Then Paul had died. He never really knew the guy, but it was hard for anyone here in such a small town not to mourn the death of an eighteen-year-old boy. It was such a shame, he’d been offered to be a part of their team. He could have helped them save lives but instead he’d chosen to run.
Ryan looked at Donna again, then saw Lynn give him the stare of death. He looked forward. He had gone to Donna’s house two days ago, just to make sure she was all right. She had been in her room, asleep and safe.
He looked at Lynn. She was almost everything any guy would ever want, and he cared about her. He understood his exact feelings for her. With her, he was Ryan Applegate, a 105 Biomax soldier, but with Donna things were complicated, never ending, and dangerous. She was the first girl he had ever liked and opened up to. She was absolutely beautiful in ways Lynn could never be to him. He had gone back and forth from liking her to just caring about her, or at least he’d made himself believe he just cared; her being a reminder that he’d never be able to be normal or more than a secret friend to her. Though it seemed he couldn’t even find ways to do that anymore, and it killed him worse then being shocked by the Electrolite.
Yet it had to be this way. Fighting the Electrolite proved his animal self and human self didn’t fully know each other well enough yet. If they had, he’d have beaten the electric intruder easily. He’d been made to do so much more than that.
“This was only the beginning,” his father’s words, yet he could feel in his skin they were true. He needed control. Control was the key, but he knew if anyone ever tried to hurt Donna the animal inside him would not be able to be controlled. He’d tear them to pieces …
* * *
Donna
That night the stage was lit, and most of the town was there to see the state gymnastics team, which went from school to school to show off and give an entertaining show. After that, all the people trying out would have one three-minute audition on the beam, the bars, or the horse, their choice. Donna watched Melissa perform, knowing she could do just as well now.
Brook had come into town to see her win this. She’d driven all the way from the city. She was sitting next to Spencer and Rebecca in the far right end of the bleachers. Brook smiled and screamed out Donna’s name. Donna pretended to smile shyly, and Brook mouthed “You can do this!”
Her routine was perfect, and seeing Melissa not go for the back handspring double back tuck, she now knew she had this. Here was her one chance to be free, far away from this nightmare of a place. She waved to her dad, who walked in late, of course, and went to sit by his best friend. Her stomach turned sour as Mr. Applegate, Ryan, and Lynn sat together with her father.
If I do this, and if they suspect what I am, Spencer, Rebecca, and I could die! Then my dad will be alone. She’d written that sentence down over and over again, but now it was time to act on what she, Spencer, and Rebecca had decided.
Donna walked out in her gymnastics uniform and took her beginning pose, staring at the audience. I could be free … The other voice in her head screamed at her against the logical one. The music started and Donna began her routine …
* * *
Unknown
Far away from East Applegate, across from America, in an ancient ruin lost to all but a select group trusted with its secrets, stood two men. One was old, withered, and wise looking, with something devious and misleading in his smile. The other was younger, in his twenties, and had blond hair and silver eyes, and the presence of a great knight or king. This young one looked troubled, angry, and confused. “You warned Paul Cohen the day before his death! It was you! You broke every one of the rules you taught me!” he accused the old man.
The old man made a humble, innocent face, making eye contact with the boy. “Yes, I’m afraid I did,” he said at last.
“You changed everything! The entire future, you—”
“We’ve all changed the future many times, isn’t that the point of our existence?” the old man reasoned calmly.
“Don’t try to manipulate me. We both know what the penalty is for this.”
“Yes, we both know,” the old man spoke as he took a step toward him. “And you, my young son, would be dead right now if such misunderstandings were put into action.”
They both looked at each other, a secret being understood only to them.
“I should have known they were right about you,” the young man said to the old man’s face at last.
“Maybe they were, from the old ways point of view, but the old times have passed. A new prelude is upon us. Yes, I changed the future. The boy was a necessary sacrifice in order to save a life, that, I thought you’d agree, should be saved among all else. After all, it was your promise to keep.”
“Don’t twist this!”
“There is nothing to twist.” The old man kept going, “Don’t you understand, son, that everything I do is for you? Paul Cohen would have grown up to be your biggest enemy, and the promise you made to Kalob would be unkept.”
“You know I’m forbidden to keep that promise,” the young man told him, looking down at the ground.
“I know that the future is in our hands now, it’s time to shape it. It’s time you go back to East Applegate. It’s time you return home, David Young.”
###
Shock Me is the first of five novels in The Shock Me series.
Written by Ashley C. Harris.
Click here to read the second novel in the series SPARKS.
Also By
Ashley C. Harris
THE SHOCK ME SERIES
Shock Me
Sparks
Collide
THE ONE NIGHT IN SERIES
One Night In Heated Snapshots
One Night In Close Exposure
For more information and news on Ashley C. Harris's upcoming books go to:
www.Ashleycharris.com
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Special Thanks From The Author:
Special thanks to Amber Harris, my parents David and Karen Harris, and everyone else that encouraged me to pursue publishing this book. To Cameron Yeager, the most amazing editor, and also to Molly Harris, Ariel Lepoff, and all the other proofreaders who helped me along the way. To my publicists Danielle Barclay, Anjana Vasan, and everyone else at Barclay Publicity. The adventure of this series has just started and I thank you all!
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