The Keepsake (The Empress Chronicles #2)
by Suzy Vitello Release Date: October 1st 2015
Welcome to our stop for The Keepsake Book Tour! This book definitely has caught my eye! Be sure to check out more about the book and enter the giveaway below!
Book Summary (Goodreads):
In this second Empress Chronicles book, Liz and Sisi continue their intertwined journey through time. On the heels of discovering a magical locket in the empress diary, Liz comes to understand its very special power: the wearer must speak the truth. Not only that, but it turns out that there are three lockets, each with their own magic and power.
Meanwhile, Sisi realizes that she’s communicating with a girl who lives 150 years in the future. A girl who knows what awaits her if she marries the emperor: lack of personal freedom and a legacy that will refer to her as the “reluctant empress.”
With the world’s future hanging in the balance, the two heroines must work together to thwart Lola, whose ambition to rule the Habsburg Empire will rewrite history, and lead to a terrifying new version of reality.
Check out these awesome promo stickers. The green represents Liz and the pink represents Sisi!
About the Author:
Suzy Vitello’s award-winning short fiction has appeared in Mississippi Review, Plazm,Tarpaulin Sky, various anthologies and other literary journals. She has been a prize winner in The Atlantic Monthly Student Fiction Contest, and has been a recipient of an Oregon Literary Arts grant.
She holds an MFA from Antioch, Los Angeles, and is a long-time coordinator and participant of an infamous writer’s workshop in Portland, whose members include Chuck Palahniuk, Lidia Yuknavitch, Chelsea Cain, Monica Drake and others.
Her young adult novels include THE MOMENT BEFORE, THE EMPRESS CHRONICLES, and THE KEEPSAKE.
Revenge
by Sonya Weiss
Release Date: December 22nd 2015
Lyrical Press
Book Summary (Goodreads):
Their love is a ticking time bomb.
Juliet Sawyer was born to save the world. Gifted with incredible powers, she’s the only one standing in the way of The Great Extinction, the prophesied battle between Supernaturals and humans. In order to keep her sister safe and avenge her father’s murder, she’ll have to infiltrate the ranks of the Supernatural leaders who wish to destroy her. But the one thing she didn’t count on was falling in love…with someone who wants her dead.
The gorgeous and dangerous son of one of the Supernatural leaders, Riley West is in charge of training the group for war—now including Juliet, whose father is responsible for killing his family. But the more they train together, the more intensely their passion for each other burns. The deeper Riley is drawn in by Juliet’s beauty, the closer he gets to the secrets she keeps: one that will challenge everything he believes in—and one that could lead to her death. Together, can their forbidden love help stop the war? Or will one of them be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice?
“Oh, man, he’s dead,” Ethan Silver said, looking like he wanted to puke. He got up and ran to the door, then out into the hallway. His shoes squeaked like noisy exclamation points as he yelled for help in a high, girly voice.
The rest of us were statues, staring at the silent form of our teacher lying belly up like a gigantic dislodged mushroom top.
“Is he really dead?” another of the popular girls asked. She huddled into a group of her friends.
I hoped Mr. Sands wasn’t dead. Death was twisted. Ugly. Death fractured a family. With missing pieces, fractions can never be made whole. I could still see the anguished face of my father, hear his final instructions as he’d gripped my arm before Death pulled him away. I clenched my teeth against the remembered hurt. My world had fallen apart. I’d walked around in shock for days, trying to handle my own pain, and yet, still be strong for Mom and my sister. Time hadn’t dulled the pain. My insides were as shredded as if I’d swallowed a porcupine, and every breath I took stabbed me from within.
“Mr. Sands isn’t dead yet.” Riley’s voice was low and impatient.
I tried to go to the teacher to see if I could help him, but Riley stopped me by grabbing my arm. Through the thickness of my sweater and shirt, the contact burned like a hot match to skin, and I didn’t like the sensation.
“Is he going to die?” I asked. I brushed Riley’s touch away. Unable to pull my attention away from the disturbing scene, I could only stare as the knots in my stomach tightened.
“Yes.”
“Why did you do that to him?” I whispered.
“He was going to kill you.”
I raised my eyes to his. “Kill me?” If that were true, Riley, my enemy, had prevented it? Confused, I said, “Why would he want to kill me?”
“I’ll explain when I come to your house later.”
