48
Jessica
The fireworks were beautiful. Reds, blues, and green glistened against the darkening sky, and sparklers glittered in the valley below us, reminding me of every moment I’d used my powers. The powers I no longer had.
“How are you feeling?” Eric asked, leaning into the shadows beneath the willow tree. It was the only time we’d been in public together. We were still hiding and I couldn’t be more grateful. At least we had one night, one instance of freedom.
“Tired,” I admitted. Ever since Bracke had blocked my abilities, I didn’t feel quite right, but I was adapting to the feeling. I was started to feel like my old self—the girl who was oblivious of everything to come.
“That’s expected,” Eric said, and I nodded, knowing we repeated the conversation every time I managed to see him, mainly at his house and only when Teresa—or Camille—deemed it safe enough to pick me up. I wasn’t even allowed to drive my own car over.
“I spend every Independence Day up here,” Eric said, and we sat down.
I pushed my dress beneath me, loving the hot air summer brought. It was nearly suffocating, but I’d been cold for so long, I embraced the humidity entirely.
“I can see why,” I said, taking in everything, even though I knew I wouldn’t remember it the next day. I grabbed his hand and tightened my grip. “Do you think it will hurt?” I asked, and Eric’s green eyes peered through the shadows.
“It shouldn’t,” he said, running his thumb over the back of my hand. “It’ll happen when you’re sleeping, so you won’t even know.”
I forced a nod, mustering up the courage to ask the question our three months together hadn’t allowed. “You’re planning on fighting Darthon without me; aren’t you?”
He straightened, dragging his fingers through my curls. “What do you mean?” He was avoiding the answer.
“You turn eighteen in December,” I said, crossing my arms. “And you’re not going to bring my memory back until afterwards. I can tell.”
His expression didn’t move. “That was always the plan, Jessica,” he said, and I knew he was telling the truth I’d denied to myself.
“I don’t want you to, Eric.”
He sighed. “Jessica—”
“Why don’t my feelings matter?” I asked, and he tilted his head, nearly smiling.
“You know they do,” he said. “Especially to me. But—”
“But what?” The closeness of my memory being erased was causing me to panic. Had I made the wrong decision? It didn’t matter. There was no turning back from it. Luthicer had already placed the illusion.
“But your presence would only make things worse,” he said, the voice of reason. “And you know that.”
“What if he kills you?” I asked, tugging on his shirt when he didn’t respond. “What if he wins, Eric?”
“I’m not going to die, Jessica,” Eric said, and he sat up, pulling me into his lap. He poked my side, and I giggled, fighting him. I didn’t want to laugh.
“Stop it,” I said, sticking out my bottom lip as he leaned over me, his brown hair hovering over my face.
“Then relax,” he said. “I said it’d be fine, so at least attempt to believe in me.”
I sat up and kissed him before lying back down. “I do.”
His hand brushed my curls off my face, and he laid his palm on my cheek. “I don’t want this any more than you do, but it has to be this way,” he said. I didn’t bother nodding. He knew I agreed. I’d offered, after all.
“I love you,” I said, and his fingers dropped from my face. He didn’t say anything, and I sat up, my heart racing. I hadn’t said it before then, and he wasn’t saying it back. “What’s wrong?” I asked, and he grabbed my hands, lacing his fingers through mine.
“You know I feel the same way,” he said as his green eyes held mine. “But I want to say it when you’ll remember it. Not now. Not when you may never get the memory back.”
He reminded me that Luthicer had erased every memory of Shoman, the Dark, and anything that could trigger it, but he’d done it with hesitation. He wasn’t sure if I’d get every moment back, even when he removed the blocks.
I bit my quavering lip, and Eric leaned forward, kissing me. His hand waved through my curls, resting on the nape of my neck, and he held me against him. Beneath the willow tree, we remained like that for minutes, until I needed to breathe and pulled away.
“I still love you,” I said, and he chuckled, knowing my love wasn’t something I gave expecting it back. I loved him, and because I did, I knew how he felt. If he needed more time to express it, then I accepted it. I wanted to.
“I am sorry,” he said, pulling me under his arm as an array of fireworks burst over the night sky.
“Me, too.”
His shoulders rose. “What are you sorry for?”
I swallowed my nerves. “In case anything happens,” I said, hesitating to elaborate. “In case, I date someone else—just know that my heart belongs to you.”
His jaw tightened as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him. “I forgive you already,” he said, and he rubbed his hand over my back, although he was the one who probably needed comfort. “We’ll get through this, Jessica. I promise.”
I brought Eric’s hand up and kissed it. His eyes widened, and I leaned back, yawning for the first time. My face fell into a frown, reminded by the upcoming sleep that would trigger the illusion, and Eric didn’t bother to hide his grimace either.
“I’ll be back before I know it,” I said, and he tilted his head to the side.
“It’ll be a blink for you,” he said and smiled before I could talk about his reality. “This won’t be the last time I hold your hand,” he promised with a kiss.
I agreed and hoped it was a promise we could keep, despite the future ahead of us.
Acknowledgements
Many moon cycles ago, a fourteen-year-old experienced an array of terrifying nightmares—many of which felt too realistic to have only been dreamt. These nightmares continued for one year, and the only solace resided in a singular boy who appeared in them to discuss a magical and unfamiliar world. Without explanation, the dreams ceased, but the girl’s memories continued to captivate her, eventually becoming the inspiration for The Timely Death Trilogy.
In the decade following, The Timely Death Trilogy was written, and with the support of many talented people, those dreams became a reality when The Timely Death Trilogy was published. For that reason, I want to thank my teachers—Mrs. Metcalf, T.L. McCown, Megan Kaminski, and Dr. Valk—for showing me a literary world full of possibilities. I also want to thank all of my dear friends who’ve gone beyond themselves to help with this novel, including Kirsten Moore, David Flores, Alex Villers, Tyler Gravenstein, Raul Diaz, Kyle Pettey, Cassie Barker, and Atheil Barker. A special thank you also goes out to the dedicated team at Clean Teen Publishing for believing in the world of the Dark with eager determination to share it with readers. Another thank you is for all the Members of the Dark—book bloggers and reviewers—who supported this trilogy through many trying times.
Without all of these passionate people, this novel would not be possible.
To all of you mentioned and beyond, I owe the greatest gratitude.
Stay Dark,
Shannon A. Thompson
Join the Dark and visit https://www.ShannonAThompson.com
About the Author
Shannon A. Thompson is a twenty-three-year-old author, avid reader, and habitual chatterbox. She was merely sixteen when she was first published, and a lot has happened since then. Thompson’s work has appeared in numerous poetry collections and anthologies, and her first installment of The Timely Death Trilogy became Goodreads’ Book of the Month. As a novelist, poet, and blogger, Thompson spends her free time writing and sharing ideas with her black cat named after her favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart. Between writing and befriending cats, she graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in English, and she
travels whenever the road calls her.
Visit her blog for writers and readers at
https://www.shannonathompson.com
Don't worry, there are more books in this exciting series coming soon! Seconds Before Sunrise will release on August 25, 2015.
Two nightmares. One memory.
"Chaos within destiny. It was the definition of our love."
Eric has weeks before his final battle when he's in an accident. Forced to face his human side, he knows he can't survive if he fights alone. But he doesn't want to surrender, even if he becomes the sacrifice for war.
Jessica's memory isn't the only thing she's lost. Her desire to find her parents is gone and so is her confidence. But when fate leaves nightmares behind, she decides to find the boy she sees in them, even if it risks her sanity.
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