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the half-ling book one in the fall of igneeria series kaylee soderburg copyright 2013 kaylee soderburg all rights reserved . |
isbn : 1492913731 isbn-13 : 978-1492913733 for my family , who encouraged me to never stop fighting for my dreams chapter 1 summer vacations supposed to be fun , right ? |
i wish i had a better answer to that question . |
starlings , new york is not the place youd expect much to happen . |
its a small quiet town , the kind where everyone knows your name . |
its a place where your parents wouldnt even care if you stayed out late biking with your friends . |
only because everyone felt so safe , so comfy . |
they dont know the half of it . |
but i do . |
i know it all and starlings is not the place where you want to be after dark . |
the only reason why no one knows this is because jason , emily , seth and i have kept it that way . |
i walked along the empty road alone , occasionally waving to passing kids on bikes . |
my backpack was slung over my shoulder , filled with my writing books and sketchpads . |
i kept my eyes on the shadowed road , watching my every step . |
usually i was more aware of my surroundings , but today i was tired and didnt care if i rammed into a tree . |
i kicked a rock into the grass . |
the sun was starting to set , painting the sky in brilliant oranges and reds . |
it slipped down the sky , allowing the first stars to peek out from behind the bright curtain . |
the remaining light cast shadows over everything , creating the illusion that there was double of everything . |
the world prepared to go into its hours of unreal silence that made it seem magical , and it really was . |
my phone buzzed and i awoke from my trance . |
i thumbed the keypad and opened the message seth had sent me . |
it read : whatcha doing ? |
i flipped open the pad and wrote : walking home . |
i shoved it back in my pocket and continued walking . |
the sun was almost gone and shadows were starting to appear behind everything . |
i looked at my own shadow , that danced behind me . |
the phone buzzed again as seth sent me a reply . |
see anything ? |
do you want me to meet you ? |
i glanced at the nearby woods . |
my ears heard nothing and i didnt see any movement but my hands shook slightly as i typed , nothing , im fine . |
i didnt open his reply because i knew what it would say . |
i already knew that it was strangely quiet . |
maybe i could stay home and sleep one night . |
or maybe i could finish a painting tonight and watch mom do origami . |
i turned the corner , and my house came into view . |
i started to climb the hill when i froze . |
out of my left eye i saw the outline of a creature . |
it was heading through the woods in the direction of my house . |
i swore under my breath and took off for the woods . |
my feet crunched on the fallen branches and leaves . |
i could see the creature ahead of me . |
i didnt have much time . |
i placed my bag on the ground and crossed my legs . |
i started to grab my phone but stopped . |
i didnt need to tell the others , it was just one . |
and if i was lucky , it would be an easy take down . |
i closed my eyes and began my mental countdown . |
the wind picked up around me , as if a wind current had just appeared out of nowhere . |
5 my body started to feel hot , like i was being hugged by the sun . |
i hated this part . |
4 power surged through me as i was freed from my human self . |
shivers ran down my spine . |
3 i felt cold , like being dipped in ice water . |
the breeze picked up even harder . |
2 i was hollow and could probably see my own body if i opened my eyes . |
but i could never get the courage to do that . |
1 the wind died . |
my body felt normal except it was different . |
i opened my eyes and looked over to where i just had been or still was . |
my human body slightly glowed as it sat in meditation under the tree . |
it didnt move . |
i could see the monster clearly now that i had stepped into its world . |
it was hunched over , occasionally touching the ground with one of its curled front paws . |
dark saliva dripped out of its mouth . |
the beady black eyes made it no less scary . |
i knew exactly what it is . |
a thrasher ! |
a shiver ran down my spine . |
thrashers were probably one of the most feral and nasty monsters ive ever encountered . |
they sometimes travel alone or hunt in packs . |
theyre awful in packs , extremely hard to take out without their knowledge of your presence . |
i placed an arrow in my bow , and aimed for the head . |
i couldnt let the creature reach my house . |
i pulled back the string , and then stopped . |
i couldnt take out one of these like , this unless i set it on fire . |
but emily wasnt here . |
i could take it out with a few arrows but its best to kill thrashers before they realize youre there . |
instead i lowered my bow and slowly crept up to it , until i could see the hideous claws on its hands and the hatred in its eyes . |
thrashers hate everything and sometimes i wonder how they tolerate each other . |
i aimed for the head again and released the arrow . |
it whizzed silently into the thrasher and it howled in pain as the arrow dug into its fur . |
it whirled around , facing me . |
a low growl sounded in its throat and it charged . |
i ducked as it slashed my side and i winced . |
my shirt slowly turned blue from the trickling wound . |
yes , blue , my blood is blue . |
it turned back around and threw its self at me . |
this time i was prepared . |
i pulled out my hunting knife out just as he landed on me . |
he yelped and went limp . |
i pushed him off and grabbed my fallen bow , the familiar feeling of the wood boosting my confidence . |
i turned back around and started back where i left off , but then a body slammed into me . |
i just had enough time to see the thrasher , before the fur and dirt filled my vision . |
i spit out the clump of wiry hair that had somehow found its way into my gasping mouth . |
i felt a searing pain as the thrasher raked my left leg . |
i closed my eyes against the pain , trying to focus myself against the dull throb in my shin . |
then the thrasher went limp against me . |
it was hauled off of my body and i found myself looking up into the face of a very unhappy dark blue haired boy . |
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