eBook
Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
Related collections and offers
Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781467858489 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 12/28/2011 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 204 |
| File size: | 218 KB |
Read an Excerpt
Seeing the Light
By Anne Christen
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 Anne ChristenAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4678-5850-2
Chapter One
Anna Morgan had always wanted to see into the future. When she was nine years old, her friend Max Sampson told her to rub dandelion petals into her skin. "The magic from the flowers will enter your blood and give you psychic powers," he said earnestly. There wasn't a hint of doubt in his voice.So Anna smeared the weeds into her arms and legs until her skin turned yellow. Then she sat in the grass and waited, watching as ants trailed over her toes. After a week of picking dandelions in the summer sun, Anna still lacked telepathic powers. She stopped picking the weeds and went in search of Max, who was in his backyard already poised on his bike.
"That trick with the dandelions doesn't really work," she told him. Instead of answering, Max shrugged. "Race you to the end of the road," he cried and started pedaling. Anna grabbed her own bike and sped off, pausing just long enough to wave to Max's dad as he planted a row of bushes in the rich, black earth.
The following summer, Max and Anna collected rocks from the sandy shores of Lake Erie. Hauling bucket after bucket into Max's backyard, they used their findings to build a fire pit. Max's dad helped them dig out a patch of grass, arrange the rocks so they created a barrier wall and gather stray twigs and branches for burning. Max and Anna spent countless nights around the pit, roasting marshmallows until they were perfectly golden. "Let's tell scary stories," Anna suggested one night, her face illuminated by the orange flames.
Before sixth grade, when they were eleven, Anna decided to have a garage sale. She wanted the same kind of bike as Max, but her Mom had bought her a new one the previous summer and wouldn't get her another. So Anna, determined to keep up with Max, planned to sell her family's unwanted items to raise the money she needed for the new bike. "If you can buy it yourself, that's fine," her mom said. "But your one from last summer is almost brand new, and I'm not going to get you another until that one's worn out."
With Max at her side, Anna went to each and every house on her street and extended invitations to her sale. The next morning, she raised the overhead garage door and arranged her collected items on a long table. She waited for customers to appear, armed with paper cups and a pitcher of lemonade to serve in the heat. By the end of the afternoon, though, only a handful of people had shown up. The ice in the lemonade had melted hours earlier.
"Maybe this wasn't the best idea," Anna said, trying to conceal her disappointment as the last customer left. She counted only twenty dollars in her money jar.
"You can ride my bike," Max offered, hoping to lift Anna's spirits. She smiled at him and nodded her head.
Max and Anna started sixth grade just as they had the previous three school years. Every morning, he waited outside her house and they walked in together. At lunch they sat at the same table, and after school they did homework side-by-side in front of the television. Then, on a morning two months into the semester, Anna walked out her front door as usual. Max wasn't waiting in his normal spot on the sidewalk, and she couldn't find him anywhere. "Max," she called, peering into the space between her house and his. She could see her breath in the cold morning air. "Are you playing a game?" She searched her backyard and his, her toes turning cold inside her tennis shoes. Finally, Anna realized she couldn't wait another minute or she'd be late for class. She made the long walk to school alone with a knot in her stomach.
Anna caught a glimpse of his face inside class. She was breathless from walking so fast, and the wind outside had turned her cheeks red. With an awkward little wave, she smiled at him from her desk. But the smile was stopped cold when Max turned his back on her. He didn't even give her a chance to speak, he just twisted in his seat. That move told her everything she needed to know: their friendship was finished. Tears filled her eyes, and she turned away before anyone could see.
It was obvious that Max wanted more sophisticated friends. Anna noticed he was drawn to an older crowd made up entirely of eighth graders. He sat with this group at lunch and walked with them into town after school. The worst part for Anna was that Max's new friends included her thirteen-year-old sister Paige and Paige's best friend Aubrey Lovell.
Anna watched the trio from her bedroom window on a warm fall day. They sat on a bench in Max's backyard. Paige stayed as close to him as possible, her eyes following his every move. Aubrey acted like she was with a movie star, a huge smile on her face as she touched his arm. They talked and laughed comfortably, Max seated in the middle of both beautiful girls. Anna finally closed her curtain and turned away, unwilling to watch any longer.
She tried to shrug off the hurt, but Anna felt like she had suffered a double-whammy. Not only had she lost Max's friendship, but she was also betrayed by her sister. Although they were not close, Anna knew she would never again trust Paige. This was even worse than their parents' divorce, when Anna had sought Paige for a shoulder to lean on. "I don't want to see Daddy anymore," she had said, her eyes soft with sorrow. "He hurt Mom and broke up our family."
But Paige had scoffed at her misgivings. "Don't be stupid. He's still our dad. A divorce is no big deal, and now we can get twice as many gifts for Christmas."
