Displaced
The
Achlivan Cycle Book 1
by
Cloud S. Riser
Genre:
SciFi, YA Romance
Chevelle
Donahue thought going into work would be just like any other boring
day at the mall. Sure, there was her annoying co-worker Wicken
Sanders, and a promotional visit from teen heartthrob Timber Hudson,
to watch and keep her entertained. But who was she kidding? Working
retail was lame no matter what happened. A terrorist attack changes
everything - an attack from aliens of all things. The patrons are
given two options: comply or else. Complying means giving in to a new
set of rules and changing her entire life. "Or else" means
she has no chance of going home again. She must figure out the truth
behind why the aliens are holding everyone hostage. In doing so, she
risks her chance at freedom - but by the time she learns what's
really happening, she might not want it.
**FREE
on Amazon!**
I WANT TO say it’s a Thursday, and the middle of January.
I’m not sure exactly because I haven’t seen a calendar since the end of
October. The one we kept in the apartment ran out, and all of the others have
been destroyed in the effort to make sure all of us poor, inferior humans
submit to the ways of the Achlivan. We were able to draw one on our bathroom
wall. It’s small, but it does the job.
It took some time, but I think I’m finally able to
accurately document everything that’s happened in the past three months. For a
while, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be ready. I’ve seen things I wish I could
forget, and as much as I want to just go along with the way of these aliens, I
can’t.
Letting go of my past life is not easy, and I’m terrified
of forgetting it. Someday, the human race will be free from captivity, and when
that day comes, they’ll need to know what happened and how life used to be.
They’ll need to know that our species was once part of a thriving civilization.
That’s why I’m writing this.
I remember the day the Achlivans came vividly. It was
warm, which was something to cherish in late October in Minnesota. The weather
there was always so temperamental, like Mother Nature had PMS. One day it’d be
gorgeous, and the next there would be three feet of snow. It didn’t matter if
it was the middle of July. That day, I want to say it was around sixty degrees.
Jeans and a sweatshirt kind of weather.
Like most days before I had to open at work, I didn’t
sleep the best the night before. Something about the anticipation of having to
wake up with my alarm clock always messed with my ability to relax. I had the
same problem during school too. Any time I had to wake up before my body
actually wanted to messed with my head. I don’t think I need to elaborate how going
to bed at two in the morning on a regular basis didn’t make for waking up at a
time before eleven often. It all comes with being a night owl. At school, I had
the ability to schedule my classes around that. Work on the other hand left me
at the mercy of my manager. Because I needed money – badly – opening was
something I had to suck up and deal with.
The store opened at ten, so it wasn’t like I had to get
up at some ungodly hour in the morning or anything. Still, the morning of the
attack, I was having a hard time wanting to get out of bed. I groaned several
times and opted out of taking a shower just for the extra half an hour of
sleep.
My alarm went off on my cell phone one last time. If I
hit the snooze button and stayed in bed, I’d be on the chopping block at work.
The fifty cents over minimum wage that I got an hour was almost enough for me
to say screw it all and stay in bed. Unfortunately, it was still more money
than I had in my bank account.
As if he could read my mind, my chihuahua, Burrito, jumped
up onto my chest and started to lick my face until I couldn’t breathe. Dog
breath filled my nostrils, slobber covered my mouth and nose, and tiny paws
scratched my neck and shoulders.
“Ugh, okay, I’m awake, I’m awake!” I carefully picked
Burrito up and put him next to me. Then I reluctantly got out of my warm, cozy
bed. Getting dressed took all of five minutes since I threw on my jeans from
the day before which were still laying on the floor, my navy Toy Tech T-shirt
that I needed for work, the first pair of socks and necessary undergarments I
could find in my top dresser drawer, and my amazingly comfortable work shoes.
All that was left to do was pull my long, straight, boring, dark hair back into
a ponytail.
I was halfway up the stairs when my Mom called down to
me. “Chevelle, if you don’t get up here soon you’re going to be late! Breakfast
is ready for you!”
“I’m right here, relax, I said, meeting her at the top of
the steps. You cooked? Wait, of course you cooked. You’re always cooking.”
“Someone has to make sure you’re eating right. I figured
you’d be thanking me so you didn’t have to eat all of that cafeteria college
food.” Mom threw up her hands and shook her head. “All right honey, I can take
a hint. You’re an adult now and you don’t need me to baby you.”
I gave her a big hug. “Baby me all you want. I just don’t
have a lot of time to eat a big breakfast. Like you said, I’m going to be late.
Besides, do the words freshmen fifteen mean anything to you?”
She laughed. “If you’ve gained fifteen pounds already,
you’re hiding it well.”
Truth was, I’d gained five pounds. Pants should not be
such a chore to get on. Would my mother have understood this? Over time, but
not until I lost control over my weight gain and it became painfully obvious it
was there. I didn’t want things to get that bad and, like most American teenage
girls, I believed I already needed to lose ten pounds as it was just to feel
good about myself.
Ignoring her comment, I took a cold toaster pastry from
out of the box and rushed to grab my purse and hoodie from school. “I’ll be
back for dinner! Love you!” I called out before I headed out the door.
Those were the last
words I spoke to my mother.
Invited
The
Achlivan Cycle Book 2
It's
been three months since Chevelle Donahue, Wicken Sanders, and Timber
Hudson were taken from Earth by the Achlivans - an alien race
kidnapping humans in the name of preserving as much of Earth as
possible before it is destroyed.
Wicken
has been sold to another alien race - The Gorgachan - and their way
of life is no where near as peaceful as the Utopia the Achlivans have
set up. While he tries to figure out a way back home to his beloved
Chevelle, he is caught in the middle of a fight that shouldn't
involve him.
Meanwhile,
Chevelle and Timber work together to find a way to bring Wicken back
home again, along with how they can save their families back on
Earth. Someone on the Achlivan ship is working against them and their
happily ever after. Timber and Chevelle must choose between their own
desires and doing the right thing - and each must prepare to give the
performance of their lives if they're going to survive.
**On
Sale for the tour!!**
Sheltered
The
Achlivan Cycle Book 3
The
exciting conclusion to the Achlivan Cycle!
Timber
Hudson must come to terms with the loss of his family and friends
while at the same time being tasked with his greatest challenge:
saving humanity from becoming mindless drones. It'd be a lot easier
if Rumor would keep her nose in her own business and in prison where
it belongs.
Meanwhile,
Chevelle and Wicken must choose sides. One offers them the chance to
rebuild Earth from the ground up, and the other will return them to
Sanctuary to be with their family and friends. Neither choice is as
black and white as it seems.
And
all must face great dangers.
Cloud
S. Riser is a Minnesota native. She has lived in Minnesota her whole
life. She will probably remain there for her whole life too. The
mother of The Squid, Skyscraper, and two cats, her life is definitely
never dull. An adventure she braves with her husband. In order to
stay sane, she creates massive amounts of fiction which she has
decided to share with the rest of the world for the simple reason of:
she is a storyteller.
Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
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