BORROWED [Watty Awards Finalist/NEWLY EDITED!]

[SNEAK PEEK] Chapter One/Revamped Version

Hello! I'm giving a little sneak peek of chapter one [edited] of my second draft of "Borrowed". There are changes that you have not seen before. Feel free to comment. 

Note: I will not be posting the entire second draft on Wattpad, since I plan to seek publishing after final revisions. 

Happy Doomsday:

Twenty-two hours, fifty-four minutes and some odd seconds remain. I'm starting to lose count now. It’s pointless to keep track of the inevitable. In this world, becoming a seventeen year old is a nightmare set in reality.

The siren inside my province blasts, signaling the beginning of a new work day. Not for me, though. I’m just a graduating student, ready to be thrust into adulthood. What’s my future plan? Bouncing, bumbling babies are foreseen.

Lying awake after a sleepless night, the digital clock on my nightstand pulls my gaze. The countdown for my birthday reverberates inside my head. Each hour that passes is unbearable. What will tonight bring when midnight nears? This can’t be happening!

Sitting up, I swing my legs over my bed and run to my vanity. I brush back my tangled mess of hair, and stare at my reflection. The coloring of my skin is ashen, rather than its usual ivory tint. My chest feels tight, and my heart is racing; a common, nervous feeling overwhelms me.

“It’s happening again!” I shout, resting my hands on top of my head.

Footsteps hurry down the hallway, approaching outside my bedroom door. It hurls open, and my mom appears. She leans against the frame trying to catch her breath. Her cheeks are rosy, and perspiration settles over her thin brows.

“Irissa, what’s wrong? I’ve just got in from my jog,” she says breathless.

She is beautiful even after a workout. Her light brown hair is pulled back into a high ponytail. I always have to look away from her dark brown eyes. They speak volumes, showing me how much she wants to care for me. “My vision went blurry.” I pause to swallow the hitch in my throat. “And my heart is beating weird.”

She frowns, stepping inside my room. Walking up behind me, she grips my shoulders, massaging them. I’ve noticed she does this a lot when she tries to connect with me.

“You’re fine,” she comforts. “I will get your medication, okay?” Her hand tucks a long strand of dark brown hair behind my ear. A simple touch of her finger makes me flinch. Unprompted, I pull away.

I nod once. “Good. Please hurry.”

She turns on the heel of her shoe to leave my bedroom. I watch her walk away, while my heart continues to beat in its unusual pattern. The dizzy feeling from earlier grows strong.  I take a few deep breaths.

Just breathe, I tell myself.

It’s so hard to feel normal. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I can always see there is something missing. Right here, in my own blue eyes. They’re like a vast ocean with miles of open water. Looking into them, I feel lost. There’s an overwhelming sensation I might drown in them if I keep staring into this abyss.

Maybe it wouldn’t be this way if I remembered my dad. He’s a mystery. I always wonder if I take after him. Did he have the same dark brown hair? Were his eyes large and round, too? Mom won’t talk about him. She doesn’t even keep pictures of him here at home. All I know is that he died from the Swarm.

Then there is my older brother, Chase. I say his name often in my mind, afraid to speak it out loud where people might hear me. He survived, too. Chase had to constantly remind me that he couldn’t remember our dad, either.  But I think he’s lying. I can’t press him on the issue any longer because he’s been gone a year now. Drafted and sent into the Endless War. We haven’t heard back if he’s dead or alive. The day he left, I didn’t even hug him goodbye. He didn’t even put effort into trying. Chase knew me better than anyone, I guess.