Intrepid (41 page)
Authors: J.D. Brewer
A fear I had not felt in a long time— not since that first night when my whole world readjusted so that my old life could no longer include me in it— came up into my throat. My heartbeat skidded, accelerated, sputtered, and accelerated again. Danger.
“I won’t hurt you,” the boy promised, as if he could read my mind. “You’ve done so much already, but if you could just help me a little bit more.” He clambered into the tent before I could agree, so I gave up protesting. It was his dehydrated voice that made me feel bad. Sometimes kindness did more good than harm when stuck in a situation, so I put my pack between us. The hose to the water-bladder rested along one of the straps, and I picked it up.
“You put it in your mouth, like this, and bite down on it. When you suck, the water will come out.” I pushed the pack closer to him. “Small sips. Conserve it. Swish the water in your mouth before you swallow. It’ll help with the dry mouth.” I don’t know why I did it. I guess it was that I’d been thirsty many times over, and no one deserves that achy feeling. Whether or not he planned on harming me, maybe he wouldn’t if I helped.
He followed my directions, and I watched him drink. It drove me crazy not to know if I should be afraid of him, and I wished there was some beacon attached to everyone that warned of danger.
I’d been running for who knew how long. The Militia was combing the woods for me, but I still managed to escape. I didn’t know how I’d done it. I was just a kid, after all. A fifteen-year-old shouldn’t have been able to escape what felt like an entire army.
I didn’t even have the right shoes on. Thin flats. All the girls at school were wearing them, but now, I cursed ever trying to keep up with fashion trends. It wasn’t like anything ever looked good on me anyways. My jeans were equally lacking warmth, and I had no way to pull back my hair. It fell in my face in waves of brown-red.
I’d finally found a way to make myself stop running. The decision went back and forth in my head until logic won out. Every part, in and out of my body, burned by the time I realized if they found me, they found me, and at least it’d all be over. Even if they didn’t find me, I’d still probably die. Either way, I was in trouble. So I let the tears come. They needed to escape because they were breaking my heart in half, speeding it up even faster than light. I crumpled in on the tears, and they crumpled in on me.
“You okay?” It was the first time I ever heard Xavi’s voice. It was tender and harsh at the same time. Eventually, I’d learn that Xavi was full of contradictions in everything he did.
“Oh. I’m fantastic. Just. Fantastic. Do I look okay?” It was a response neither of us expected. I guess I was just glad he wasn’t a soldier, and sarcasm replaced relief.
“You look just peachy. Everyone needs a good cry every now and then. I hear it’s good for your skin.” He laughed. Even his laugh held sadness— a sadness that may have even trumped mine. He neared me like a trapped animal, slow and cautious. “You look cold.” He shrugged off his jacket. Under it, he wore one of those thermal vests— the puffy kind stuffed with synth-e-down. It looked worn and dirty— the way the jacket smelled as he draped it over me, but I was instantaneously warmer and the smell no longer mattered. “I’m Xavi.” The way he said it sounded like laughter. The HA sound collapsed into the V sound. It rose and fell in my ears, and I wondered what his name would feel like in my mouth when I had to say it out loud for the first time. It was such a strange name.
“Nikomedes.”
“Ah. From 18?” He asked like he didn’t know. Of course I was from the 18
th
Colony. I thought about being sarcastic again, but instead I nodded. “Interesting,” he said in a way that told me the story wasn’t interesting at all. “You’re a long way from the 18
th
, huh? I can help you find your way back if you like?” Everything he said was like a question, like he realized he could do nothing but put himself in danger if he tried to help.
“I can’t go back. They’re all dead,” I whispered. Saying it out loud made it real. It took everything out of the realm of bad dreams and vivid imaginations.
“Oh?” Xavi breathed.
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Intrepid’s Officially Unofficial Soundtrack
I know I’m not the only author who feels that music plays a vital role in their writing. Music has always inspired. It’s the muse that often got my fingers tap-dancing against the keyboard. Although these artists in no official capacity endorse my novel, I would like to thank them for giving me the energy to write
Intrepid
.
Please support these artists by purchasing their music to create your very own
Intrepid Soundtrack Playlist
as you read.
Prologue—
An Atlas to Follow:
Wild Sweet Orange
Texi
Ch. 1—
Pure Imagination:
Fiona Apple
Ch. 2—
Smile
: Mikky Ekko
Ch. 3—
Gently
: You + Me
Ch. 4—
Sedated
: Mikky Ekko
Ch. 5—
Wait
— Get Set Go
Liam
Ch. 6—
Location
: Freelance Whales
Ch. 7—
Danse Caribe
: Andrew Bird
Ch. 8—
Girl’s Not Grey
: A.F.I.