My house? Why would he come to my house? This wasn’t good. I frowned as I tried to make sure I kept what I was feeling—ice-cold fear— from showing on my face. Probation Officers rarely visited the home of common Supernaturals. What was going on?
“Why do you want to come over?” I asked without thinking, not using the humbleness a Supernatural of Riley’s station called for in our world.
“Do you have something to hide?” he asked, his gaze searching my face intently. His eyes narrowed.
I was right. It was bad news. My throat ached as if I’d swallowed razor blades. I looked away, hoping to convince him. “I was curious.” I softened my tone and then held my breath, waiting for his answer, but he didn’t get a chance to respond.
Hot on the heels of Ethan, Principal Ellie Richards ran into the room. She was as thin as a praying mantis with tiny eyes that seemed to see in every direction at once. She wore her usual pencil skirt to cover her pipe cleaner legs.
Several teachers followed in her wake. They knelt down beside Mr. Sands, their voices buzzing together, bees in the educational hive.
“Call 911.”
“Ambulance should be…”
“Don’t try to move him.”
The principal checked Mr. Sands’s pulse, then stood and looked at the clock, then back at all of us. Twenty minutes remained until the final bell. Her chin bobbed when she said, “You’re all dismissed.”
Oblivious to the rumors flowing among our classmates, Riley walked toward the door of the classroom. When he neared the principal, she grabbed his arm with her abnormally long, thin fingers and spoke to him in a low, angry hiss. Her knuckles turned white, and the scraggly muscles bunched in her forearm.
Riley answered in an equally low voice, then jerked free from her grasp. She stared at the door to the hallway for a long moment after he disappeared and then swung her gaze to me.
Something reptilian flashed in her pencil thin black pupils. A hunger.
She blinked and her pupils returned to normal.
I stumbled backward a step, not understanding what I’d seen, and accidentally dropped my history book. The thick book slid across the floor, zooming in front of three seats to land at her feet. She bent and picked it up, holding on when I tried to take it from her.
“Watch out, Juliet.” Her voice, a slithering whisper, made my stomach clench. I knew she wasn’t talking about the book.
About the Author:
Sonya Weiss is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and author. She’s addicted to great books, good movies, and Italian chocolates. She’s passionate about causes that support abused animals and children. Her parents always supported her bringing stray animals home although the Great Dane rescue was a surprise.
Title: Immurement: The Undergrounders Series Book One Author: Norma Hinkens Genre: YA post-apocalyptic sci-fi
Book Summary:
The earth’s core overheats. The sovereign leader vanishes. A young girl is the survivors’ only hope.
What little land is habitable is patrolled by cutthroat gangs of escaped subversives, but that’s not the greatest threat facing sixteen-year-old Derry Connelly, her brother Owen, and a ragged band of Preppers holed up in a bunker in the Sawtooth Mountains. Mysterious hoverships operated by clones are targeting adolescents for extraction.
Owen, is one of the first to disappear. To save him, Derry must strike a deal with the murderous subversives, and risk a daring raid to infiltrate the heart of the extraction operation.
But will the rookie leader falter when forced to choose between her brother and a clone who ignites something inside her she didn’t know was possible?
Someone gives a feeble clap. “Magnificent! A most rousing speech to rally the heathens, Mason!”
My feet fuse to the floor at the raspy voice that wafts into the room. Tucker strains at his collar. I yank him back, my heart pounding.
A shrunken man with an unnatural stoop steps into view. My skin crawls with a new level of fear. My gun’s in the Crematauto, along with the rest of the weapons. I fumble around in my pocket and latch onto my switchblade. A trickle of sweat runs down behind my ears. The man standing in the entry looks freakishly old and frail. Tucker could take him down in a heartbeat, but my brain sounds an inner caution. He probably didn’t come alone.
Before I even finish my thought, the doorway darkens and four armed men in black fatigues troop through. Big-shouldered, faces set like flint on necks thick as tree stumps. Schutz Clones! I tighten my grip on Tucker and command him to stay. One false move and he’ll end up another carcass waiting to be incinerated. He minds me, but tension radiates through his collar.
“Welcome to the Craniopolis,” the old man says. “My apologies for the modest welcoming committee, but your timing is most unfortunate. Everyone is at the unveiling of our new Hovermedes prototype.” His body shakes out a shallow breath, as he shuffles toward me. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Lyong.”
