Bad things will happens if you try to publish this anywhere without my permission. And, no, you will never get my permission.
Sorry, don't mean to sound rude or mean, but, this is going to be my novel, and l want opinions. l don't want people stealing my work. This is purely my own idea. l've taken some things from my dreams, and bits and pieces of characters from my friends.
The Stand
Preface
Evolution is… Is what? A curse? A cure? Hope? Or maybe it’s all just fate. The world is constantly changing… as are we. For better or worse, one can not conclude.
But what we do know is that people are getting colder, and more distrustful. I suspect that the only time we, as a whole species, were only tolerant of each other’s differences was when we were still unevolved. When who one was, was always okay, and forgiveness was always granted.
People are constantly changing, and is not, and will not be completely a surprise when some few and far between people are selected to bear unimaginable abilities. Although it isn’t impossible for some of these people to be out there now… We haven’t head of them yet as a public society… Yet.
Sometimes it seems certain people just deserve to die. Some people just don’t deserve to posses the gift of life.
And that is why we must be careful who we choose to trust… And to hate.
One: K-9
The cold night’s wind blew across the shadowed field, which was only dimly lit by this month’s harvest moon. A long, slow howl filled the crisp air, and the dim streetlights flickered. A red-tailed hawk sat quietly atop a telephone pole. Its eyes were closed, and it didn’t as much as flinch when a distant scream grabbed at the night air, and then died away.
Secret
I awoke to the sound of Lynn’s voice, ‘Secret!’ she yelled, calling for me to get up. She did this every morning, and it was a constant battle between us. It was a good thing it was Friday, because I don’t think I can handle much more school with the situation that has presented itself.
I sighed, getting up out of my warm bed to let my toes touch the cool wood floor. A shallow shudder ran up my back as my body registered the coldness.
I walked to my wall, turned on my lights and shut off the fan that was blowing softly and stirring up some loose papers that were strewn around the floor.
My room is a soft grey, and I like to keep things against the walls. My bed and nightstand rest by my window and my bookcase just across from the foot of my bed on the other wall. My dresser is across the room from my window, and the closet by my door.
I stood, staring into my mirror that hung above my dresser and sighed. My hair was never on my side, and had always wanted to curl. Of course, I hated it when it curled, as no guy wants their long black hair to curl out at the tips.
I took my flat iron and let it heat up. Waiting for it, I brushed softly through my hair, thinking about this weekend, and how much I was edging to go. Even though Anderson hates hunting, I love it. And so does Xena – so we try to go every other weekend. We manage a lie to our parent when we go, and are gone just before duck touches the horizon.
I can’t wait for tonight.
I picked up my flat iron and pulled it softly though my hair that fell gently around my face. I then set it down, and pulled out a tight black shirt and some skinny jeans, and tossed them in the bathroom sink.
After this I stalked downstairs, still groggy from my rude awakening. I could smell the sweet scent of bacon and pancakes. Instantly awake, I walked down the stairs with eagerness. My favorite breakfast was awaiting me. This day couldn’t get any better.
I slid into my chair with ease, and Lynn didn’t hear me until I coughed and got some juice out of the fridge.
“Hello,” she smiled sweetly, if only she knew what was actually going on.
But I could never tell her what was really going on; she wasn’t even my real mother. And it would break her to pieces.
“Good morning, Lynn.” I smiled back. I know it hurts her that I never call her ‘mom’ or ‘mother’, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Not after the loss I had when my mother died. I would never let someone get that close to me again. And that was a promise.
She swished over, her skirt flowing gently around her legs. “I will get you syrup, sweetie.” She smiled again, and swished back over the cabinet, reaching for the bottle.
I smiled, she wasn’t tall enough to get it, and so I stood up and walked over. She was only about 4’11’, and I towered over her, nearly 6 feet.
I kissed the top of her head, “Thanks, but I got it,” and grabbed it easily from the top shelf. I stalked back over to my chair, plopped myself down and drenched my pancakes with syrup. I ate my bacon first and let the syrup set into the pancakes.
Although nothing was as good as a fresh kill, pancakes were definialtly a close second.
“Honey, do you need a ride today?” Lynn chirped, and picked up her keys.
“Nah,” I took a bite of pancake and swallowed, “I’m good. I got time for a quick shower and then I’ll be out the door. But,” I looked up, “Thanks.”
