Semi-Precious Series, #1
Genre: young adult
Print Length: 283 pages
Print Length: 283 pages
Publisher: Pink Bow Publishing
Publication Date: October 11, 2013
ASIN: B00FTDM092
I've spent seventeen years being a wallflower. Seventeen years, watching people live their lives, while mine stood still. I was happy for those years, nothing new happened because I never let it, every day was the same and predictable.
When my parents told me we were moving...to another state, I freaked.
I spent the first week, after the move, wishing I could move back. But then something changed, I became a someone, and to begin with I enjoyed it, but I soon learned, some things aren't always as they seem.
I have two lives now. Both of them are testing me, pushing me to my limits.
When my parents told me we were moving...to another state, I freaked.
I spent the first week, after the move, wishing I could move back. But then something changed, I became a someone, and to begin with I enjoyed it, but I soon learned, some things aren't always as they seem.
I have two lives now. Both of them are testing me, pushing me to my limits.
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00FTDM092
AUTHOR BIO:
In 2012, that all changed. Her new love of reading became a drug. Living in a fantasy became her happy place to escape from reality. Her imagination came to life and ideas that had laid dormant for years, came rushing back to the surface and Emeralds And Pearls was conceived, her debut novel.
In October 2013, that new chapter in her life started and Emeralds And Pearls were introduced to the world.
Caroline works a normal 8-5 job which has nothing to do with literature. When people discover that she has written a novel, the look of shock on their faces is enough to bring a smug smile to her face, knowing that people underestimate her.
Writing is her escape. She loves reading about you guys enjoying something she loves.
This is the start of a new story of her own and can't wait for you guys to be a part of it.
AUTHOR CONTACT LINK:
Website: http://cspencerupton.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/cspencerupton
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/cspencerupton
Her parents are due back at any moment, I've done everything I can to help them. The guilt of not getting there sooner, eating me up.
I've been laying on her bed, clutching her East High hoodie.
The smell of fresh apples from her shampoo, embedded in her pillows. Every time the smell hits my nose, I can't help smiling.
I'm grateful that they have let me hang out here. At home, I feel, distant and disconnected. Here, I feel like I always do when I’m around her; warm and complete.
Every time I closed my eyes, the image of her limp body, curled up on the floor, her hands loosely gripping the dagger, that was embedded in her stomach haunted me. It was something I wouldn't forget in a hurry.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I’ve cried. I cried the minute they snatched her from my arms. I crumbled to my knees, my palms spread out flat in the sand, breathing heavily.
For once, I was thankful that people were on the beach as I walked out. Our parents going frantic, the police, the coast guard and the paramedics were everywhere. Out at sea, wading in the shallow waters and combing the beach.
People were all over us, the second I walked into view. The shadows had hidden us for most of the run across the sand.
My Mom was pulling at my shoulders and back, urging me to get up, screaming at me to talk, but I was numb.
Finally looking up, I watched as they closed the door of the ambulance, catching a glimpse of Julie and Mark consoling each other.
I had prayed to God, asking him to save her.
Initially I froze. The sight before me, killing me.
At first glance, it looked like we were too late. I was too late.
Boomerang had come out of nowhere, knocking the Encantado out of the way. He was a bowling ball, and them, the defenseless pins.
The normal graceful song he sung, had changed into an ear piercing squeal. It was eardrum shattering. With the Encantado off our backs for a while, I tried to approach him, calm him, I'd never done anything to bring him harm and visa versa. I was happier confronting the whale, than a bunch of crazed dolphins.
I neared him and he charged at me, like a bull in a china shop, something wasn't right with him. “Boomerang, calm down. I'll help you, if you stop this,” I'd pleaded. He didn't stop though. He circled the remaining mermen and mermaids, rounding them up. Still singing the same God-awful song.
The rest of them stared at him, looking as shocked as I felt. “Boomerang, Stop!” He charged towards me once again, he got closer and then diverted himself away, starting to swim laps around me. “Boomerang!”
He started to slow and then he started nudging me in the chest with his nose. I looked at him confused. “Alta? What's got in to him?”
She swam over, her fiery red hair, flowing like an auburn river behind her. She placed her hand carefully between his eye and ear. She looked deep in thought and confused. I rubbed his nose, once he'd finished nudging me, my chest was feeling sore.
“It's okay big guy, we'll sort it.” I said, soothing him while Alta tried to get to the bottom of it. He slightly shook his head.
Keira came over, placing her hand on his head too, stroking him, and talking to him like she always did, like he was a newborn baby, not a huge killer whale. “We'll help ya Booms. Just tell us what's wrong and we'll do our best to sort it.”
She turned to me, looking concerned, “Have you done something to upset him? I know you do your best to irritate him sometimes.”
“No,” I replied defensively. “I know the boundaries with him, I wouldn't dream about getting him this uptight. He wouldn't think twice about clamping those teeth around me.”
Alta's hand clamping over her mouth got my attention, my blood running cold, “Oh no,” she mumbled.
“What?” I asked, verging on the edge of panic. “Do you know? Has something happened?”
She looked at me sympathetically. Her face etched with worry. “We were wrong. Harris wasn't part of that army, but he was here, Chelsea too. She went after him while we were fighting, and then headed towards Atlantis.”
“She went after him? She won't stand a chance!” I shouted. My blood was boiling, angry at myself for not knowing, angry at Boomerang for not telling us sooner, for letting her go and angry with our elders, our leaders, for not having all the facts and information that let what happened, happen.
“Cory. We don't know everything, she might have backed out, she might be swimming home. We don't know nothing yet,” Keira soothed, trying to calm me. My hand was now balled into a fist against Boomerangs nose, as mad as I was, I wouldn't intentionally hurt him, not even after this.
“Backed out? This is the girl who does everything I tell her not to, the only person who deliberately goes against the rules to piss me off.”
The Encantado were slowly beginning to gather back around us. There were less than at the start, just like there were less of us. It was hard not looking at the sea bed, seeing your friends, the people you considered a second family, strewn across it like garbage. Their bodies, internally, snapped in two.
“We'll split up,” Alta instructed. “Booms, you stay here and help. Me, Cory, Keira and Andre will go look for her.”
Andre was the next in command after Alta. A big burly man, who spent the majority of his day working out, either on land or down here. His biceps were as big as my head. We all believed something was going on between him and Alta, they were joined at the hip and Keira often sat and swooned about his, “perfectly tanned skin, his dark hair that moved like melted chocolate through the water and eyes that turned you in to a gooey mess.” They were her words, not mine.
“We can't stay here and talk about it forever,” I said, pushing off of Boomerang, headed to Atlantis, as fast as my fin would take me. The rest of them quickly caught up.
We scoured Atlantis from above, searching for a clue, a sign. We didn't know exactly where she'd be, but it didn't take long to find out.
The screaming, the cackling, it was loud and clear, sending chills through my bloodstream. My heart was beating like there was no tomorrow, and at this point in time, I would have been happy if there wasn't. We all quickly zoned in on the sound. If I could have kicked myself, I would have. The whole reason for this charade, was the treasure. It should have been obvious that that was where he'd go, and she'd follow.
The sight of the two guards, lying dead in front of the doorway, did little to give me confidence. It was hard trying to remain hopeful and prepare for the worst case scenario.
I pushed through the first door, and everyone followed. Andre making quick work of the second. These stone doors were not made for ease of access.
Harris made no attempt to move as we all swam through the door and into the room.
It was at that moment my heart crumbled, aching with the pain of seeing her lifeless body.
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