. Something wet is rolling down from my mouth.
"What is that? What did you do?" I accuse, pushing Kaiden's hand away.
"Medicine."
"Are you sure? Because it tastes more like roots and bark," I say, wiping my mouth with my hands.
"That's because it is." Abruptly, I want to vomit. "Keep it in. You're getting a fever and you need it in your body."
"Ugh." I try to stand but I'm wobbly. His strong arms pull me up.
"We need to get you to a doctor. We're heading into the city now," he says.
Cheering considerably at his words, I brighten. "Where are we?"
"This facility's in Wisconsin. We're almost to Milwaukee." My face breaks into a huge grin. I'm almost home!
"Nymphora and Chloris are supposed to meet us there." If possible, my smile grows even wider. We made it. We're actually going to make it out alive. Then I think about whether anyone else has survived and I feel my smile slip, disappearing beneath my worry.
Kaiden notices and he squeezes my hand. The sky is getting lighter. I tell him we need to go. "I want to see the sun rise over the city," I breathe. I'm so excited I don't allow Kaiden to carry me, choosing to have him half drag me instead. I suddenly feel stronger. Kaiden points out smugly it's probably the medicine, but I know it's because my heart senses it's almost home.
We move in companionable silence, listening to the leaves rustle and the insects calling. Eventually the pain gets to me and Kaiden sweeps me in his arms. It's become such a familiar habit for me I know right where to put my head, and how to grasp his neck.
"When we get back I'm getting two Chipotle burritos," Kaiden says, breaking the amiable silence.
"I'm getting a Big Mac."
"I'm drinking a liter of coke," he continues.
"I'm eating ramen noodles."
He stops. "Really? That's not cool."
I shrug. "It reminds me of home."
We're slowly going up a slope. "Do you still want to see a sunrise?" he asks me. I smile radiantly at him. He bounces me in his arms, happy at my excitement.
"It'll be nice to see something man made," I say, thinking about our skyscrapers.
"Something that doesn't crumble."
Brightness flickers up ahead, and it can only be the sun making its way up. I vow to never take it for granted again. My heart is pounding with exhilaration. When we're close, I tell Kaiden to put me down. He obeys, laughing at my childish joy. We're on a hill overlooking the city.
I limp forward, desperate to see the city lights, dimming beneath a rising sun. When I finally get to the top, I halt. What I see brings me to my knees.
The city is in ruins.
Burning.
End of Book One
Dedication
To my parents who support me in everything I do. You both have taught me what it's like to love unconditionally and strive for my dreams. I'm forever grateful to be your daughter!
To Amanda and Samantha- a girl can't ask for better sisters. Amanda, thanks for always making time in your busy day to listen to me talk for "five minutes" and not complain when it turns into twenty. Samantha, thanks for reading all my drafts and supporting this double life I've started. You're the best! I love you both to infinity and beyond!
To Molly and Amy- the best cheerleaders! Molly, thanks for reading my story and making time to give me feedback. This book is what it is because of YOU! Amy, thanks for always being there and having my back when I need you the most. You two rock!
To TX: Thank you for giving me the push I needed to start writing.
To my personal life- I've missed you. We'll see each other soon. Maybe.
To Regina Wamba for creating a gorgeous cover. Is there anything you CAN'T do?
To all the amazing bloggers and fans out there who support indie authors. You're appreciated, adored, and thanked a thousand times over. You're awesome beyond words. Thank you!
Last, but not least, to YOU for picking up this book. You make the lack of sleep, stress, and hard work all worth it. Thank you for starting this journey with me. I promise there will be many more to come.
Dedication
To my parents who support me in everything I do. You both have taught me what it's like to love unconditionally and strive for my dreams. I'm forever grateful to be your daughter!
To Amanda and Samantha- a girl can't ask for better sisters. Amanda, thanks for always making time in your busy day to listen to me talk for "five minutes" and not complain when it turns into twenty. Samantha, thanks for reading all my drafts and supporting this double life I've started. You're the best! I love you both to infinity and beyond!
To Molly and Amy- the best cheerleaders! Molly, thanks for reading my story and making time to give me feedback. This book is what it is because of YOU! Amy, thanks for always being there and having my back when I need you the most. You two rock!
To TX: Thank you for giving me the push I needed to start writing.
To my personal life- I've missed you. We'll see each other soon. Maybe.