Anna kept her thoughts to herself after that. She didn't understand her sister, who had been born beautiful and confident. With her long, white-blonde hair and willowy figure, Paige had the ability to manipulate people into doing just about anything she wanted. "Please," she would wheedle, a flash of white teeth and a twinkle in her eye sealing the deal.
Although Paige would never admit it, Aubrey was her lone rival. She had a butter-smooth complexion, large brown eyes and inky lashes. Other girls in school admired her thin waist, her long legs, her copper-colored tresses. There was no jealousy between Paige and Aubrey, though, and they had been best friends since first grade. They shared secrets, listened to pop music and practiced cheerleading.
It was no wonder, then, that Paige preferred Aubrey to Anna. For her part, Anna never felt the absence of her sister. While Paige and Aubrey flirted with boys, she drew pictures and read. "You're a book worm," Max used to tell her, but Anna only laughed. She didn't want to be popular, and she didn't want to shop and gossip like Paige. In fact, Anna was very content with the life she had, despite the hiccups of her parents' divorce and Max's mysterious cruelty.
That is, she remained content until just before her sixteenth birthday. This time marked a turning point in her life, when old friendships ended and new ones began. It was also the year when Anna's dreams started, and they reminded her of those childhood hopes of being psychic.
The first dream was on a warm and balmy night, just a few weeks after starting her sophomore year in high school. Anna fell asleep with her window open and a light bed sheet covering her body. As she drifted deeper into slumber, her mind's eye suddenly clicked on. In the dream, she watched as a pale light floated through her open window and came to a stop at the foot of her bed. "It's more than a light," Anna thought to herself as she laid still, a fearful silence stealing over the room. Her heart seemed to stop and then jerk to life, kicking painfully against her chest. "I can feel its presence. This is a real being, in my bedroom right now."
The light dimmed and then suddenly grew, its brightness encompassing the whole of Anna's bedroom. She raised a hand to shield her eyes and, unable to turn away, watched as her bed, arms and legs were bathed in a sea of blue. From the back of her throat came a strangled sound, a half-scream and half-moan that barely escaped her lips.
A pale face emerged from the light, its form just barely visible. Anna stared as two white eyes looked up and met her own. They seemed to pierce her soul, and she couldn't turn away. For several minutes the two beings – a fifteen-year-old girl and a wispy face surrounded by blue – stared at each other with locked gazes. Then the light slowly receded into nothing more than a pinprick and Anna woke with a start. Her room was covered in darkness, the bedside clock read almost three in the morning. Gasping, she put a hand to her chest and felt her heart pounding. Her room felt somehow changed, different in a way that Anna couldn't name.
After that, she was afraid to go back to sleep. She lay in bed, eyes darting at each noise. Had the light been part of a dream, or was it real?
The following week Anna had another dream. This time, she stood in the middle of a room crowded with silent people. The room was painted all in white and brightly lit. Without warning, though, the lights shut off and left Anna in total darkness. She blinked and reached out an arm, hoping to touch someone beside her. Her hand felt nothing but air. Just as panic began to wash over her, the lights flickered back on. Relief swelled in Anna as she saw the same strangers standing beside her, staring in wonder.
Repeatedly the lights went on and off, and Anna was either surrounded by people or left alone and frightened. This dizzying pattern continued until finally the lights came on, and Anna saw no one in the room with her. Terror pierced her chest as she stood paralyzed, rooted to the middle of the floor. The room suddenly went black, and Anna screamed just as she was hurled back to the safety of her bedroom.
She woke to her own mumbling, lips chapped and mouth dry. Once more the clock beside her bed read almost three o'clock. "Ugh," she groaned as her head fell back against the pillow. "What a terrible dream."
Without warning, the sound of her voice triggered a distant memory. She wrestled with her thoughts for a moment, trying to remember. Then, with a feeling of dread, Anna realized what she had mumbled at the end of the dream. "Don't leave me alone."
Chapter Two
After a particularly long night and less than four hours of sleep, Anna went to school in a fog. She couldn't remember the previous night's dream, but it had left her troubled. She tossed her books into her locker and walked to first hour without seeing anyone. When lunch finally arrived, she entered the cafeteria, grabbed a tray of hot food and slid into a corner table across from Courtney Haskins, her best friend.When Anna thought of Courtney, she often remembered an event just two years ago at the girl's house. Courtney's parents had thrown her a huge sleepover birthday party when one of the guests, Boston Jennings, fell down the basement stairs. She was rushed to the hospital with her eyes squeezed shut in pain and perspiration beaded on her forehead.
Boston had a broken ankle, but it was Courtney who stood in the middle of the living room and sobbed uncontrollably. Her mom wrapped her in a warm hug, trying to console the girl. But Courtney slithered from the embrace and ran to the kitchen, where she lay on the floor and pounded her feet against the cupboards. She kicked and screamed until her face was red with the effort. Amid the commotion, Courtney's parents asked the other guests to leave, some of whom had to call their parents for rides. Anna lived just several blocks away and reached for her bag and jacket unnoticed, relieved to escape the noise and chaos.
