The Distance Between

by Blair Cousins

  The Distance Between

  Ceapeaya’s Awakening Book 1

  Blair Cousins

  The Distance Between © 2019 by Blair Cousins.

  All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Contact me: Blairsoffice@gmail.com

  Cover Design by Vivid Covers

  Interior Design by KH Formatting

  ISBN: 978-0-9984621-5-8

  First Edition - 2019

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  This book is dedicated to all the family, friends, and amazing beta readers who lent me their ears. Thank you for letting me talk a hole through your head.

  Chapter One

  The clock ticked by in the silent classroom. Nothing could be heard except the sound of pencils on paper. The air was tense, riddled with intense anxiousness. Ester glanced up at the clock as she twisted the curls of hair tightly coiled on the back of her neck. She had plenty of time; there was still two and a half hours left to complete the test. She wished, however, that her heart would get the message. Staring down at her paper, she treated every question as if it were a fragile egg because this test could change the outcome of the rest of her life.

  The final bell rang, and the instructor called time. Sighs of relief filled the air as the students shuffled out. Ester gathered her things and followed behind the mass. She hated school and wasn’t one to stick around stuffy places like this. She would rather see the city. In the hall, she watched the others walk by. Everyone looked neat and clean—no doubt they were metropolis kids. She doubted any kids from the outskirts would be here. In fact, she didn’t know a single kid from her home town that planned to go to the Academy of the Rean Coalition of Rangers. It just wasn’t encouraged. You lived and died in the outskirts because that’s what was expected of you.

  She checked her watch as she walked out of the testing center and into the humid air of the busy streets. She took a deep breath, letting the smells of the city fill her nose. Everything about the nation state of Tel-sa was so much different than her home town, from the buildings carved from trees, to the shops, and people roaming the streets. Hover jetters zoomed overhead—newer models like the ones she saw on the tele. She wished she could explore more, but she had a train to catch. The bus stop wasn’t too far down the street; she spotted it from a block away. She looked around one last time calculating how much time she could spare just to explore a few blocks, but the risk of missing her train was too much. She barely had enough money to fund this trip, but she swore one day she would come back. As she made her way to the bus stop, she noticed a few girls looking at her. She made eye contact with them, but they only laughed and giggled to themselves. No doubt they were laughing at her rags. Ester glared but kept walking. She didn’t have time to get into any unnecessary fights. It wasn’t worth it, but she hated when people looked down on her. Even amongst her own country folks, people looked down on orphaned and abandoned children like her.

  The bus came shortly after she arrived at the stop. Ester boarded and took a seat near the window in the back. Now that the test was over, she could sit down and enjoy the city, even if it was from the inside of a crowded bus. The bus beeped and hovered a few feet off the ground. It slowly picked up speed joining the traffic around it. Faces zoomed by, blending into a massive mush, and drew Ester’s attention to the architecture. The buildings, carved from the trunks of the thick jungle, had a modern city aesthetic and stretched high into the sky under a spotted canopy of trees. Gliding between them, huge telescreens displayed floating advertisements of products she couldn’t even buy back home. She passed a Fried Tuzan and Co, one of Rean’s most popular chain restaurants, making her mouth water. She had always wanted to go to one. There were so many cafes and shops. She wished she could have stayed longer, but her train left in an hour and it would take her about that just to walk there from the bus station. Ester let a sigh escape her lips. As she readjusted herself, a familiar voice caught her ear. From the speakers she heard the muffled sound of one of her favorite songs. It was Galaxia, her favorite pop idol. Ester strained to hear over the crowd, the song faded to the sound of a radio DJ. Galaxia was having a concert in Tel-sa’s capital city in the spring. Ester slumped. What she wouldn’t give just to see her idol live. The bus ascended into the station. One day, Ester thought to herself, but it was hard enough believing that she’d ever make it out of the outskirts.

  ***

  The train and bus ride home was long and exhausting, but finally Ester arrived at the orphanage a little after sunset. She walked down the dusty road to her home, passing hover carts carrying goods towards the city. Out here was nothing—to the west sand and deserts and farmland everywhere else. She was hundreds of miles from the nearest metropolis, separated by the great Adum-vo desert as they called it in school. To the local kids, however, it was referred to as the Dust Wave because of the unbearable wind and dust storms that leaked out into the outskirts—the edge of the farmlands where Ester lived. Ester walked a few miles and arrived at her worn three story house she and fourteen other children called home. The lights were on, and the rich smells of Sister Genevieve’s famous stew wafted through her nose. Her shoulders relaxed as a smile made its way to her worn face. Home at last. Her legs rejoiced as she willed her tired feet to the front door.

  “Ester!” A unison of voices shouted when Ester opened the front door. Three young girls ran towards her, nearly toppling her over. From around the corner, Sister Genevieve smiled, her hands clasped together in front of her.