After I finished my breakfast and acknowledged her smile, I walked into the bathroom and stepped into the shower.
I let the warm water run over my body, and I stayed there for a moment, not moving for what seemed like forever but was really only an instant. I could feel each drop as it slowly trickled down my body. I washed my hair in a hurry, and ran a sponge over my body.
Then, I grabbed a thick towel, shutting the water off and jumping out of the shower. I groaned, thinking I should have straightened my hair after I took a shower, but there was no time for that now.
I ran the towel through my hair, and dressed into my clothes that were lying in the sink. Then I used my deodorant, and sprayed some Axe on.
I grabbed my bag, and slung it over my shoulder, whisping out the door.
The bus pulled up, and I climbed up the steep stairs without reading the ‘Watch Your Step’ sign, not even a glance. I walked down the isle, making my way to the back.
Then, my foot hit something hard and I went face first into the floor. My hands flew out almost instantly, and I caught myself before anyone else could react. I straightened my back, and turned to face the kid who had purposely tripped me.
“You don’t want to do that again,” my blackening eyes bored into his shallow crystal blue ones. “I’m going to pretend like you didn’t mean to trip me, and your foot just happened to be in the isle, and I didn’t see it.”
The kid smiled, his teeth gleaming. I gave him the same shallow smile back, watching the fear in his eyes illuminate when he saw the tips of my teeth turn to points.
“I’m sorry, Chase, I didn’t see your foot there.” I did a half bow, and smiled again, the fangs gone, “I hope I didn’t hurt you.” I walked to the back of the bus, and sat in seat twelve on the driver’s side so I could sit by myself.
Even from back here, I could hear him whining about my teeth. I really had to learn to control my temper.
Oh well, can’t change the past. I sat back in my seat, and dozed off, trying to capture some of the sleep that escaped me this morning.
I opened my eyes when the bus jerked to a stop in front of the high school, and sighed. Another day of learning, oh joy.
I walked off the bus, and up the sidewalk to my first class; Math.
Before I got there, I stopped by Anderson’s locker, and waited for him. I was hoping to talk to him about tonight, be he never showed up.
Confused, I stopped by Xena’s locker, and smiled when I saw her pretty face. “Do you know where Anderson is?”
“Nah, I don’t keep tabs on that boy anymore.” She smiled and laughed, “Actually, I think he’s home taking care of his mum.” She looked down, feeling bad for him.
Anderson’s mother has cancer, and it can’t be cured. Every time she gets it removed, it grows back, and Anderson is the only one who can take care of her since his dad walked out.
I nodded, “Ah,” I sighed, not sure if it was a good day to go hunting… But we had to. It was necessary to stay alive. “Who can care for her when we go tonight?”
Xena sighed and shook her head, “I don’t know. I’m sure my mother wouldn’t mind hanging with her this weekend. We can tell them that we need to go on a trip for school, and it’s mandatory. The tax dollars pay for it, too.”
I nodded, enjoying how creative she was with her lies, “Good idea. I’ll call, or text him today about it.”
Just then, the bell rang for first period. Its sharp tone and cutting vibrations hurt my ears every time. It was a damn good thing it was Friday. I stalked off to Math sluggishly.
Next was history, one of my most hated subjects. I mean, a bit of history here and there is fine. But not when you have to learn about the same thing over and over every year. Good thing it was a hunting week.
Good thing, yes. Very, very good thing; I tuned out Mrs. Ramos and went onto thinking about this weekend once more.
The feeling of tension right before you make a kill, and the satisfactory feeling of when you finally take the animal down was one of the most amazing things one could do in life. But, not with the guns and the traps, no, those ways are just lazy. The real hunting is like the Indians used to do; bare hands.
Now, the only regrets are seeing the life leave the deep, soul filled eyes that look at you as you end them. Their soft fur against your body, and their panicky cries and convulsing slows until it’s just their endlessly deep eyes are all that’s left moving; looking you over. And then, you’re finally a little more at ease when those eyes gloss over and lose their depth.
That is what Anderson hated most.
The bell rang again, and I floated through the rest of the day like a ghost.
Anderson? I texted, hoping he had his phone on him for once in his life. Even though he was horrid at texting, it was still legible… but barely.
Ya? My phone buzzed in my pocket, and sent a shutter up my spine.
Are we still on for hunting tonight?