I slide my gaze in Mason’s direction. His face registers confusion. Then a flicker of recognition.
“What … happened to you?” he asks, in a half-whisper.
Dr. Lyong jerks to a stop in front of me and lets out a long, trembling sigh. It’s all I can do not to gag. His breath smells of decaying compost.
“Restructuring DNA proved more complex than I had hoped.” Dr. Lyong runs a finger under his beaked nose and waves it dismissively in Mason’s direction. The skin is stretched so tight over his hand I can see the grape-colored veins forking out beneath it. He barely looks human.
I can’t repress a shudder.
About the Author:
Norma Hinkens is an author who takes a fiendish delight in pushing reluctant characters over cliffs to find out what they’re made of. Epic odds, seemingly impossible missions, pasts that haunt, intrigue and misadventure. She’s happiest when wrangling provocative big picture ideas that are never black and white when you turn them inside out. It’s all about the tension in the journey.
Norma grew up among rich storytelling traditions in her native Ireland. A Celtic bard at heart, she’s happiest wielding her wordsmithing sword with as much wit and eloquence as a bard can muster. She currently resides in California with her husband, three children and Chihuahua extraordinaire. She is the author of the YA Undergrounders Series: Immurement, Embattlement and Adjudgement.
Broken Stone by Gabriele Goldstone Publication Date: December 2015 Publisher: Rebelight Publishing Genre: MG, Historical Fiction
Book Summary:
Mama is dead, Baby Emil is dead and Stalin’s new rules are breaking up the family. Papa must stay behind and hide as 12-year-old Katya and her three younger siblings find their way to freedom in East Prussia. With Mama’s sister, Aunt Helena, they board a train and flee for a new home with an aunt and uncle they’ve never met—relatives who don’t want them.
But when they reach the border, Soldiers won’t let Aunt Helena cross. That forces Katya to take responsibility for her siblings. What will life hold for Katya, her two sisters and her brother when they arrive in East Prussia? How long before Papa can rescue them?
Katya knows all about Stalin’s big plans; she learned of them in school. But those plans mean little to her until the secret police arrest Papa and seize their family farm. With Mama and her younger siblings, Katya is shoved into a crowded train headed for a forced labour camp in Siberia. Torn from everything she has ever known, Katya faces cold and hunger, and the ever-present threat of lost hope. As she clings to a single red stone from the fields of her homeland, she questions life. Where is Papa? Will she ever see him again? And what will become of Katya’s family?
Inspired by a true story, Red Stone explores the trauma and heart¬break suffered by many families in the Soviet Union during the 1930s when Stalin seized individual property and villainized property owners as kulaks.
About the Author:
Gabriele Goldstone inherited scattered bits of her mother’s memories, shadowed by the oppression of both Stalin and Hitler. She shaped them into the life of the fictional character, Katya Halter. Gabriele traveled to Ukraine and searched through former KGB files to find missing pieces—along with the red stone that symbolizes Katya’s home. Gabriele lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
A Lost Legacy: Awakening
by C.E. Dimond
Release Date: 07/09/15
204 pages
Book Summary (Goodreads):
Finn Adams thought she knew what her life had in store for her; a mundane existence of day to day life. After meeting Eamon her whole world is flipped upside down. When her mother goes missing, Finn soon discovers that she is a witch and she is being hunted for her power. Ripped from the only life she’s ever known, Finn is transported across the country to Broadhaven, Maine to discover the secrets she never knew about herself, her heritage, and the tremendous power she’s kept hidden for so long.
Her loyalties are tested when she learns of her true parentage and discovers she is part of a prophecy, destined to awaken an ancient power that has been lost for centuries . As she struggles to learn from her mother’s past, she is faced with the ultimate struggle of good and evil, family or friends. She must learn who she can trust and find the power within herself to stop the prophecy from coming true.
Balancing the books in my arm, I reached for the lock trying the combination. I’d had the same lock for five years; I had it down to basic muscle memory. A frown settled on my lips, as the first three tries were unsuccessful. “Ah come on seriously?” I muttered trying it again. “Don’t quit on me now.” Having to get another lock would just throw off the whole system. There was no way I could memorize another combination quick enough. I thought about the embarrassment of having to write it down, and having to pull out the combo for the first month and a half of school just to get my books, no thank you.