  “Girls, let Ester wash up for dinner,” the sister called.

  “Yes ma’am.” The young girls stepped aside and watched Ester disappear up the old wooden stairs to her room.

  Ester walked down the hall and opened the door to her communal room and tossed her backpack on her bed, collapsing onto the mattress. She took a deep breath as she let the memories of the day roll from her mind. She worked all year to afford a ticket to Tel-sa for her entry exam and was extremely grateful for Sister Genevieve’s help. She never in a million years dreamed she would be so close to her dream. In just three short weeks, she would find out if she got accepted into The Academy of the Rean Coalition of Rangers. She could only imagine what it would be like to travel all the way to Ans-on. No one she knew had ever been there, but it was said that it was three times the size of Tel-s
a, with technology beyond her wildest imagination. She giggled as she rolled around in bed. She peaked over her dresser and eyed her inspiration. Next to a wrinkled picture of her family was an article about Rean’s strongest ranger. Clocking in on the natural power scale, a scale that measured every Reanian’s natural electrical conductivity, was Captain Wildgrass Inspread who was a ten. The highest natural recorded number in history, which was pretty impressive considering the average Reanian rarely clocked in over a four—meaning the strongest anyone’s power every got was no more harmful than a static shock. It was an utter mystery how he became that strong, but it was what he did with that power that inspired Ester to become a ranger. He saved hundreds during his short time as a ranger. He was a global hero, but six years into his career he quit. It made Ester a little sad, but she wanted to be just like him. She wanted to save people from all the cruelty in the world, so that no one had to know the pain she has suffered throughout her life. Ester turned and looked at her faded picture of her family. Her father’s soft eyes soothed her heart, while her mother’s strong arms reminded her that she was capable of doing anything she put her mind to. She reached out and touched the photo, pulling it closer to her face. She looked at her older brother Corta, the brains of the family. She could only imagine the teasing she would get for all the studying she was doing, because even as a child Ester didn’t like school. He loved to learn, and she would never forget his motto: there is always more than one way to get to the bottom a problem.

  “Ester?” Little Suue poked her head through the door. “Are you coming down for supper?”

  “Of course, Suue. Give me a second.” Ester said, as she placed the photo neatly back into place.

  “Okay!”

  Ester could hear her housemate’s feet running down the hall. She liked to think that all the girls and boys living here were her family. Well, some of them. After all, it would be the closest thing she’d ever have to a family, thanks to The Order of Peace, which was the organization that ran most of the orphanages in west Adum. What they lacked in quality and aesthetics, they made up for in stability and safety, which was all Ester could have asked for.

  She changed out of her nice clothes and threw on a pair of patched up tan pants and a t-shirt. She thought about the people she’d seen in the city today. Everyone was wearing a version of the ever popular ride suits, which to Ester looked like a tighter version of a one piece long pajama. She laughed a little. They were all the craze, but they weren’t her style. She preferred comfort over flair. She checked herself in the mirror, catching the necklace her mother had made for her in the mirror. She clasped it, warming the little amber stone in hand. She really hoped her family will be proud of her. It had been five years since they were killed, and she missed them so much it made her heart ache.

  “I promise I’ll never let you down.” Ester opened her palm, gazing at the stone.

  Laughter from downstairs broke her train of thought. In her exhausted state, she had almost forgotten how hungry she was. She ran downstairs and joined everyone in the dining room. Packed tight, Ester squeezed in next to her friends, taking a seat at the long wooden table. Supper time in the sister’s house was always filled with excitement, and tonight it was double with the arrival of Ester back from the big city. Ester didn’t expect everyone to be so interested, but then again she would be the first kid to visit a bustling metropolis.

  “What was it like?” Jermane, another teenager that lived in the room with Ester, asked.

  “Did you see any famous people?” Algaza, another teen girl, asked trying to raise her voice aboce all the chatter.

  “Oh please.” Tommy, one of the younger, boisterous teen boys, smacked as food fell from his mouth. “You act like she went to a tele-show. She just wasted her money on some dumb test.”

  The other boys laughed as Ester glared. From her hand, sparks began to form. She concentrated it to her fingers, and zapped Tommy on the leg, with a small shock.

  “Ow!” Tommy shouted. “Sister Genevieve! Ester shocked me!”

  Sister Genevieve looked up. “That’s enough, children.” She cast stern looks in both their directions. “This is not a house of barbarians. There will be no fighting or rough housing.” She eyed them all, sending their backs straight in obedience. “Finish your dinner; you have school early in the morning.”

  There were nods and yes ma’ams all around, except for Ester who stared furiously at Tommy and his friends. She really hated that kid. He was pretty much the house brat, and it showed. Ester dove into her dinner. She wasn’t going to let him get to her after such a wonderful day.

