Fast-Tracked (33 page)

That could wait. For now I was content to blend in with my rain. I let it chill me to the very bone and numb all my thoughts, until I could no longer distinguish my tears from its raindrops.

* * * * *

About the Author

Tracy
Rozzlynn
is a Science Fiction and Fantasy, Young Adult author. She lives in New England with her daughter and several pets.

Tracy
Rozzlynn
has three ongoing series.

The
Verita
Series:
Verita
– is available now. The second book –
Concisus
– is due out
Fall
2011.

The Fast-Tracked Trilogy: The second book -
Fast-Trapped
- is expected out Christmas 2011.

The Shadows Trilogy: The first book -
Darkened Shadows
- will be out September 2011.

Connect with Me Online:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TracyRozzlynn

Blog: http://TracyRozzlynn.com

Facebook
Page: http://www.facebook.com/TracyRozzlynn

Goodreads
: http://www.goodreads.com/TracyRozzlynn

Read an excerpt from the first installment in The Shadows trilogy: Darkened Shadows – available September 2011.

Darkened Shadows

“Hi, I’m Chloe.” The sweet looking kid smiled brightly at me and reached her hand across the aisle in an attempt to shake hands. Obviously she mistook my lack of a smile or eye contact as a sign of shyness.

I did her the best favor I could and sneered back, “Yeah, so?” Then I averted my eyes from her for the rest of the class. From the corner of my eyes I could see she was confused and hurt. We would definitely not become friends in this lifetime.
Lucky kid
.

When the bell finally rang, I slung my bag over my shoulder and braced myself to repeat the scene. I hated the first day at a new
school,
everyone was always so interested in finding out about me. More than a few would be stupid enough to try to befriend me. I should be used to it by now. I’ve had enough practice, but it never got any easier. Probably because deep down inside my biggest desire was to have a friend of my very own: someone to giggle with about boys, have a sleepover or go to the movies with, or just whatever it is that girls do together.
Yeah Right
. Maybe if my life was a sappy pre-teen movie. I never cared about what other kids did.

No matter what, I refused to break my number rules: don’t get to know them, don’t let them get to know you, and under no circumstances whatsoever let them be your friend.

“Class, I’d like you to meet Miss Samantha Winters, she’s just transferred to our school. I expect all of you to give her a nice friendly welcome.” A short balding man finished introducing me and plopped himself down in his chair. He looked utterly exhausted. According to my schedule this was Mr. Sparrow. I scanned his face. He had a grayish pallor and deep set circles under his eyes. Sure enough, when I searched the room I found a dark gray shadow lurking in corner closest to him. It was the kind I called a soul sucker. From experience I knew that no one else could see it. So I didn’t bother pointing it out. I didn’t try to explain to him what was happening, why his dreams were haunted and why nothing in his life went right anymore.

Instead I headed to the only empty seat in the room and pushed any thoughts of Mr. Sparrow out of my mind. He was not meant to live much longer in this world. But I wasn’t about to let myself feel guilty. That shadow was not my doing. It was attached to him well before my arrival.

At first I was happy that the empty seat was in the back right corner of the room. It meant there would only be one person to deter from talking to me. As soon as I sat down I grumbled it was a lefty desk. That was why no one was sitting in it already. Great, now I was stuck twisting awkwardly in my seat just to scribble down notes. I let out an audible sigh.

The boy aside of me glanced over. He had been in my last class, but on the opposite side of the room. From what I’d seen of him so far, I could tell he was a loner like me. He dressed to go unnoticed and under the radar, wearing faded worn jeans and an equally faded gray sweatshirt. His tousled chestnut hair looked like he’d barely ran a come through it and he clearly hadn’t shaved recently. But it was his body language that really screamed loner. The way he leaned back in his chair and the look on his face just announced ‘back off.’ So, I wasn’t surprised when instead of a warm smile or an introduction, he just gave me an annoyed glare before looking away.

“Nathaniel, can you please read chapter eight for the class.” Mr. Sparrow called out between agitated breaths.

I was caught off guard when the boy next to me sat up straight, gave Mr. Sparrow a kind smile, nodded, and then began to read. At least I managed to hide my gawking before anyone noticed.

Now, when you’re main goal in life is to be friendless and isolated, you’re left with a lot of free time. Much of that time I devoted to people watching, and Nathaniel was definitely not the type of kid to get called on and then willingly read aloud. Intrigued, I found myself watching him.

