Eclipse by Smiley sn (books to read to improve english .txt) 📖

I open my eyes and see a red bird staring at me with eerie orange gold eyes. I recognized it instantly and anticipation filled me, but I needed to get rid of Savannah. She couldn’t know what I was planning. I know she would try to stop me.

“Yeah okay. Ill try to be more open with you guys. Actually I really want to get out of the house. Can I walk Sea?” I say trying to appear innocent.

She narrows her eyes at me. “It would really help me to get some exercise and fresh air.” I add quickly, hoping she would allow me. I could always sneak out and mask myself to her powers so she cant find me, but it would be easier if she wasn’t suspicious. Sea is already wagging her ail and out the door.

I gesture towards her wagging her tail in excitement, like to say see. “Ok, but I’m coming with you.” My stomach drops.

“No, its fine. I really want to do this alone.”

I could tell she was getting suspicious and I think fast. “I just want to buy the twins a birthday present because I missed theirs.”

Then she stood me up with my arm linked with hers. “Then I can help you. You’re not getting rid of me. You are still be weak and you might get lost.” Man, she’s stubborn. I felt fine, but I had a feeling she wanted to come to make sure I didn’t run away. That distrust hurt but I squashed it down. I wouldn’t trust myself.

“Ok, fine. Just let me get dressed. In my pack, there is a leash for Sea.” I grab my pack and thrust it in her arms and push her out the door. “Ill meet you outside.” And I close and lock the door before she could protest.

I breathed a sigh of relief at finally be alone. I open the window and the bird immediately swooped in and went to my arm. I unclasp the mini collar and took the small slip of paper that was imbedded there. My breath catches at the message.

SHIPMENT IS IN

Chapter 8

It was so good to be outside again. Granted it wasn’t the most prettiest of sights, with grey polluted clouds and trash-filled streets, but I was so used to being outside that it felt weird to be inside for so long. It felt like weeks since I’ve been outside, but I knew it was only 48 hours.

I was breathing deeply and smiling again despite my best efforts to keep my face nuetral. Sea appeared to be happier as well. Her tongue was hanging out and she was panting with me.  Savannah was quiet next to me, lost in her thoughts, staring at the ground in silence. I let her be. I kind of wanted to ask her what was on her mind, but I had a feeling I didn’t want to know.

We ended up in the shopping district of the city. Since the Eclipse, everyone had clustered in the cities, wanted to be protected in the numbers. Resulting from this, we had a vast ethnic diversity. White, blacks, Indian, Greeks, Italians, and Spanish all walking side by side. Big and small all near the busy shops, walking on the promenade, and eating together. It was like a big mixing pot of culture.

I shifted when Savannah put her slender arm around my waist. I jerk my head at her and she smiles wide. “Come on. I know exactly where to go.” She pulls me to god knows where. But I knew she could drag me anywhere and I wouldn’t have complained, as long as she was there and wanted to go there.

We ended up at a general store. Stuffed full of potential buyers and shoppers. I kept walking hoping we weren't going to go in there, but of course she dragged me inside. Sea didn't share my discomfort as she happily pulled on my hand holding her leash.

"Traitor." I grumble at her, but she either didn't hear me or was ignoring me, because she kept pulling at my hand to the heart of the crowd. Why or why couldn't I think of a better lie. Like I wanted to go to the park? Like I needed to get a new comic book that came out? Jesus Christ, I could have said I wanted to go skinny dipping and I would have enjoyed that more than being in close proximity to a group of busy shoppers.

Even worse, I could feel their energies rising off them in waves. Most of them were pretty weak, but there was a handful of them who gave me goosebumps from the amount of power emanating from them. I could feel my hands tingling and my mouth water from wanting to get their powers, but I reign in the feeling. I had to control my inner power-hungry beast before it became too strong for me.

I rub my bare hands self-consciously. Again I had forgotten to wear them in my haste to get ready, but I had thankfully chosen a long sleeved shirt that I pulled on the sleeves to cover most of my hands.  Savannah didn't notice as she led me to the section of toys.

 "Is it always this busy?" I ask as I bump into another customer for the umpteenth time. "WE should come back later, it's going to rain soon anyway."