  That night, Ester tried to will herself to sleep. She couldn’t take her mind off the events of the day. She couldn’t believe that she had gone all the way to Tel-sa and actually saw the city, which was far more amazing than she could have ever imagined. Ester took a deep breath and sighed. Going to Tel-sa was a dream, but getting into The Academy of the Rean Coalition of Rangers was her ultimate fantasy.

  “Ester,” Algaza whispered in the darkness, “tell us about the big city.”

  Ester turned her head. She could hear Jermane shift as well. It looked like she wasn’t the only one who couldn’t sleep.

  “It was amazing.” Ester tried to bottle up her excitement. “Just like on the tele, everything was so big. The buildings were ten times the size of grain silos. It was like traveling into another world.”

  Algaza and Jermane giggled, making Ester even more hyped.

  “Really?” Algaza said. “Was it all junglely and wild like from that show?”

  Ester nodded in the dark. “Yes, I swear if the metropolis were to stop trimming, I’m sure the jungle would take it back. I’ve never seen tree trunks so big like that. They literally carved them into buildings almost like a city made of tree houses.”

  “Can you guys keep down over there?” Adis cut in, another one of Ester’s roommates. “Can’t you see some of us are trying to sleep?”

  There was silence, but Ester’s eyes were on Adis. She was the queen around here, or at least she acted like one. It didn’t help dampen her ego knowing she was also hands down the prettiest girl in the orphanage, and in their school and she never let anyone forget it.

  “I’m sorry, Adis. Am I talking too loud for you?” Ester’s voice rose. Adis said nothing at first, but in the cover of darkness Ester could tell she was rolling her eyes.

  “Nobody cares about your stupid story, Ester. You’re probably not even going to get in, so pipe down,” Adis huffed. Ester was steaming under the blanket, but a calm cool hand touched her arm. It was Algaza.

  “Don’t worry about her, Ester. I believe in you,” she whispered. Her warm smile could be felt in the darkness.

  They were all trapped and frustrated here. Abandoned, it was important to keep calm and stay focus, but it was hard. Ester couldn’t wait for the day she could leave and start her life. She turned over and pulled the covers close to her chest. It didn’t matter what the others said, she had as good of a shot as everyone else.

  ***

  The sun rose, and with it came the hustle and bustle of the morning. Everyone had to be up extra early for the trek to school. They weren’t rich enough to take hover carts to school or even bikes like some of the other Adum-la kids. They had to walk. Down the hall, shouts and arguments broke out amongst the younger kids. The bathroom lines were long as the children pushed and shoved around the sinks.

  “Move, Seir!” Bellarue shouted as the two began to fight.

  “Make me!” Seir shouted back as more and more children pushed to get in.

  “Hey!” A voice cut through the crowd. “You want a fist sandwich?” Ester stepped between the two. The younger children straightened up and shook their heads. “Good, then tighten up.”

  They nodded and formed a line. Ester let out a small smile and walked towards the back of the line. As an elder of the house it was the older kids job to help keep the younger ones in check. Ester didn’t believe in sweet talk an
d swiftly squashed squabbles with her fist, but it wasn’t for kicks. Fights broke out all the time, and it was better to put an end to it before it spiraled out of control. Amongst the crowd of children, Ester spotted Sister Genevieve staring at her. The sister nodded her head, as she led the young ones down the stairs. Ester smiled to herself as she got in line. Sister Genevieve was much more than a caregiver to Ester. She was the closest thing to a real mother she had, and even though now she was eighteen now and would have to move out when she finished school, she knew she would miss her terribly. Orphans weren’t allowed to stay with their caretakers pass the age of eighteen because room was always needed for the constant influx of orphaned children. Strain on the system was even greater due to Adum-la’s open door child policy that stated that any homeless child was welcomed here. Parents in the other nation states wishing to give their children up were fed the idea that their children would be given a better life in Adum-la. The reality, though, was the big governments in the metropolises couldn’t stand dealing with all the orphan children. So, they took advantage of Adum’s policy and dumped them out here out of sight. That really made Ester mad; children shouldn’t be shelved away hundreds of miles away from home, even if they are orphaned.

  Sister Genevieve prepared breakfast and helped everyone gather up their things. On their way out, they picked up their lunches and waved the sister goodbye. Ester walked out amongst the crowd after Jermane and Algaza hoping to speed past the sister.

  “Ester.” Sister Genevieve stopped her.

  Ester froze and kind of smiled, but from the look on the Sister’s face she knew she was heading into trouble.

  “Ester, I found your plant this morning.”

  Ester slumped; she was in trouble now.

  “It’s dead.” The sister’s eyes saw right through her.

  “I know.” Ester avoided her gaze as she stood on the porch.

  “Ester, this is your final project for school, and it is very important.”

  “I know. I don’t—”