“Uh, can I ask what you’re doing breaking into my locker?” The voice made me jump. I whipped around quickly. My eyes lifted to find a boy, with a very serious and rather intimidating look on his face standing there, his emerald green eyes staring at me clearly waiting for an explanation. My words were caught in my throat as I stared in return, my own eyes wide I suspected I looked much like a deer caught in headlights which probably made me look guiltier than I actually was. He didn’t look familiar to me; I couldn’t help but focus on that. In Port Moyle, almost everyone was familiar. His nearly raven hair contrasted significantly against the serious lack of tan he was sporting, which led me to believe he was definitely not from California.
“Hello?” he added a hint of impatience in the tone and I realized now that I’d been staring at him without even uttering a simple response.
“Sorry, I um- sorry,” I said quickly, leaning against the lockers to support my weight, fighting the blush that was forming on my cheeks.
“Do you mind?” he asked and nodded to the locker and I stumbled backward allowing him access to it.
“Sorry,” I muttered again and watched as he opened it with ease. Suddenly my eyes turned to the one next to it. Yes, that was my locker and fighting the blush seemed to no longer be an option, as I felt the familiar burn of embarrassment flush my face. My eyes turned back to him and watched as he changed the books in his bag and I couldn’t help but wonder who he was.
“Do you stare at everyone like that or am I just lucky?” he asked turning his eyes to me. “Eamon Abbot,” he said offering his hand in greeting.
“Finn,” I said taking his hand.
“I know,” he said lifting my hand to show me the bracelet that held my name engraved across the surface.
“Right,” I said with a nervous laugh and he dropped my hand quickly. As I turned, I opened my own locker and quickly began switching my books. “So where are you from?” I asked turning back and I blinked, surprised to find he was already gone. Turning around again, I found myself alone in the now empty hallway and the question from my lips lingering in the air.
About the Author:
I am an Irish-Canadian Young Adult author who was born in Winnipeg, Canada (yes, it really does exist). I love my city and love even more that it’s become Hollywood’s running joke (Don’t believe me? Just check out Youtube).
I have always been a writer, from poems in my Grade 6 diary (Ode to Hobbits), to short stories in the back of my math’s book. I have always loved to create stories and find myself constantly creating new characters.
I am a dedicated Fangirl of many proportions and I have a knack for getting expressions all wrong and saying incredibly stupid, but often hilarious things (My graduation gift from my friends was a book of my own quotes).
I am a proud alumna of St. Mary’s Academy, an all-girls Catholic prep school and I studied Theatre and Film at the University of Winnipeg. Currently, I am still hanging out in Winnipeg.
The Poison in All of Us (Emmie McAllister Mysteries, #1)
by Connie B. Dowell
Release Date: 11/17/15
130 pages
Book Summary:
Winter breaks are supposed to be exciting, but this one is murder.
A novella of suffragists and secrets.
In December 1918, the Great War is over and everyone in the small town of Cora, Georgia is ready to relax. Stepping off the train from school, sixteen-year-old Emmie McAllister looks forward to a pleasant Christmas, one in which she can fix up a motorcycle, wear trousers, and enjoy the look on her mother’s face.
Yet the holidays turn darker when Emmie and her least favorite classmate, prim and proper Dessa, stumble across the murdered body of the town’s most prominent suffrage activist. Emmie finds herself saddled with Dessa as both girls are determined to help find the killer.
But the more they poke around, the harder life gets for outspoken women in Cora. With a mysterious stalker, anonymous threats, and more, if Emmie and Dessa don’t work together and find the culprit quickly, they could be the next victims.
“What am I looking for?” I asked almost at the exact moment I saw it.
Right at the edge of a patch of sunlight on the floor, they peeked out from behind an elegant blue sofa. So small, no wonder I missed them at first glance. A few wrinkled fingertips.
“No.” I stood there with my mouth open. “Not possible. No.”
Dessa pushed past me. “Yes, it is,” she whispered. “You see it too, don’t you? It is there.”
“But…but…” I couldn’t keep my eyes off the fingertips. “No.” Was this a normal reaction? Didn’t people faint or scream or something when they stumbled across one? Why did my mind simply refuse to believe what my eyes saw?
“It’s real!” Dessa took another step forward. “I know it is.”
