Dystopian Young Adult Sci-Fi Book Series
Dawn of Rebellion by Michelle Lynn
Series Excerpt
Panic sets in when I wake to realize Gabby never came home last night. She's never done this and I can’t help the nagging feeling that something is wrong. Happy birthday to me, right?
I stand at our broken window watching the angry sky. It's been raining since the early hours of the morning and the sun has yet to make an appearance. If I went looking for Gabby now, I’d never find her.
I jump at the flash of lightning and brace myself for the waves of thunder. Thunderstorms have always freaked me out, making me feel vulnerable. Gabby and I usually just grab our blankets and go curl up together in the corner farthest from the window. Having Gabby around makes me feel safe, but she's not here and I'm alone.
I sit in our corner by myself and huddle under a blanket, trying to calm the shaking in my bones. My head jerks up when a soft knocking sounds against the door.
“Gabby?” I call. “That you?”
The door is pushed open to reveal a beautiful man with dark hair and wild eyes. He steps into the room and stops as his eyes take in his surroundings. His curious gaze burns into me. What the hell did he expect? This is East End, not freaking central London. I pull the blanket to my chin and wait.
“Are you Dawn?” It doesn't look like he slept at all last night and he could be on some sort of drugs. Water drips from his hair and his shoes leave wet prints as he steps closer. I watch his face. There is something very familiar about him.
My mouth clams up as I try to talk and all I can manage is a simple nod.
“I'm Drew. I know your sister.” That's when it hits me. This is the boy from the classroom yesterday, but that girl wasn't my sister. My fear turns to anger. What makes him think he can run around on my sister? She’s too good for the likes of this asshat. When I find her, she's going to be crushed. Slag.
As I think about her, I push what I saw to the back of my mind because I just want to know that she’s okay.
Despite my desire to spit in Drew's face and walk away, I find my voice, “Is she OK? Where is she?”
Drew nervously runs his hands through his hair and sits near me without an invitation. Too close for comfort. “She was stupid, so stupid. I didn't know what she was going to do or I would've stopped her. There was a chase, and I couldn't help. And now…” He trails off and his hands start to shake.
I let him sit in silence for a minute trying to understand his jumbled explanation. I finally ask, “Drew, what are you saying? Where is she?”
He looks straight at me, his eyes pained, “She's on her way to the colonies.”
I can't speak. This can't be true. What has Gabby done?
Words clog in my throat as tears threaten at my eyes. My whole life, she's taken care of me. Now she's off to have who knows what done to her. This can't be happening. I shake my head furiously.
Drew is talking, trying to explain to me the events of the night before, but I haven’t been listening. His words come rapidly as if he wants to get it all out there and never have to speak of it again.
“…that's when the police took her and I went home to talk to my dad. He wouldn't help me. I tried to explain it to him and he said he was just happy to have her out of my life. He had her sent on the first air shuttle to the colonies this morning. I couldn't stop him. I left home and came looking for you.”
“How did you find me?”
“Well, Gabby never told me where you lived; only that it was in the east end. So, I've been driving around for hours, asking anyone that would talk to me where to find you. I knew her family would be worried.”
“I'm Gabby's family.”
“Wait, what? Where are your parents?” Both of us start to calm down as everything sinks in.
“Gone.” I look away; acting as if that word doesn't kill me every day. The last thing I'm going to do is explain to this boy my family's sordid history.
Drew blinks rapidly, taking in the new information. “We have to help her.”
“We?” I don't want anything to do with the git who is cheating on my sister. I don’t trust him. “Why would you want to help?” The question comes out harsher than I intend, but he deserves it.
“It’s my fault.” He breathes out a long breath. “She never had a chance because of my father.”
“Your father?”
“The district commander.”
“Shite.” I bury my face in my hands. “Get out.”
“What?”
“I don’t trust you. I don’t like you. Your father just ripped apart my family.” A sob tears from my throat. “My sister is gone. So get out of my house.”
“You can't do this by yourself. You need me,” he protests.
“Do what?”
“If you're at all like your sister, you already have a plan and, if you don't, I do.”
“We're nothing alike,” I snap. “There is no plan. People go to the colonies and they don’t come back. Ever.” As I curl back up on the floor he pulls a scrap of paper from his pocket and writes something on it.
“Here, in case you change your mind.” And then he is gone.
I reach for the piece of paper and unfold it.
Tomorrow
11 PM
Airport
Hanger 18
Out on the street below, a car engine roars and thunder rolls.
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