I mean, it’s totally cool if we have to go next week, but I think it would be a good stress reliever… even if you don’t hunt. You know, to get away from life for a while. Unlike Anderson, I was a fairly fast texter, and had a touch keyboard. While I waited for him to text back, and climbed up the bus stairs again, and sat back in seat twelve… On the drivers side.
My phone buzzed.
Ya. Idk. My mom is bad. Rlly sik & stuff. I cant leve her lone.
I sighed; I needed to buy this kid a keyboard phone.
Anderson, buddy, we got this crap covered. Xena’s mom will be happy to hang with your mom.
My phone buzzed again in five minutes.
Ya? I still dk. I h8 huntin & u no tht B at ur bus stop in 5
I didn’t bother texting back this time, as there was no need. I would be getting off in a moment or two anyway. When the bus lurched, I stood and stalked, once again, off the bus; I made sure to give Chase a glare he wouldn’t forget, and flashed him my straight, perfect teeth.
When the sun hit me, I blinked, and tried to shield it away. It was abnormally bright today, and no one likes getting a bright sun in their face. My pupils became tiny holes, and I could feel them hiding from the sun.
When I turned to Anderson, I nearly stumbled back. His face was scarily pale; the only color on his face was under his eyes which were a deep black.
“Anderson…” I stepped closer, to my dismay, out of the shadows. My eyes screamed at me to retreat, but my friend was in trouble. “This damned sun isn’t helping you,” I grabbed his wrist, “Come with me.” I tugged, but he didn’t budge. “Don’t make me haul your ass outta here, boy.”
He still didn’t move, and would have fell face first into the concrete if I hadn’t grabbed him under the pits and steadied him. He moaned, and I sighed, picked up him and threw him over my shoulder.
I could feel the steady beam of light that was hitting my back, and cringed. It was getting hot, all too fast. We needed to get into some serious shade, or in doors; fast.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m decently strong and all, but there’s no way I could haul all of Anderson’s 170 pound body around in the beating sun.
I had to set him down and text Xena.
So I did, in a dim spot of shade under a narrow stout bush.
Xena. Haven and Oak. Car. Now.
I looked around, hoping to see a tree or something that could shade us from the blinding sunlight. My eyes were screaming at me to find some darkness or just some place away from this retched light.
I picked up Anderson again, and felt my knees screech in protest; but they managed to hold up. I repositioned him in the little shade, and stood up. I took off my shirt, (ignoring the sun that hit my back with such intensity there would be a burn later) and held it out over Anderson to help shade him.
Just then, Xena pulled up in a black, boxy van with tinted windows, flung open the side door, and jumped out. She grabbed me by the shoulders, sunglasses covering him own eyes and shoved me in the back. Just as fast as she had gotten me, she was slugging Anderson over her back in a fireman’s carry and dumping him in right beside me. The door slammed, and a gust of warm air hit my face.
I heard the engine roar to life, and her car door slam. Her sunglasses clattered to the floor, and before I knew what was happening, she was yelling at me.
Of course, I couldn’t see anything; my eyes were in so much shock from the extreme exposure to light that they seemed to cower in the back of my head.
Not only was she yelling, buy my back was killing me, and my head was feeling light.
“-be so irresponsible! You know it was sunny today and-” I tuned her out, rolling over to Anderson to make sure he was still okay. I rolled him over, and sighed. He was slightly burned, but that and the black rings around his eyes were the only color on him.
“-ntop of that!” Her raised voice hit me like a freight train, “should be more careful! Hell! I could’ve lo-” her voice droned on and on…
I didn’t know how much time had gone by the time she stopped yelling and pulled open the side door with such furiousity that one would’ve though it would have re-broken or come unhinged… again.
The car was in the garage and the door was down, the room was completely dark. My eyes were allured out by the darkness, and suddenly grew big and welcoming. I could see everything perfectly, in such detail one would only be able to see in a lit room.
Xena pulled me out of the van, and picked Anderson up. “My parents aren’t home. Go in and get some water and wraps from the kitchen.”
I nodded and winced over to the stairs, and walked through the door frame into her beautiful kitchen.
Had I mentioned that her family was rich? Yeah, well. They are, amazingly so.