It seemed such an impossible thing, but it was true. And Miss Letty had to be in her seventies. It wasn’t really that impossible.
“There’s one way to prove it!” To my astonishment, Dessa grabbed my arm and pulled me to the sofa. She gasped.
The night before, Miss Letty had been alive and feisty, and that morning she was dead. Really, truly dead. She still looked like Miss Letty, but I was distinctly aware that the thing before me was not Miss Letty anymore. Something had left. This was what it was to be dead.
Behind me, Uncle Charlie’s voice boomed. “Emmie!”
About the Author:
Connie B. Dowell writes young adult fiction and nonfiction. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Georgia and a Masters of Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University. She lives in Virginia with her husband, where they host a history podcast, One Hundred Centuries, and both consume far more coffee than is probably wise.
The Starriest Summer (The Cycle of the Six Moons #1)
by Adelle Yeung Release Date: December 20th 2015
Book Summary:
Fifteen-year-old Michelle saves the world on a daily basis…with her trusty video game controller, of course! Naturally, she jumps at the chance to play an experimental virtual reality game.
The beautiful fantasy world of Starrs? Check. The power to mold matter? Check. No reset button? Wait, she didn’t sign up for this!
Turns out Starrs is really real, and to make matters worse, Michelle’s interference awakens the Cycle of the Six Moons, a series of devastating trials that will devour the universe.
Fighting the apocalypse was way easier when danger stayed on the other side of the screen, but Michelle finds a secret weapon in her new-found powers. She uses them to rescue the crown prince of a powerful magic kingdom from their sworn enemies, a technologically-advanced cult that strives to eradicate magical blood.
Michelle starts to fall for Prince Jayse, the only one who believes Michelle to be a savior rather than a curse. But not even video games could prepare her for what the cult has in store for them…
“Mayor Rayel,” Gediyon says, “may I suggest… a healer?”
The mayor turns around and smiles. “You follow my thoughts exactly, Gediyon.”
“Then tomorrow, I shall return to Arriscyal.”
I gasp. “Ooh! Can I come?”
The mayor and Gediyon exchange glances. Gediyon says, “If that is what you wish, Michelle…”
“Pft. Duh! What else am I gonna do?”
I’m not sure if they understand, but they don’t deny me.
Gediyon nods to Mayor Rayel. “Michelle and I will return as soon as possible.”
“Very well,” Mayor Rayel says. “Then off to bed with you both. You have a long journey ahead.”
The mayor leaves outside and Gediyon smiles at me before beckoning me up the ladder. I think I know what he’s so excited about.
I might’ve completed my first mission, but of course there’s more to this game. Another rank: the healer. I can see her already. She’s without a doubt going to be prettier than me and she’ll have bigger boobs. She’ll probably be soft-spoken and so perfect and sweet that I’ll want to barf every time she graces my presence. And Gediyon is probably in love with her.
Of course he is. He probably had to rescue her on many accounts and she won him over with her damsel-in-distress-like lifestyle. I don’t know why this bothers me so much. I mean, I’m a little too young for Gediyon anyway, but I have a feeling I’ll become the third wheel once she joins our party.
Book Trailer:
About the Author:
About the Author
Adelle Yeung is the author of The Cycle of the Six Moons trilogy, a young adult fantasy adventure.
She is also a voice-over artist who can’t go a day without a cup of tea. When she’s not writing or recording, she enjoys sewing costumes, baking sweets, and escaping on video game adventures. She lives in California with a cat that dreams of eating the pet bird.
She has provided script supervision for the independent animation, Shattered Heaven, and is head script editor and one of the co-writers for the upcoming game Fiona Frightening and the Wicked Wardrobe.
ONE CHOICE HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE THE FATE OF TWO WORLDS
Petyr has never found it necessary to consider the humans as anything more than distant, inferior beings–until now. They are the cause of the fatal disease that has plagued his realm, taking the lives of too many of his kind. As a future leader of a realm in peril, Petyr must find a way to resist and cure the affliction. He must enter the unfamiliar realm, appear to be an ordinary eighteen year-old human, observe and learn.
However, things don’t exactly go according to plan. Instead of embarking single-mindlendly on his sober mission, Petyr meets and 18 year old girl who does things to his emotions that he can’t quite fathom or control.
Petyr is falling in love, and he almost forgets the gravity his choices have on his entire world. Despite the risk it poses to his life and hers, he wants to know her, and he wants her to know him–and his world.
