Welcome again to YAFF Muse: blog rounds. The ladies of YA Fiction Fanatics have come together for YAFF Muse. To have a little fun, explore different styles of writing and to give you some kick-butt shorts to read. Enjoy!
A strong hand shook me awake, and I glanced up to see my sister leaning over me. “Kendall, listen, you’ve got to get out of here, now.”
Her bright blue eyes pierced mine as she tugged me out of bed.
“Shit. What’s your problem?” I glanced at my alarm clock. “It’s two in the morning, Paige.”
My older sister knelt next to me. “If you don’t leave, they’re going to kill you.”
Blonde hair cascaded into my face as I let her pull me to my feet. “Who’s going to kill me?”
“Listen, the Federation stopped here earlier. I heard them talking to Mom about you.”
My throat went dry. The Federation. Crap. They’d been trying to recruit me since I was thirteen. But my being underage had kept them from touching me, from using me in their games.
But now, at seventeen, I was legal.
Paige jerked my duffel bag out from underneath my bed and shoved some of my clothes in it. Then she turned to her dresser and pulled a wad of bills from her purse.
“What did Mom say?” I met her gaze as she shoved the money into my hand.
“I told them they could have you, if they promised to leave your sisters alone.” Mom flicked on our bedroom light. She refused to meet my eye. “It was either I send one of you, or lose all of you.”
Two grizzled men pushed past my screaming sister and gripped hold of my arm, dragging me toward the door.
“Stop. Please!” They covered my mouth with a gag and tied my hands behind my back.
People taken to the Federation, never came back. At least not alive. What had mother done?
Tears burned my eyes as I watched Paige’s grief stricken face disappear from sight. Then everything went black.
***
I struggled to open my eyes as my arms brushed against the coolstone walls behind me. But when my lids fluttered opened, I noticed I was in a tunnel.
Tiny red lights flickered along the ceiling and I knew the cameras watched my every move, broadcasting it for the sick fucks who bet on people like me making it through the Labyrinth.
High pitched alarms blared in the distance. The games had begun. Too bad they didn’t know who the hell they were messing with. With a smile, I wiped the make-up from my neck. My tattoo blazed in the darkness. Flames licked at my fingertips as my magic shot forth. I rushed forward where a shower of bullets came at me from a lone sniper in the corner.
I rolled to the ground, creating a shield around myself. The ammunition fell to the floor in front of me.
“My turn.” Heat licked at my body as I thrust fiery orbs at the gunman. He screamed as his flesh burnt on contact. I wrinkled my nose against the scent of his charcoaled body.
“Shut down the Labyrinth,” a frightened voice came over the intercom.
I laughed. “Too late. The Federation is going down. You really should do better background checks before you recruit people.”
Smoke filled the Labyrinth as I went path by path, taking out the workers who’d aided in killing people for fun. All so they could place bets and watch our fear on TV. Tonight, they’d get their fill.
When I came to the end of the maze, I kicked opened the door. A helicopter loomed overhead, its spotlight focused on me. “I don’t even think so.”
With a flick of my finger, I sent a fireball right for the gas tank. I dove to the side as it exploded mid air, in a shower of hot metal and body parts. I slipped into the shadows and raced towardNickletreePark.
There, I found Paige waiting for me, a slow smile upon her lips. “I knew you’d do it.”
I hugged her tight. “Did you make the bets?”
“Oh yeah. The monies already in the account.”
“And Mom?”
“Taken care of. She’ll never betray us again.” Paige grabbed my hand and jerked me to our getaway car.
At last, we were free. Free of our mother who’d sold us for various things over the years. But most of all free from the Federation. Never again would I have to hide my powers or be afraid of the dark. No. I was the one to be feared.
Thanks for coming by. Please be sure to drop by my fellow YAFFers blogs and don’t forget to leave a comment.
Traci Kenworth
Vanessa Barger
Joey
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