WIND CATCHER
by Jeffrey
Altabef & Erynn Altabef
BLURB:
Juliet Wildfire Stone hears voices and sees
visions, but she can’t make out what they mean. Her eccentric grandfather tells
her stories about the Great Wind Spirit and Coyote, but he might as well be
speaking another language. None of it makes any sense.
When she stumbles upon a series of murders, she can’t help but worry
her grandfather might be involved. To discover the truth, Juliet must choose
between her new life at an elite private school and her Native American
heritage.
Once she uncovers an ancient secret society formed over two hundred
years ago to keep her safe, she starts to wonder whether there’s some truth to
those old stories her grandfather has been telling her.
All she wants is to be an average sixteen-year-old girl, but she has
never been average—could never be average.
Betrayed by those she loves, she must decide whether to run or risk
everything by fulfilling her destiny as the Chosen.
EXCEPRT:
Everything about me is a lie.
My entire life is a leaning tower of lies that threatens to
collapse at any moment and bury me so deep I may never climb out from under the
rubble.
I slam the bathroom door and my hand trembles as the
old-fashioned steel bolt slides into place.
Click.
The locked door offers no real safety. Locked doors can be
broken, but it does give me a moment of privacy and a chance to breathe. So
much has happened over the past few days. It’s like I’ve become a totally
different person, someone unrecognizable.
The adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins has
completely melted away now as I lean against the wooden door. My breath comes
fast and ragged. My body feels heavy and weary and my legs weaken. Gravity
pulls me down. Too tired to resist, I slide down the length of the door until
the white marble floor rushes up to meet me.
I work hard to steady my breath and focus on taking in fresh
air, expelling the old. It’s a simple process, yet it takes all of my
concentration. When air starts to flow, my eyes close. Time slows and drifts by
erratically.
Images flash through my mind—an eclectic group of memories:
childhood birthdays, second place in a spelling bee, hanging out with Troy,
rock climbing with Sicheii. Most are happy, but they’re all tainted now. The
lies spoil them. They were never true. They were just part of a story, one
that’s changed forever.
My weary mind reaches for sleep, but I resist. Too much time
would be wasted. There’s too much for me to do. Too many loose ends need to be
tied, so I open moist eyes and wipe away tears I don’t recall crying.
When my vision clears, crimson-streaked fingers flutter near
my face as if directed by someone else. I thought blood looked like ketchup,
but it’s darker and thicker than you would think. My hands spin in tight
circles. Each finger is stained with thick, mud-colored smears.
Whose blood is on them?
A cold sweat coats my back and my chest tightens. This blood
must be scrubbed away immediately. It starts to burn as if it’s alive, as if
possessed by dark spirits, spirits that want to harm me. It freaks me out. I
have got to wash them clean now, this second, immediately, before....
I turn the faucet and hot water tumbles over my skin. I
frantically rub my fingers together and hope friction and water alone will make
the blood disappear. The water in the sink turns red and then pink, but traces
of blood stubbornly stay behind. A bar of soap rests on the edge of the porcelain
sink. Lather squishes between my fingers—twisting and turning, scrubbing and
rinsing. My skin turns raw from the rubbing, and when the water has lost all
its warmth, I turn the faucet off.
Hard to find specks of blood cling to my flesh, but I still see
them and feel them.
Will they ever wipe clean? I don’t think so.
A silent scream builds deep within me, which so desperately
wants to be released it practically hurts, but no sound slips past my lips. I’m
too tired to scream.
AUTHOR Bio:
Wind Catcher:
A Chosen Novel is a joint project between the father/daughter team of Jeff
Altabef and Erynn Altabef. Jeff Altabef
is an award winning author who has two published thrillers. He has a column on
The Examiner focused on writing, and a blog designed to encourage writing by
those that like telling stories. He spends time volunteering at the writing
center in the local community college. Erynn Altabef is an avid reader, dancer,
and community activist who has just earned her Girl Scout Gold Award. When
she’s not in High School, she loves reading, performing in school musicals,
baking, and watching movies with her friends.
GIVEAWAY:
$20 Amazon/BN GC, autographed print copy of Wind Catcher, or a digital copy of Wind
Catcher
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1 comments:
I really like the sound of this book! Enjoyed the excerpt!
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