Courtney found Anna in school that Monday morning and explained her anger. "Boston ruined my party. How could she do that to me? Who does she think she is?"
But Anna knew the real story and wanted to set Courtney straight. "Boston didn't do it on purpose. She twisted her ankle on the bottom step and -"
Courtney slapped her locker shut and glared at Anna. "No, it was not an accident, Miss Sunshine. She was jealous because it was my special day. I'm never speaking to her again, and I'm going to make sure everybody knows what a bitch she is."
It's funny I still think about that, Anna thought now as she sat across from Courtney. I hope she for once doesn't say anything negative. I'm not in the mood for a tantrum. In fact, all I want is to get through the day so I can go home to sleep.
"What's your problem?" Courtney demanded after several moments, crunching a mouthful of potato chips. "You look terrible. I know I've been saying this, but you really need a facial, Anna. You should just skip the rest of school and go home, put some cucumbers on your eyes and sit with vapor mist on your face."
Anna resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I don't need a facial," she replied with exaggerated patience. "I'm just tired."
Courtney shook her head. "Well, your appearance is ghastly. You're all blotchy and pale, and you have hideous circles under your eyes. I think you need a new moisturizer. I use one that 's organic-" Anna sighed and interrupted. "I've been having bad dreams,
Courtney. When I wake up, I'm too upset to fall back asleep. That's why I look the way I do, not because of my skin." Courtney stuffed more chips in her mouth and nodded. "I've had bad dreams before. Once, I dreamt I cut all my hair off and had to wear a wig. Then there was the time I dreamt my parents had another baby. I asked my mom the next day about a million times if she was pregnant." Courtney shuddered. "I can't imagine having a little brother or sister."
"No," Anna said in frustration. She pushed the untouched tray aside and crossed her elbows on the cool cafeteria table. "Not like that. I mean nightmares. They terrify me. Do you know what I'm talking about?"
Courtney squinted at her friend. Even in the best circumstances, her face was often twisted in a grimace. Now her beady eyes cut through Anna like daggers. "Of course I know what you're talking about. You don't need to act like such a drama queen." She finished off her chips and crushed the bag into a ball. "I'm just talking, you know. There's no need to blow up at me."
At any other time, Anna would have soothed Courtney to stop a tantrum from brewing. Now, though, she didn't have the energy. I'm too tired to care, she thought to herself. So she closed her mouth and took a sip of water, vowing to never again speak of her dreams. It was no surprise that Courtney didn't understand, but Anna had hoped for at least a little sympathy. I always listen to her complaints, she said silently, so why can't she listen to mine?
For once in her life, Anna found herself with absolutely nobody to talk to. She had a problem she couldn't share with anyone. Courtney didn't want to listen, and Paige was the last person Anna would call a friend. When the two did accidentally meet up, Paige always took advantage of the moment to humiliate Anna.
"Hello, misfit," she might say in the kitchen before breakfast. "Have a nice day crawling across the floor like a worm."
Anna never replied to her sister on these occasions. But behind the closed door of her bedroom she would think of smart retorts that might finally put Paige in her place. "Crawling on the floor is better than begging on my knees for popularity votes," she imagined saying. The heat of the moment would pass, though, and Anna's anger would fade until the next time.
Shortly after the nightmares started, Anna worried Paige would find out about them and use them for further tormenting. To prevent this, Anna started going to bed with her door closed and the overhead light on. It was difficult at first to fall asleep like this, but she decided it was better than her sister's brutality.
Chapter Three
The upcoming winter dance was the latest topic of gossip at Monroe- Sullivan High. It was the most important event of the school year, and girls in all grades dreamed of winning nominations for winter queen. Anna, however, ignored the buzz and worried about her own problems. She had to give her first-ever speech in biology class, and she dreaded it with all of her heart.On the day specified by her teacher, Anna stood at the podium with her stomach rolling. An ocean of faces looked back at her, some bored and others curious. "OK, Anna," the teacher called with a smile. He sat perched on a desk near the back of the class, a sheaf of papers in his hands. Unlike Anna, who felt sick with nerves, he looked quite comfortable. "It's time for your presentation. You have five minutes, starting now."
She took a deep breath and began. "Hello. Today I will be talking to you about Lake Erie, part of which is here in Monroe, Michigan." Her voice wobbled like a loose car tire, and the noise made her pause. She lost her rhythm and couldn't recall the next words of her speech. Was she supposed to talk about the marine life or the shoreline now? Her notes, lying on the podium, were impossible to read.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Seeing the Light by Anne Christen Copyright © 2011 by Anne Christen. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.