Get Ready, Here It Comes...#1

Heyo!

So, I wanted to let you all know that I just finished the Maximum Ride series (the eighth and final book is released August 6th...!) That's seven books in six days. Whoa. What a ride...(pun intended). Everyone should read this awesome series, definitely in my top 10 ever! When I found out there was a contest to write the last chapter of the last book (not the one that would go in the book, but...still), I got all excited and wanted to enter, I even planned out my chapter. Then, on checking the contest rules, I discovered it wasn't open to Canadians. Which I am. I was very dismayed, and still am, really. Well, their loss, I say! Maybe I'll post mine here someday. In the meantime, enjoy chapter one of my book. It's called Undone and it's going to be part of a larger series, which I plan to call the Hexachronicles. The reason it'd be called that will be revealed in the next book...! (*wink wink*) And my series isn't pro, or going to be published or anything fancy like that. I'm considering self-publishing on Amazon or something, but nothing's for sure. So for now, this is the only place to get it!

Chapter One

Becky tied her dark red hair back in a loose braid and threw in a blue headband. It matched her blue sweatshirt perfectly. As she adjusted the way her dark jeans sat on her hips, her mother called up, “Becky! Your friends are here!” 

“Be right down!” Becky called back, tying her black high-tops tightly. She raced down the stairs noisily, and there in the front hall were her best friends.

Julia and Robert Zambecki were standing side by side, almost identical with their thick blonde hair, dark green eyes and milky pale skin. Becky had known the twins since the three of them had been in pre-school. Next to Julia and Robert was Phoebe MacNeill, who had moved in next door to Becky seven years ago.

Phoebe had shoulder-length dark brown hair and bangs, light blue eyes, and freckles. Phoebe was always smiling, and had laughing eyes. Phoebe was like the anti-Julia. Where Phoebe was fun-loving and active, Julia was brooding and thoughtful. Robert was like both of them rolled into one, quiet and bookish but with a passion for baseball.

“Hey, Becky!” Phoebe grinned and waved. 

“Hi, Becky.” Julia looked at her shoes and brushed hair away from her eyes. Robert just smiled and flashed a hand at Becky.

“Hi, guys!” Becky smiled back. “Well, we’re off, see you!” She addressed her mother now, waving. Mrs. Forresthampton hugged Becky quickly and kissed her forehead.

“Have fun, kids.” Mrs. Forresthampton smiled at the group collectively. “See you at ten-thirty.”

“Okay, Mrs. F.” Robert smiled at Becky’s mother, then shut the door behind him. Becky was zipping up her rain jacket on the porch as Phoebe popped open an umbrella over herself and Julia. Robert just pulled his sweatshirt hood over his head. It was very threatening-dark clouds roiled and thundered above.

Robert fell into step beside Becky. They chatted about school and sports, what courses they were going to take the next year. Behind them, Phoebe and Julia were chatting in the exact same way. Well, Phoebe was. Julia was nodding and throwing in the occasional ‘hm.’ or ‘I see.’ 

Phoebe rushed ahead with Julia, and each of them grabbed a wrist-Julia snagging Becky’s, Phoebe clutching Robert’s. They pulled them underneath the umbrella so they were all four crammed underneath. Phoebe held the handle, and Julia squeezing up against Phoebe’s shoulder. Robert and Becky were squashed together in back.

“Well,” said Robert, his voice tinged with sarcasm. “Isn’t this cozy.”

“Yes, it is indeed.” Phoebe replied brightly, tipping her head back at a neck-snapping angle to flash him a grin.

Robert rolled his eyes. A sharp gust of wind blew the rain harshly against the foursome, and Becky shied away from the edge of the umbrella. Robert shuffled in closer, too, and their sides were pressed together even harder. Becky shivered.

“You cold?” Robert asked, looking down at Becky, who was a head smaller than him. 

“Yeah.” Becky replied, hugging herself tightly. “Freezing.”

“Well, shiver no more!” he proclaimed, putting an arm around Becky. Though his arms offered little protection against the cold, Becky much preferred walking like this than trying to insulate herself using her own arms.

Another heavy sheet of rain pressed in on the four friends. Phoebe grabbed Julia’s arm. “Oh, Julia!” she cried dramatically. “Why did we turn your mother down when she offered to drive us?”

“Because you said it didn’t look too threatening out.” Julia replied snidely, elbowing Phoebe, who freed her arm.

Phoebe made as if to say something, but just succeeded in looking like a fish, opening and closing her mouth soundlessly, indignantly. Julia, Robert, and Becky all laughed loudly, which just made Phoebe even more flustered.

“You three are awful!” Phoebe finally exclaimed, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. A shudder passed through her.

Miraculously, Robert had warmed Becky considerably, so she nestled even closer in the crook of his elbow to glean the most warmth possible. Robert wore a satisfied smile, as if she was warming him as well.

When the movie theatre came in sight, just a block away, Robert detached himself from Becky. Her smile dropped. But soon they’d be in the heated movie theatre watching Terminal Domination IIII. 

They ducked under the marquee reading the title of their movie, Julia shaking and closing the umbrella. Robert stepped up to the ticket booth. “Four for Terminal Domination pl-”

The ticket girl, a tall, black-haired twenty-something with bright green eyes, had pulled out a gun. She cocked the gun, raised it so that Robert was staring right down the barrel.

Well, that's it for now. Suspense...duh duh duh (dramatic music!)

Let me know what you think! 

-Iza