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FIRE &
FLOOD Bonus Scene
Harper
Shaw, Minor Character
The Brimstone Bleed started four hours ago, give or take.
I’ve traveled as far as necessary for now, put adequate distance between myself
and the other Contenders. There will be plenty who travel without stopping,
without making a plan.
Idiots.
Like the others, I don’t know anything about this race, only
that I need the prize—the Cure—more than I need my own beating heart. I can
still remember my mother’s words as I left our home.
“I don’t know where you think you’re going, Harper,” she
said. “But you can’t just leave us like this. Not now.”
But I did leave. It’s not like I could tell her about the
invitation. Or explain what would happen next. Because the truth was, I didn’t
know. Two days ago, I was lounging on my bed, listening to Linkin Park and
watching MTV on mute. Today, I’m here, in a jungle, fighting to save the most
important person in my life.
A caw rips through
the late afternoon, and the dense canopy overhead rustles. I breathe in the
smell of rich, damp soil that is almost invigorating. The air is thick and damp
and clings to my skin, and everywhere I look is a plant I’ve never seen before.
The world is a canvas of purple vines and orange flowers and greenery that
swallows the ground beneath my feet. It’s both horrific and captivating at
once.
Every few seconds, I stop to swipe insects off my skin. It
doesn’t bother me. I’m not the squeamish type. The only thing I’m worried about
is the egg in my Brimstone Bleed issued bag. A Pandora, the device said. An animal that will help me win this
competition. My heart roars in my chest when the bag against my hip stirs once
again.
Now that we’re alone, I drop to my knees and remove the egg.
When I see a prominent crack down the side, my entire body buzzes with
anticipation. I’ve never had a pet before. Not a dog, not a cat…not even a
goldfish. And now I’m supposed to travel with an animal that could potentially
save my life and Lillian’s? It’s hard to absorb.
The egg cracks again, and I freeze. My hands hover over the
iridescent shell, unsure of what to do. But this Pandora doesn’t need my help.
It’s eager to escape its prison, eager to fulfill its destiny. I admire its
tenacity already, but my stomach churns wondering what my
Pandora will be like. Will it be ruthless? Endearing? Will it make it so that I
don’t feel utterly alone?
The egg burst open and I fall back, a gasp escaping my
throat. I glance around to ensure we are alone. And when I look back, my hands
shaking, my eyes widening, I see it—
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Title: Fire & Flood
Author: Victoria Scott
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic
Find It On: Goodreads
Summary:
A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.
Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.
Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.
The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?
What an awesome scene! I got some chills there at the end - can't wait for the book!! I keep telling myself it's only three months until the release, but right now it feels like a decade.Release Date: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic
Find It On: Goodreads
Summary:
A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.
Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.
Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.
The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?
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Good post, I must say you wrote it in such a good way that I didn't lost an interest for a second. Going to bookmark your blog to read more such post, thanks for sharing it with us
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