I walked over their solid, waxed, caramel brown floor; past their grand piano that was a deep woodsy color, painfully winced up the step up platform kind of structure that separated the kitchen utilities from the main floor, and to their marble counter top that matched the flooring. I walked over to the sink, filled a glass of water, (when I say glass, I mean fine china, because that’s all they have for ‘glasses’) then pulled some wraps, caramel colored too, (imagine that) and walked back through the kitchen to the doorway that led to the garage.
I handed the things to Xena, and sat on the floor, utterly exhausted. “How… burnt is… he?” I gasped, feeling like I was about to pass out.
“Not bad,” she sighed, “you took most of the heat. He just needs a cool wrap around his head.” She dipped the cloth in the water, picked him up again and walked into her house to the leather sofa, laid him down and placed the cool, damp cloth on his forehead.
She came back for me, and helped me to my feet. I followed her through the door and sat on the other sectional of the sofa.
She handed me a new china glass filled with steaming tea. “Drink it,” she clasped my hands around it, “it’ll help ease the pain.”
I nodded, and sipped at it tenderly, like a small child drinking from a ‘Caution This Beverage Is Hot’ cup from Dunkin Donuts. “Thanks,” I mumbled my back on fire.
I didn’t notice she had left until I heard the water running through the pipes up ahead. I grimaced, and stood up, climbing the stairs painfully. I found my way to the bathroom, limping down their gold embroided hallway. Past paintings and fancy vases and small tables.
Xena met me at the doorway, and smiled. She steadied me as I felt lightheaded and nearly fell to my knees. “I’ve drawn a hot bath for you, Secret. You should relax and let the warm water help ease your pain.”
I sighed, feeling the warm steam seem to caress my face and float around me in a welcoming gesture, begging me to come in closer.
“I… can’t…” I mumbled, trying to break away from the enticing waters of her bath, which was really more like a hot tub than your average bathtub…
She helped me sit on the edge and looked my in the eyes, “Why not, Secret? You need to, honey. It’s the only way you’ll get better right now.” She sighed, and started to unbutton my pants to help me get them off.
I was too weak and entranced to do it myself, and was on the verge of falling asleep in her arms. Her warm, welcoming arms slid around me and hugged me softly. Then, in one swift movement, she stripped my skinny jeans and closed the door.
“Why can’t you, Secret?” she prodded again.
“’Cause…” was all I could respond with. I couldn’t figure out a way to tell her that the hot water might make me fall asleep and I would just let my head slip under… How comforting it would be to leave this world behind, all the stress and responsibility of taking care of two other lives.
She sensed my thoughts vaguely, and pulled me into her lap. We were guessing that over time, our ability to sense our thoughts and feelings would become stronger and more powerful to the point of which we’d actually be able to hear and feel them as if they were our own.
She pulled off her shirt and pants, “I won’t let you slip away, Secret. You mean the world to me, and you know it. This stupid situation doesn’t change anything, and I don’t want you to be stressed.”
I was too tired to be turned on when she took off her panties and bra, and then slipped my boxers off for me. She helped my into the warm, caressing waters, and then slide in next to me.
She sighed, “Secret, please tell me you’re okay…”
I nodded, already falling asleep. I felt at ease, close to Xena and safe. Both of us were safe; for now.
She wrapped her arms around me, and pulled me into her lap, in more of a laying position than a sitting. I could feel her breast on my back, and her soft stomach touching my skin with soft intensity. In any normal circumstances, I would have been off the wall turned on and embarrassed. But today was different… This wasn’t a sexual experience. It was a bonding experience.
I dozed off silently, and fell into a dream world.
2
Secret
I woke up in a robe and on her sectional. I looked around, confused at first, my vision fuzzy with sleep. I couldn’t see where she was from this position, so I got up and stumbled into the kitchen.
“Secret…” Anderson looked me over carefully. He was sitting at the marble island countertop across from Xena. His face had regained the color, and he looked a lot better than when I had last seen him.
-----------
l'm starting to rewrite a bit, l'll post more when l'm done.
But, so far, tell me what you think.
Some starter question:
- Are the scenes going to fast?
- Do l need more detail? lf so, how much?
- Are the characters badly written, or played out?
- What can l do to improve these things?
Please, come up with your own ideas, and tell me what l can do to improve this.
And what i always screw up on is Capital letters and periods and stuff like that. . I didn't notice any but you should check anyways because even if you aren't Actually going to publish it you could always use it for school or something. And you want it to look nice you know, Hope this helps,
