TEASER

This is an excerpt that I just wrote from 'Celestial Beings'. It goes around the middle-ending of the book and I just wanted to see what you guys thought.

The air seemed to still around me and time broke into fragmented pieces. Seven pieces to be exact; understanding, panic, fear, horror, hopelessness, grief, and acceptance. And then she crashed down into the waves below. The splash I knew she had made could never have been heard over the roar of the sea, but still the sound somehow echoed through my head.

“What happened?” Cory was by my side, tapping blindly at my arm, “Why aren't you guys saying anything?” I didn't know what to say.

A strangled sob was let out on my other side and I looked down to see Ash on her knees. She held Griffin against her chest, her hands covering his eyes, but from the look on her face she hadn't had anyone to stop her from witnessing Birdie's death.

“Okay you guys are really starting to creep me out.” Cory was back at my arm, poking over and over until-

“Birdie's dead.” I snapped, “And I know you're blind, but you better not be deaf as well because I'm not repeating that again.” And I took off. I was vaguely aware that I didn't know where I was headed, but I didn't care.

I kept walking through the trees, ignoring their calls for me to come back. I didn't stop until the tears started clouding my vision and I was forced to sink to the ground. I wasn't crying because Birdie died " heck, I didn't even like the girl " I was crying because I knew that sooner or later we were all going to end up like her; crazed and suicidal. The worst part was that I was meant to protect them; I was meant to stop them from burning themselves alive and trying to fly to the moon but I couldn't even control myself enough to stop the tears streaming.

I stayed on the muddy ground for a long time; until the darkness started to encroach and I knew I couldn't stay any longer. Picking myself up I tried to piece myself back together but the grief kept tearing my down.

Snap out of it Seven, I told myself before I started walking back; they couldn't see me like this.

They were where I had left them; Griffin was still in Ash's arms near the cliff edge and Cory has succumbed to sitting beside them. I grimaced as I started forward through the clearing, able to hear the crash of the waves against the rocks below.

“We...we should start heading back.” My voice broke on the last word.

“Seven...” Cory stood at the sound of my voice, “I'm sorry...I just...I'm sorry.” I waved off his apology, but remembering he couldn't see, decided on a simple grunt, afraid that my voice would break again if I tried to speak.

“Griffin's half asleep,” Ash said, standing up and dragging her brother up behind her.

“Here,” I grabbed his arms and pulled him up to sit on my shoulders,”Let's go.”

We stayed quiet on the way back, except for Ash's mutterings telling Cory where to step or turn as she guided him through the forest. Watching her was slightly breathtaking; she'd gently manoeuvre around fallen branches and manholes, taking a longer route, just so Cory would stay on his feet. She didn't seem to mind his hard hold on her arm, patient with it all. She looked up to see my watching her and for a split second there was a hint of a smile, but then the clouds were back to rolling over her grim face.

Author's Note

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