He had a smooth silky reading voice, the kind you heard on commercial voiceovers. Despite his drab clothes, he was nice to look at. His dark hair was balanced out by his unusually pale blue eyes and soft pink oh-so-kissable lips. Oh god, what the hell was I doing, trying to land the pour guy in a comma? Quickly I averted my eyes and forced myself to stare at the gray shadow in the corner.

Everything about the thing repulsed me, but I needed to remind myself just what was at stake. I couldn’t let myself slip and feel anything for anyone. As I stared at the gray mass, it seemed to take form – it was something that was happening more and more frequently. Instead of just a blurry gray cloud, the edges were more of a solid line. I could make out where the dark holes of its eyes should be and the gaping jagged line of its mouth as it fed off Mr. Swanson.

The shadow suddenly seemed aware of my attention, and responded by dive-bombing me. I closed my eyes, ducked, and braced myself for the impact. I cringed as I felt its body zoom right above me. The decrepit stench of the creature overwhelmed my senses. I was still trying to shake its feeling from my skin when I realized Nathaniel had stopped reading. His electric blue eyes bore a hole into me as he gawked. Of course that meant the rest of the classroom had followed suit and was staring at me like I was the biggest weirdo ever. I ignored them all and pretended to read my textbook. Thankfully Nathaniel resumed his reading and the rest of the rubberneckers’ eyes followed.

The rest of the morning went by without further incidents. I was called a few choice names by people had I managed to offended, but that was to be expected. As I hoped, news of my unpleasant demeanor had already started to spread. No one attempted to sit next to me in the cafeteria. The tables were long rows that ran the length of the room with attached stool seating. On either side of me at least three stools had been left empty.

The extra space should have left me with a warm fuzzy feeling of satisfaction, but I was troubled. I intently watched the tall ceiling continue to darken as more and more students entered lunch. It didn’t make sense. I had only arrived today, so there shouldn’t be more than one or two shadows floating around, but the ceiling easily looked like I had been here over a year. It looked like it did right before something really, really bad happened. I pushed my tray away from me. My stomach had suddenly filled with the hot bubbling acid of dread.

I quickly left the cafeteria and headed for the nearest exit. I didn’t care whether or not it was allowed. I needed air to clear my head and think. Just how the hell was I going to get by if I no longer got any reprieve from the shadows? I relied on the time it took them to find me – it was the only break I got from their destruction. I wondered what kind of job I could get in rural Maine or Alaska with just a high school diploma or a GED.

I barreled my way through the double set of metal doors and deeply inhaled the fresh outdoor air unfortunately all I got was a face full of smoke.

“Hey watch it.” Nathanial had barely jumped out of the way of the metal doors as they slammed into the walls behind them. If he was shocked he didn’t show it, he casually leaned back against the wall and took a long drag of his cigarette.

“Those things will kill you.” I grumbled back. I made a point of never apologizing; it could only lead to people liking you.

“That’s only if you plan on living long enough.” He said, almost under his breath

I should have been annoyed. I should have snapped back a retort that would have left him in near tears. But instead, my eyes locked onto his dreamy pale blue ones. There was just something about them that were mesmerizing. I finally managed to break my trance and snapped, “Yeah whatever, Nathaniel.” I rolled my eyes and leaned back against the wall farthest from him.

His eyes suddenly flashed with anger. “Only Mr. Sparrows calls me that!” He spat, but then seemed to regain his composure. “My friends call me Nathan or Nate.”

I was surprised by his use of the words friends, but tried to hide it as I asked, “So which should I call you?”

“Neither, I said that’s what my friends call me, which you aren’t one of.” He gave my
embarrassed
face a dismissive glance before crushing his cigarette out under his foot and storming back inside.

I looked around for any sign of a shadow, but there was nothing following Nathan. The only thing he was suffering from was a seriously bad attitude and a dislike for me. Yeah it stung considering the feelings he stirred up in me, but I’d get over it. His dislike would keep him from harm.

I stayed outside until the end of lunch gulping my fill of air and doing my best to forget the building clouds of shadows within the school. If it hadn’t been my first day of classes I would have ditched the rest of the day. But it was, so when the final lunch bell rang, I dragged myself back inside – right into the chest of Principal
Loundry
.

“Obviously you haven’t taken the necessary time to review our student handbook, Miss Winters. Students are not allowed outside during the school day.” He tried his best to look intimidating: hand on his hips, feet planted slightly apart and back straight so he could take advantage his full height to look down on me. Some adults just didn’t get that there were things
so
much scarier than they could ever hope to be.

“Sorry, won’t happen again.” I quipped and began strolling down the hall.

“You can count on that. I have my eye on you Miss Winters.” He growled after me. I might not have read the handbook, but apparently he had already read my student transcript.