To Regina Wamba for creating a gorgeous cover. Is there anything you CAN'T do?
To al
l the amazing bloggers and fans out there who support indie authors. You're appreciated, adored, and thanked a thousand times over. You're awesome beyond words. Thank you!
Last, but not least, to YOU for picking up this book. You make the lack of sleep, stress, and hard work all worth it. Thank you for starting this journey with me. I promise there will be many more to come.
About the author
My name is Mari Arden (Mari- rhymes with safari). Teacher by day, author by night. I love my double life. You can also catch me at the gym attempting to sweat out all the sweets I eat when I write. Key word: TRY. I love sushi and Chipotle burritos, and wouldn't it be paradise if they could be combined somehow? Well on second thought, maybe not.
Adventurous? Come join my double life!
www.mariarden.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mari-Arden-author/493749174011347
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6897452.Mari_Arden
www.twitter.com/mariarden
About the author
My name is Mari Arden (Mari- rhymes with safari). Teacher by day, author by night. I love my double life. You can also catch me at the gym attempting to sweat out all the sweets I eat when I write. Key word: TRY. I love sushi and Chipotle burritos, and wouldn't it be paradise if they could be combined somehow? Well on second thought, maybe not.
Adventurous? Come join my double life!
www.mariarden.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mari-Arden-author/493749174011347
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6897452.Mari_Arden
www.twitter.com/mariarden
The Enchanted
Micalea Smeltzer
Coming Soon
C H A P T E R O N E
Years.
I had waited years for this moment.
For this one perfect moment that was supposed to somehow complete me.
Now, that it was here, I found that it was lacking something. The royal blue graduation gown was rough against my skin and kept making this weird swooshing sound anytime I moved. I was itching like crazy in this heat. I wanted to fan myself but I was sure that Ms. Jones, the Assistant Principal, would cut off my arms if I attempted to. Matthew Pierson, who sat next to me, kept wiggling and trying to talk to Eddie Ralston on my other side. Ms. Jones shot daggers at Matthew while Mr. Taylor droned on and on about our futures.
Sweat trickled down my brow and into my eye, stinging it.
I’m on fire in more ways than one now; I thought glumly.
Wasn’t graduation supposed to be this amazing day? Our lives tied up and shipped off to various colleges and universities? Parties? Fun?
Instead, I was spending the accumulation of the last thirteen years of my life drowning in my own sweat. When Mr. Taylor handed me my diploma I was going to find the nearest pool, lake, pond, river, sink, just the nearest water source would do, and drench myself with its coolness. I could just envision the cool water pouring over my skin. Maybe if I visualized hard enough I wouldn’t need the pool.
“You have all worked hard to reach this day,” Mr. Taylor continued. “Thirteen years-”
Matthew leaned across to me and snorted at Eddie. “It’ll be another thirteen years before this speech is over.”
“You’ve got that right,” muttered Eddie.
Close but not quite. It was another thirteen minutes. By this point there was a puddle under my seat composed of my salty sweat. My makeup had long ago melted off.
Mr. Taylor smiled at us all, sweeping his arms in a grand gesture, and began to call out the names.
At least the graduating class was small.
Mr. Taylor soon made it to the P’s and I breathed a sigh of relief. Not much longer now. I could hear the shower calling my name now.
“Matthew Arnold Pierson,” he called. Matthew bound onto the stage, creating quite a show, much to the delight of the other football players.
“Mara Hadley Pryce,” he said next. I breathed a sigh of relief. Me.
I walked up to the stage, much more graciously than Matthew had, although I had to keep telling myself not to run. Mr. Taylor shook my hand, handed me my diploma, and said, “Congratulations Mara.”
Thirteen years for this, I thought. It was so… so… so anticlimactic. I mean, come on, give us some fireworks, some strobe lights, something!
But no.
All I got was sweat, cheap polyester, and “congratulations Mara.”
I heard the sound of my dad hollering and whistling in the crowd. I would have been embarrassed if other parents hadn’t made a bigger deal out of it.
I shook my head and shuffled off the stage where Ms. Jones moved my tassel over.
As I was walking back to my seat I noticed a guy leaning against the bleachers. I had never seen him before and this was a small town where everyone knew everyone.
