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    Countdown: Arrival, #2
    Countdown: Arrival, #2
    Countdown: Arrival, #2
    Ebook111 pages2 hours

    Countdown: Arrival, #2

    By Travis Hill

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    About this ebook

    "Countdown" is a companion story to "Departure."

    Andreada is only 20 and looking forward to the second half of her life before she has to step through the portal into the unknown. She's young, in love with Navine, and leads the typical care-free life of those who reside in the city. After a terrible mistake, she is left with only two choices: step into the Justice portal reserved for criminals and misfits, or flee to The Bower district, a lawless undercity with no rules, no laws, and no place for a scared young woman on the run from the authorities.

    22,000 words / 75 pages
    Adult themes / language
    LGBT-friendly

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTravis Hill
    Release dateFeb 8, 2019
    ISBN9781386496809
    Countdown: Arrival, #2
    Author

    Travis Hill

    I'm an author in the Pacific Northwest. I live with my five completely worthless but awesome cats. I write stories I want to read that no one else is writing. My mailing list: https://www.angrygames.com Writes: Science Fiction / Fantasy / Horror / Adult Fiction / Drama / Humor

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      Book preview

      Countdown - Travis Hill

      COUNTDOWN

      By Travis Hill

      Copyright 2016

      Cover art by: Keith Draws

      http://www.keithdraws.com

      If you have not read Departure yet, I recommend you begin there or else this story might not make nearly as much sense.

      PROLOGUE

      Departure: -19y 08m 26d

      I woke to the murky sunlight through the plexipane windows. My hand reached across the bed but only met sheets and a cold pillow. I sighed and rubbed my eyes, disappointed that Navine had already left for work. The way my heart sped up a little at the thought of her smooth legs, her dark, short hair… I squashed those thoughts and swung my legs out of the small bed. I had to be at work in an hour and couldn’t waste half of that dreaming about her roaming hands under the sheets.

      I saw the note on the counter on my way out the door. My heart sped up again as I wondered what kind of sweet love note Navine had left me this morning. I blinked at least ten times as I tried to read the words. I had to wipe my eyes after another few seconds of staring at the note.

      Andreada,

      We need to talk.

      Navine

      No My Dearest Drea or Love, Navine. The note was short and to the point, which pierced my heart like a vibroblade. It was the same kind of note Erina Salisco had given me on my fifteenth birthday even if the words weren’t identical. When I’d met Erina an hour later, she shattered my whole word by breaking up with me. I crumpled the note and threw it against the wall then ran to the bathroom.

      It took ten minutes of purging my tears, fears, even my hatred of Navine and what she was about to do to me. My chron pinged to let me know I had less than seven minutes to reach the street and board a transit car before I would be late for work. I didn’t care about my job suddenly. I didn’t care about anything. I wanted to stay in the bathroom until I died.

      Another ping brought me back to my senses. I wiped my face with a towel then ran for the door. I did my best to fix my hair and remove the red from my eyes on the elevator down to the street. By the time the car reached the ground floor, I looked halfway presentable even if I felt like a blob of steaming bile on the inside.

      Head down, I made my way to the transit stop. I did my best to pay attention to my feet, only looking up when it seemed I might crash into another pedestrian. The whoosh of a Guardian operating nearby made me glance around, but all I saw was the normal knot of citizens on their way to or from whatever task they were engaged in. I did my best to not think about anything as I stood at the curb. I didn’t want to cry again. I didn’t want to feel anything.

      The transit car slid to a stop, its doors opening silently. I watched a number of feet exit the car, then more as they entered. I looked up when it was my turn to board. My left foot had just touched the entrance step when I saw Navine across the street through the transit car’s window. She stood next to another woman, both watching me board the commuter vehicle.

      My feet hesitated for just a moment before I forced myself to keep going. Instead of running across the street to confront her, to ask her why she wasn’t at work, I stepped aboard. The seat nearest the middle exit was empty and I sat down harder than I intended, my eyes locked on the woman I was in love with. Her expression was blank as far as I could tell, but I only had a moment to take a good look before the transit car pulled away.

      I immediately touched the panel on the window next to me, alerting the car that I wanted off at the next stop. Two minutes later, I exited the transit and walked quickly back toward our apartment. My mind was a blur of worries, accusations, scenarios, and even a thread of rage that I did my best to keep from growing into explosive fury.

      I waited at the elevator on the ground floor of our building for ten minutes before deciding to take the car up. I fought with myself the entire ride, promising myself that I wouldn’t beg, plead, cry, or do anything foolish. The car lurched to a stop and the door dinged then opened. I stepped out just in time to see Navine duck into the stairwell at the end of the hall. My feet kicked into gear without an order from my brain and I covered the twenty meters in seconds.

      I yanked the door open and bounded down the steps to the next floor. Navine looked up in fear, as if I might do a flying leap down to her with a knife in my hand. Within seconds I was on the landing with her and the other woman, who gave me a fearful yet defiant look. The look of someone afraid but also of someone who has just stolen something dear, something precious from another.

      Navine… I said as I tried to catch my breath.

      Andreada, she said, using my full name.

      It snapped another piece of my heart off. The expression on my face made her flinch and she stepped in front of the other woman as if I might strike her. All of the fears that I hoped were foolish, jealous, or just paranoid thoughts that lovers sometimes have suddenly became real at that moment. Navine was protecting her from me.

      What’s going on, Navine? I growled, taking a step forward.

      Andreada…

      I watched the other woman’s hand reach forward and grab Navine’s. As if the woman’s touch filled her with courage, Navine straightened her back and gave me a sad yet somehow cruel look.

      I’m sorry, Andreada, Navine said. She didn’t look sorry at all according to my sudden fury. I didn’t want it to end like this.

      But you wanted it to end! I screamed in her face after taking another step forward. Who is she? I shrieked and stepped to the side to see what my competition was.

      Kelle, the woman said, her words coming out strong and clear though I could see fear and shame in her eyes.

      Shut up, I said to her then turned my fury on Navine. Why? What did I do?

      You didn’t do anything, Drea, she said but refused to look me in the eye.

      Shut up! I screeched, my voice cracking, throat burning. Shut up! You don’t get to call me that anymore!

      I’m sorry, she whispered.

      I lashed out, shoving Navine as hard as I could. She fell backward into Kelle, both of them tumbling to the hard fibrene floor of the landing. I wanted to rush forward and kick them both as hard as I could. I wanted to hurt them both. The tears on my cheeks were from anger, betrayal, and broken promises.

      You said you loved me, I hissed instead of pummeling the two women. You liar!

      Navine picked herself up from the floor then helped Kelle up. Navine took a tentative step toward me.

      I’m sorry! she wailed, but it sounded fake to my ears.

      How long? I asked, my voice somehow dead calm.

      Andreada, please…

      How long? I shouted, making both of them flinch.

      Long enough, Kelle said from behind Navine.

      My mind went blank. I ran forward, shoving Navine into the wall before grabbing Kelle’s shirt in both of my fists.

      You fucking bitch! I screamed then swung her around with everything I had, letting go so she would smash into the wall.

      Instead, she literally flew down the stairs head-first. The instant I let her go I knew my life would never be the same. The force I’d used was more than I intended, as was my release point. I only wanted to hurt her, to let her know that she’d stolen everything from me but wasn’t

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