Mom had been halfway insane when she’d seen the bandages. She’d helped take the ones of my hands, but I’d convinced her that my arm was still too sore for the bandage to be removed. I’d unwrapped it privately; it didn’t look as sickening as I’d expected. The weekend had passed quietly--I’d had… Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Twenty-Five: Home
If Miss Carling could see her car, I know I would have been expelled: there was mud splashed across it and there were several dents in the doors. I didn’t take the time to consider what the car had been through--I didn’t care. My head was heavy. I felt as though I was beyond sleep--I… Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Twenty-Four: Separations
“Everett!” Cyrus’ voice curled around my surname and I opened my eyes. Chay still stood resolute, though Cyrus was no longer interested in that exchange. His focus was on my motionless stance. “Move!” Cyrus didn’t notice Henbane’s eyes widen as they became unfocused, staring into the distance. He raised his gun reflexively, firing… Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Twenty-Three: Real Explanations
At least something was going right: I must have slept, for the next thing I remembered was the sound of a clock chiming from some other part of the building. I had no idea what time it was, nor how long I had lain against the chair, but the room seemed untouched. I raised… Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Twenty-Two: Leaps of Faith
I was nauseous. I didn’t open my eyes, nor did I try to sit. I was content to lay where I was, listening to the silence. The quiet was a comfort, and I wondered if I’d been to the fair; the twisted, flipping knot in my stomach reminded me of a summer from--five years ago? … Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Twenty-One: Deals
I didn’t care what Derek said. I’d been walking in the direction of Agenton for so long that my feet felt like jelly--that is, jelly with spikes sticking through it. At this point, however, I was hoping for any hint of civilization: the only indication that I wasn’t completely separated from all of society… Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Twenty: Runaway
The voices were muffled. I couldn’t tell if this was because they were whispering, or because half of my mind was still in the future. It wasn’t until I’d shaken my head a few times that I realized no one was whispering at all. In fact, they were shouting. This wasn’t an argument--this was… Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Nineteen: Answers
The sound of crunching Cheerios woke me up. I rolled over noisily, nearly falling from the couch. At first, I couldn’t remember where I was. Then I noticed Derek staring angrily at me, shoveling soggy cereal into his mouth. “What?” I asked, sitting straighter, and ruffling my hair. I noticed that someone… Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Eighteen: The Disc
I didn’t get sick. I somehow managed to keep my breakfast down as we swerved through the back roads. I clutched at the seat, my hands sweating. I wondered how a teacher had ever afforded a car as nice as this, and set my head against the leather. It helped to somewhat relax, and… Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Seventeen: Lakeside Realization
I didn’t realize that I’d closed my eyes until I heard Chay shout, “Todd, open your eyes! Are you trying to make Henbane’s job easier?” I opened them reluctantly. And discovered that I wasn’t dreaming. Dang it. Chay was pulling me further into the forest as Henbane lifted himself from the… Continue reading Forthcoming, Chapter Sixteen: Henbane