Texi
Ch. 9—
I Hear the Bells
: Mike Dougherty
Ch. 10—
Happy
: Nelson Nathaniel, Jr.
Ch. 11—
Summer
: Hayden Calnin
Liam
Ch. 12—
Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay
: Ottis Redding
Ch. 13—
Blue Lips
: Regina Spektor
Texi
Ch. 14—
No Good
: Future Us
Ch. 15—
Dark Blue
: Jack’s Mannequin
Ch. 16—
The Nothing
: Freelance Whales
Ch. 17—
Extraordinary Machine
- Fiona Apple
Liam
Ch. 18—
Clutter
: Ronald Jenkees
Ch. 19—
Hear You Me
: Jimmy Eat World
Texi
Ch. 20—
Grow
: Fauntella Crow
Ch. 21—
Let it Be
: The Beatles
Ch. 22—
La Grange
: ZZ Top
Liam
Ch. 23—
Mourning Doves
: Mikky Ekko
Texi
Ch. 24—
Across the Universe
: The Beatles (and Fiona Apple)
Ch. 25—
Suddenly Everything has Changed
: The Postal Service
Liam
Ch. 26—
I’m Not Your Hero
: Tegan and Sara
Ch. 27—
For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fathers in Ypsilanti
:
Sufjan Stevens
Ch. 28—
Time and Space (A Refutation Of)
: Digable Planets
Ch. 29—
Sway
: The Perishers
Texi
Ch. 30—
Death of Seasons
: A.F.I.
Ch. 31—
First Breath After Coma
: Explosions in the Sky
Ch. 32—
Kids
: Mikky Ekko
Ch. 33—
Get it Faster
: Jimmy Eat World
Liam
Ch. 34—
Left Hand Free
: Alt J
Ch. 35—
The Struggle
: Grizfolk
Ch. 36—
Wearing Thin
: Minipop
Texi
Ch. 37—
Lost in my
Mind
: The Head and the Heart
Ch. 38—
Aeolus
: Freelance Whales
Ch. 39—
My Father’s Father
: The Civil Wars
Liam
Ch. 40—
For my Help
: Hayden Calnin
Ch. 41—
The Scientist
: Cold Play
Texi
Ch. 42—
Your Ex-Lover is Dead
: Stars
Ch. 43—
Bad Moon Rising
— Mourning Ritual
Emory
Epilogue—
Sad Sad City
: Ghostland Observatory
With Sincere Gratitude
To the Readers
Thank you for giving
Intrepid
a chance. My stories would just be words on a page without your imaginations to bring them to life. I am so thrilled that you spent time with my characters and their adventures. If you enjoyed
Intrepid
, please spread the word.
Of Science and Philosophy
Science and philosophy have given me a platform with which to create worlds. I’ve fictionalized scientific possibility, technology, and philosophical history to fit the needs of my plot line. I encourage all of you to research the concepts I’ve put in here and dig out the nuggets of truth within them. Then, I encourage you to find inspiration to create: whether it’s your own story or the technology I’ve dreamed of. The genre of Science Fiction is all about inspiration, and I hope that
Intrepid
has done this for you.
Leave Reviews and Follow me Online
:
When you have a moment, don’t forget to check out
Vagabond
(available on Amazon) as well as leave an Amazon and Goodreads review! Be sure to follow me online for updates on upcoming projects and stories. Feel free to contact me if you have suggestions on how to improve my craft. I love feedback because I want to continue creating stories you enjoy.
Online Info:
Twitter: @JDBrewerBooks
www.facebook.com/jdbrewerbooks
www.goodreads.com/jdbrewerbooks
To Taylor Heard
Y
ou’ve spent months living with a zombie. You’ve come home from work only to find me here, but not
here
. You’ve waited until I finished a thought before kissing me on the forehead and telling me about your day. You’ve taught me how to shoot guns and the difference between magazines and clips. And you’ve made me eat whenever I forgot to because I was glued to the computer.
You are the most patient man I’ve ever met, and I’m so lucky that you accept me for all my quirky ways. You are a true partner in crime, and I cannot wait to marry you. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I would not be able to pursue my dreams if it weren’t for your unwavering support and belief in me. I love you.
To Jackie and Artax
These are the forever puppies who helped me write
Intrepid.
They’ve snuggled with me when I needed comfort, romped when I needed laughter, and have snuck in edits when I wasn’t looking. They are the best dogs a girl could ever ask for.