P.I. Alltraine is a multi-award winning poet and author. She has won several international poetry competitions, and her poem…s “Kites” and “The Gift” have been published in separate anthologies.
She teaches English Language and Literature in London. She earned her degree in BA English from Queen Mary University of London, followed by her Post Graduate Certificate in Education and Master’s in Teaching at the UCL Institute of Education, University of London.Before moving to London, she lived in the Philippines where she experienced the rich culture encrusted with dark myths and enchanted tales. She draws inspiration from these in her writing. Though she has lived in different places and experienced different cultures, writing has remained a constant aspect in her life.
He can’t stand her. She thinks he’s crazy. Will their feelings stay etched in permanent ink?
Cruz Hunter has always stuck out in his small hometown. Now that he’s covered in tattoos, the residents peg him as even more of an outcast. It seems like the whole world is against his dream of opening a local tattoo parlor.
When he finally finds the perfect place for his new business, Cruz discovers a pastor and his daughter have already bought it. The only thing more irritating than the change in his plan is Talia, a beautiful and feisty argument in a dress. Cruz would like nothing more than to have her out of his life and his mind, but for some reason, she’s the only thing he can think about.
If Cruz and Talia can stop arguing long enough, opposites may do much more than attract.
Meet the Hunter brothers of Kittle Falls…
The Seaside Hunters novels are a series of contemporary sweet romances. They’re set in the beach town of Kittle Falls, following the Hunter brothers as they make their way back to their hometown and find the loves they couldn’t elsewhere. Each book is a standalone.
Author Stacy Claflin
I don’t stick to a single genre in my writing, reading, or viewing. My favorite shows include Supernatural, The Walking Dead, Pretty Little Liars, Lost Girl, Vampire Diaries, and Once Upon a Time.
I’ve been writing and telling stories for as long as I can remember. As a kid, my story telling would get me into trouble because I would try to convince others that my stories were real.
When I’m not busy writing, I like spending time with my family and friends. I also educate my kids from home.
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Do you believe that some souls are destined to be together, even through hardship and deceit?
After 9-11, Declan’s heart is torn between wanting to stay with Morgan and needing to fight for his beloved country. Knowing that the future may be uncertain, he kisses his fiancée goodbye and focuses on his mission until that dark day from which he will never fully recover. Injured in Afghanistan, Declan has lost more than part of his leg; he’s lost part of himself, now plagued in grief and guilt. How could he possibly ask Morgan to take care of him for the rest of his life, being nothing but a burden to her? Which would be more heartbreaking, feigning his own death or bringing her unhappiness every day? If only he could eradicate her from his mind and be at peace with his decision.
Morgan prays day and night for Declan’s safe return, but when his letters stop coming, Morgan knows in her heart that she has lost him forever. Morgan has a hard time believing in fate and destiny after her fiancé is taken from her. With Declan gone, Morgan’s hope for true love is destroyed, but eventually she finds comfort in the arms of another, even though Morgan’s new love knows that her heart belongs to Declan.
Will Morgan eventually be able to move on, or will Declan haunt her dreams forever?
Her face was the only thing that had kept him sane during his deployment. At this moment, however, thoughts of Morgan had been pushed to the side for reasons of pure survival. Declan wiped the mud from his eye with a swift movement of his hand, just quick enough so that he could see again. Booming thunder went off near and far.
Swearing under his breath, Declan closed one eye and squinted the other shut as he spied his target. Breathe. One, two, three… he could do this. The first time he’d had to shoot another man he had faltered, hesitated only the briefest of seconds, during which time the man escaped his line of sight and shot a fellow soldier in the leg, causing serious injury.
This time, Declan concentrated, aimed his M4 rifle, and fired. The distinct thud of a man dropping to the ground confirmed the target had been hit. Swiping at the sweat in his eyes from the sweltering mid-day heat, Declan gulped and struggled to his knees. Lining up his rifle again, his neck and shoulders ached with fatigue. He bit down and gritted his teeth, tasting dirt while fighting off the pain.
It seemed as if hours had gone by, when in fact, it had probably only been minutes when finally the haunting sound of gunfire ceased. Not one to trust silence in any setting, Declan mentally counted upward until he reached near fifty.
“All clear,” his buddy, Sean, called out. “All clear.”
