BOOK ONE.
#WATTYS2019
She only just began to come to terms with someone permanently leaving her life; she wasn't expecting someone to walk in and steal her heart. Her grocery store, mom and dog are the only things she cares about. Her days are long...
This chapter contains content that might be a trigger for some readers, and I apologize if it does affect you. • • •
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A loud banging jolted me from my sleep. My head was pounding and my mind dizzy, I sat up. The house was quiet and the air stale. My body ached as I sat up on the couch. I hadn't even made it to my bed last night, just curled up on the couch from exhaustion.
Three weeks have passed, and I've not spoken to Leslie or Arthur. Leslie doesn't even look at me anymore; she stares past me when I ask her to do something at the store. It's odd not knowing about anything happening in your best friend's life, but I know that even if Arthur has disappeared, I'm still wrapped up in his world and his enemies. I wish I could tell Leslie everything.
The banging sounded again, and I got up and walked to the window my joints tight. Outside, in the tree lines behind my house, I could see construction men. The banging was deeper into the woods and echoed. Anger swelled up, and I marched outside just as one of the construction men exited the woods.
"Why the fuck are you in my yard?" I hollered at the unsuspecting man. His eyes widen, and he stepped back ducking his head. His eyes had settled behind me, and I turned to see Yvette smiling at me.
"We were able to get the last two signatures, and the project was greenlit, I realize that we should have let you know earlier, but..." her voice trailed off as another man came out of the tree lines.
All the men were huge and tall and very lithe like, they seemed to be struggling with the work, everyone was sweating profusely. Yvette turned her body towards the man, cutting me off from the conversation but I could hear some of it.
"...need water..."
"Take....hour..."
I gave Yvette a strained smile I excused myself and hurried to my house. I locked the back door and studied the men from my kitchen window. My eyebrow raised as I watched them. Arthur had told me that even if he's half human, he still goes through withdrawals. Where any other Atlantean would have horrible migraines, cold sweat, and delusions, he gets headaches and is tired. Some of the first signs are severe agitation, dry mouth, and excessive thirst.
Knowing who Yvette could be, I wouldn't put it past her that the men she's recruited are defectors of Atlantis. Quickly, I hurried upstairs to dress. As I pulled on my black jeans someone banged on my door downstairs. Startled, I slipped on my tennis shoes and a black shirt and made my way downstairs until the banging came again from the back of my house now.
My heart sped up, and my mind raced with what this possibly could be, but a voice rose above all the noise when I opened my front door.