He was tall and lean with dark wavy black hair and tan skin. Despite the summer heat he wore a black t-shirt and black jeans. It looked like he had a few tattoos. He wasn’t smiling. In fact, he didn’t seem happy at all. And his bright, gray eyes were staring right at me. Through me. It was like he was eating me alive. His eyes narrowed.
I blinked and he was gone which left me believing he had been a figment of my imagination. And I might have believed that, if I hadn’t chosen that moment to glance at my dad. He was standing. Stopped mid-clap, and looking at the empty space by the bleachers, with a horror stricken look on his face.
I shook my head and all but fell into my chair. I tried to forget about the dark haired boy.
Mr. Taylor went down the list and finally called the last person.
Before I knew it our caps were flying in the air.
Thirteen years of schooling over in a matter of minutes.
The class cheered and we all stood in a collective burst of royal blue and bright sunlight yellow.
“Mara!” cried Dani crashing into me.
“Whoa!” I said, steadying us before I fell into someone, and started a human game of dominos.
“It’s over!” she sobbed, and I realized she was crying. “We’re all going our separate ways! What if we never see each other again! Mara, please tell me that won’t happen!” she pulled on my gown and I worried she would rip it. It was a rental and there was no way I could afford to pay for repairs.
“Dani,” I said, in a soothing voice like a parent would use with a child. “That’s not going to happen. We’ve known each other since kindergarten. I’m not going to throw all those years away. Besides, I’ve tried to get rid of you before. You’re not easily thwarted,” I joked.
She smacked me on the arm and wiped her face free of tears. Her white blond hair was long and straight and hung down her back like a curtain. She was small and pixie like. Her face was narrow and pointed but she was beautiful. I never understood why she wanted to be friends with plain old me.
I had light, fly away, brown hair. Freckles dotted my nose and my upper lip was bigger than my lower lip with a partial gap between my two front teeth. Dani thought the gap was very vogue. I thought it was annoying. I was average height, five foot six, and hippy. Not tall and slender like Dani. Even though I was almost eighteen, I still had a child-like quality to me and I hated it.
Dani could have hung out with the popular crowd but instead she stuck by me. I had yet to figure out what was so great about me.
“Are you going to go to Jules party?” she asked.
“I don’t want to,” I whined.
“Pretty please?” she pouted. She had been pestering me all week to go to Jules’ graduation party tonight. I wasn’t the party type but Dani enjoyed them and always wanted me to go with her.
“If I give in will you leave me alone?” I asked.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she squealed and hugged me.
“You owe me,” I laughed, her good mood rubbing off on me.
“I know! But I’m too happy to care!” she cried clapping her hands.
The parents were now making t
heir way down to us from the bleachers. Many of them were fanning themselves with programs. I could feel my hair fuzzing around my head from the humidity.
I saw my dad heading towards me, and Dani’s parents were behind him.
“Congrats kiddo,” dad wrapped his arms around me. His brown hair was receding from his forehead leaving a bald patch and his brown eyes sparkled with happiness.
I had his light brown hair; it was the only piece of resemblance we shared but I still wished I had my mom’s beautiful auburn locks.
“Thanks dad,” I said.
“I sure wish your momma coulda’ been here to see this.”
“Me too,” I said, even though it didn’t make a difference to me. My mom had died when I was a baby. All I had to remember her by was one lone picture and a mysterious box I wasn’t allowed to open until my twentieth birthday. It was all very twilight zone to me.
“She’d be so proud of you, baby girl,” he kissed my forehead. “I know I am. I’m proud of you too, Dani,” my dad called to my best friend where she stood a little ways over with her parents.
“Thanks Mr. Pryce.”
“How many times have I told you, Dani? Call me Steven,” he said. “Mr. Pryce makes me feel old.”
“Dad, you could never be old,” I said.
He chuckled. “That’s what you think. You’re young,” he said. “Where do you want to go for dinner?” he asked me.
Before I could answer him Dani came over. “Uh- Mr. Pryce, I mean Steven, Mara and I are going to a party,” she said sweetly. “We could really use this time to get ready.”
My dad sighed. “I get it. You don’t want to be seen with your old man. It’s okay, Mara,” he said.
I glared at Dani and turned back to my dad. “I have plenty of time to eat and get ready. I don’t take five hours like some people,” I pointed over my shoulder at Dani.
My dad instantly perked up.
“Good, good,” he said. “Shall we go?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Dani, do you want to get ready at my house or do you want me to come over?”