Declan, always cautious, still maintained his position until he heard his fellow soldiers from his platoon begin to speak. Peeking up from his ravine, Declan rose slowly to his feet as the rifle was pressed to his side.
Surveying the damage, it appeared that several of their enemies were lying still on the ground. The man he had shot lay still, appearing lifeless. Another man lay several feet away. It seemed the enemies had taken off, deserting the boundaries of the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan. His platoon mates fell silent, all business as they quickly gathered their belongings to head back to base.
Declan clutched his rifle, drawing closer to his victim. Curiosity had gotten the best of him. Fully aware of his previous actions, Declan stepped even closer. He had never killed a man before — injured, yes, but never killed. This man did not appear to be alive.
His heart sped up as sweat caused his fatigues to cling to his body. For God’s sake, the man looked to have been only in his early twenties at best. What have I done? What are we doing here? Waves of nausea rose and Declan swallowed hard.
“Hey! Step back!” Sean called out. “Move out! I repeat, move out!”
Hearing his friend call out to him, Declan turned toward the sound of his voice, realizing his mistake seconds too late. He should have known better; he should have. But no amount of training can prepare you for taking another man’s life.
Glancing swiftly at Sean through tear-stained eyes, he saw the movement in his peripheral vision. Sean raced to the open dirt road. They were sitting ducks, in plain sight. The man that Declan had presumed dead, the one he had shot, raised his own rifle and fired at Sean, who dropped instantly to ground.
“No! No!” Declan spun his head back to the imminent threat, a moment too late. The force of the explosion knocked him to the ground in an instant. Morgan’s face was the last thing that registered in his mind as another shot fired, leaving his world black.
****
Clouds scattered overhead, cries of gulls bringing back another time, a different memory, sitting here with Declan by her side. Morgan squeezed her jaw, fighting back the pain.
Months later, there was still no word from Declan. On the Internet, she had searched out his name relentlessly but there was no mention of Declan, no death certificates and his name couldn’t be found on any list of casualties of the war. It was as if he had simply disappeared, but that wasn’t possible and she feared the worst. He was gone and there was no closure for Morgan, as his only living relatives were his mom and some family living on the west coast, whom Declan hadn’t seen in years. Even she and Declan’s old friend, Stephen seemed to be losing touch.
She could sit on this beach and watch the water forever; it was a place Declan had cherished, a place she felt close to him. Never again would her life be the same without Declan Blake. How was she going to make it without him?
The world was quiet and without joy for Morgan. Even Morgan’s mother nagged her to speak with a therapist. She didn’t see the purpose of smiling or laughing when it was all forced. Constant thoughts of Declan plagued her day and night.
Morgan nearly jumped when her cell rang. First instincts were to let the call go to voicemail, but she knew the person calling would only persist. That’s how it had been lately; she would ignore phone calls only to find tons of messages waiting.
It was Elle, calling for the second time that day. “Hi, Elle.”
“Where have you been? I’ve been trying to call you for hours,” Elle exclaimed.
“I don’t know, I’m just hanging out.”
“Down by the river again?” Elle inquired.
“Yup,” Morgan responded as she moved her foot around in the sand.
“Figured as much.”
Elle’s voice sounded odd, almost as if she were hearing her close by. Morgan turned to see her friend walking toward her on the grassy path leading to the small beach.
Rising to her feet, Morgan felt tears escape. Elle was by her side, arms wrapped around her within moments. Morgan released Elle and took a small step back.
“Oh, Elle, what am I going to do?” she sobbed.
“You’re going to live, dammit. Declan would want you to be happy.”
“How? How can I forget about him, just move on?” It wasn’t possible, she had tried, and it just wasn’t working. Even when she was at work, she was just going through the motions; she did her job, but her heart wasn’t the same.
“I think it’s time for you to see someone to talk about all of this. You’ve waited long enough.”
She was right and so was her mother, believe it or not. “I will, Elle. I will because I don’t know what else to do.”
“Morgan, you’re the strongest person I know. You have so much happiness and love to share. I have full confidence in you. You’re going to make it and come out stronger in the end.” Elle spoke through her own tears.
“Thanks, Elle. I love you.” Morgan felt better knowing there was someone on her side rooting for her.
Author Mya O’Malley
Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of a boxer, Destiny and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.
Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her eighth novel.
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