"Aww, are you afraid of getting wet?" Savannah teased and I gave her a droll stare which she laughed at. "No, just saying we can come back later." Savannah just went straight ahead and bumped a few people back, earning dirty looks. She ignored them as she pulled me with her. "Sure, but no, it is just getting near the holidays. Everybody wants to make last second revisions" 

I frowned confused. It's not near Christmas, Easter, Halloween, or thanksgiving. "Presidents day?" She laughed at me and I froze in surprise. I hadn't meant it as a joke, but if it made her happy, I didn't mind. "No, I don't think we have celebrated them, since they are either dead or in Elysium." She said referring where the island where all the important people had abandoned us and ran scared.

Savannah must have seen my still-confusion because she relented. "Eclipse day, silly." I almost groaned aloud. It was a holiday that was made a few years after the eclipse that ruined everything and gave everyone powers. It was a day where everyone spent the night outside until midnight to mark another year that we had survived with our abilities. Like we had be grateful or something. It was like New year's day but more popular. Despite my negative views on the Eclipse, I still celebrated it like everybody else.

Someone elbowed me in the back and I stumbled causing Sea to growl. I hold onto her collar, not wanting her o attack someone. I could sense the person was still standing there, so I turn around. He towered over me, his black hair in long locks down his back. His menacing eerie purple eyes glower down at me. His too tight shirt revealed bulging muscles. He was huge, but I didn't allow myself to become intimidated. "What's your problem?"

The giant narrows his eyes at me. "This is a fancy establishment. No mutts allowed." He sneers in my face. Sea growls at him. I narrow my eyes at him. I look at the grease-stained chipped cement floors and the green faded walls. This place was nowhere near to being fancy. And how dare he call Sea a mutt? "She's not bothering anyone, if anything you should be kicked out." I tell him boldly. Nobody insults my family.

He grabs me by my collar and yanks me out of Savannah's hold. I snarl at him when he drags me none too kindly out of the store. When his fingers touched my neck, I couldn't stop the rush of power that went through me making me a light headed. I suppress a smirk at him at the feel of electricity pulsing through me, boiling my blood. Electricity, not bad. He must be high up on the rank to have this much power.

He stops just before the door. "You seem to misunderstand me, mutt, I meant you." With that he pushes me out the door and I land hard on my shoulder that hit the asphalt. I hiss at him as I try to stand with a dislocated shoulder.  I feel anger at my helplessness course through me and I push myself on my feet quickly despite the pain. I concentrate the electricity through my body, like water on a rapid river, and to my fingertips as I blast him in the chest. He doesn't appear particular as stunned or surprised at all as, which is curious enough, but I used that one second to blast him in the face, but he dodges it and runs towards me.

I knew he was by far way more powerful than me, So I knew I needed to make him use his energy attacking me and when he was tired, I would go in an attack. I took one of several knives I had hidden in my boot and aimed it at his leg to speed up the process, but what he did next was surprising.

He used his electricity to make a force field of some sorts so my knife bounced off it and clattered on to the ground. I look at my blackened knife on the ground and look at the purple electricity spinning around him. He smirks again, his purple eyes flashing, with him looking smug. I bristle. What a cocky arrogant baster he is. I will enjoy putting him down when I beat him. See how much he smirks then.

I see an equally as stunned Savannah and a snarling Sea coming at my opponent and I blast the wooden crates so it fell down and blocked their paths. Savannah starts yelling at me and him. "Leave him alone!!" and tries to climb over, but I yell. "Stay back!!" I couldn't let them get hurt. "Go home. Please." I add. Savannah looks reluctant, glancing from me to him and back again before she nods and disappears into the store.

The giant smirks at me. "You're pretty protective over her. I mean I don't blame her, she's hot." I snarl at him and his smirks widen. He's baiting me, I realize. "Who are you, you creep? A bastard with no life so you have to resort to picking on people smaller on you to feel useful." His amusement ends and irritation takes its place.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I not introduce myself?" He bats his eyelashes in mock innocence, which did not look good on him. At all. "The names Buzz. And I know all about your skills in fighting, Jackson Faye." Ice cold ice went through me, but before I could react Buzz swings his leg knocking my feet out from under and I land on my back, forcing the breath out of me.

I direct the electricity to my fingertips and  send a blue pulse out. He gasps and stumbled back from the force and I flip myself onto my feet. I see him preparing