Apocalypse: Underwater City (A Dystopian Novella) PART 1 (The Hope Saga) Read online

  Rachel came up the hall. “Ready?”

  I handed her the card. “Just what I need, more flowers.”

  “Ah. Your secret admirer strikes again, huh?”

  “Who do you think it is?” I asked.

  “I have no idea, but are you gonna tell Brett?”

  “I have to. We don’t hide anything from each other.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a great idea. It’s just gonna cause a fight. Men don’t like competition.”

  “Brett’s not insecure like that.”

  Her gaze narrowed. “Maybe not, but it’s obvious that he’s getting ticked off at all these bouquets and plants from some mystery man.” She blew out a breath. “You know, you could send Mr. Mysterious my way. You already have a boyfriend. I don’t.”

  We both chuckled.

  When we turned the bend, we saw a girl sprawled out on the floor, as if she’d fainted.

  “Oh my gosh!” I said and ran over to her. “Annie!” I said. “Are you okay?”

  Her eyes were closed, like she was sleeping, and her complexion was bluish and dusky. There were visible black and blue marks on her neck, and she didn’t answer.

  Gasping, I felt for a pulse and leaned down to see if she was breathing. I looked up at Rachel and shook my head as tears began to form in my eyes. “She’s…Annie’s gone,” I stuttered.

  Rachel screamed and threw her hands over her mouth.

  When Lisa and Beth approached and saw Annie’s body lying on the floor, they also gasped and began to weep.

  “Annie? We have to help her!” Lisa said. “How can you just sit there and do nothing?”

  When she tried to run over to Annie, I hurried to my feet and held her back. ”There’s nothing we can do,” I said softly. “She’s…dead.” I then turned to Beth. “Can you go get help?”

  She nodded, wide-eyed, and ran off.

  “What happened to h-her?” Lisa asked, sobbing as we all held each other in a consoling group hug. “Was she m-murdered, like Sid a few months ago? Who would do something this awful? Who!?”

  “She has the same marks on her neck,” Rachel said, weeping. “I think she was strangled too.”

  Sid had gone for a jog around the indoor track and had never returned. Her sister had gone out to look for her, only to find her strangled, lifeless body.

  My heart thundered as I thought about the seriousness of our situation. Annie was only sixteen, like me, and while she wasn’t exactly a close friend, she was definitely a sweet girl. She pretty much kept to herself and loved working out in the mornings. We’d all written Sid’s murder off as some sort of horrible fluke, assuming someone had just snapped and killed her in a fit of rage. Everyone had assumed the killer was her boyfriend, driven to the dirty deed in a moment of passion, but he had adamantly denied it. Now, whoever the killer was, he or she was back to work.

  “You know what this means?” I said.

  “What?” Beth asked.

  “We have a serial killer on our hands.”

  She let out a long sob. I pulled her into another group hug with Rachel, and emotion flooded through the three of us as we tried to make sense of it. Two innocent girls had been brutally murdered, their lives snuffed out by some kind of sicko.

  Lisa managed to find help, so workers from the surface were immediately dispatched and came to collect Annie.

  Her mother cried and fell to her knees. “Please! Please don’t take my baby away,” she called out, her voice trembling.

  “It’s protocol, ma’am,” one of the workers stated in a cold, robotic voice. “It is a health hazard, and the body has to be removed.”

  “The body? That’s m-my little girl you’re talking about, mister! Don’t call her ‘the body’!” the mother screamed, and her cries made more tears well up in my eyes.

  After they took Annie away, we tried to console and comfort her mother, but there was no use. School was canceled, giving us all time to grieve the loss.

  As upset as we were, our government refused to do anything; it was as if they had more important matters to deal with. It made no sense to me that they had so little concern for the citizens of Asha. If we are such a burden to them, I wondered, then why don’t they just let us go to the surface and fend for ourselves? At least up there, we wouldn’t be trapped like freaking fish in a barrel for some maniac to take down one by one.

  But instead, we were trapped in a bubble with a killer who was running amok, preying on young girls. No one from the surface seemed to care, and no formal investigation was launched. We had no contact with the topside world, and we continued to be held in that underwater cage like prisoners. Poor Annie’s mother couldn’t even give her a proper memorial, because they wouldn’t give her body back. When Annie’s mother made a stink about it and started to publically question their unethical behavior, she mysteriously disappeared a few days later. I didn’t trust our government at all, and I knew Dante and his goons were responsible for the disappearances of anyone who dared to speak his or her mind about the way we were being treated. They wanted to keep us in line and in check, under their control at all times. Something wasn’t right, and I swore I would get to the bottom of it, one way or another.

  To be continued…

  Look for Rebel Princess, Book 2, which will be available soon! See next page for more covers.

  Want to learn more about Chrissy Peebles books? Here are some books, blurbs, and book trailers.

  Read sample chapters from CRUSH, THE ZOMBIE CHRONICLES, and ETERNAL VOWS at the end of this intro!

  Facebook Fan Page: (I’d love to hear your comments and thoughts!) https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=vb.351121651567296&type=2#!/pages/Chrissy-Peebles/351121651567296

  The Hope Saga BOOK TRAILER: http://youtu.be/CF9UkY0qiSo

  Vampire Series

  ***Read bonus chapters of Crush at the end of this intro!***

  The Crush Saga Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/4eMF8KXEUc4

  Crush Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FBRKH8M

  Crush UK Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FBRKH8M?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

  His precious touch could prove deadly…

  When Taylor Sparks moves from New York City to Big Bear Lake, California, her life is forever changed when she meets a hot guy with winter-blue eyes named Jesse. Their attraction is instant, the chemistry undeniable. But sadly, things aren't adding up. Taylor wonders what her 'crush' is hiding. When her new friend, Fred tells her his suspicions about Jesse being a paranormal creature, Taylor laughs. But when Fred turns up dead, she believes every warning he ever told her.

  Taylor is shocked to learn that Big Bear Lake isn't just glittering lakes, towering pines, and breathtaking mountains...there's more...way more than meets the eye.

  Will Taylor dive into a paranormal world she knows nothing about? To be with the one her heart can’t live without?

  Fantasy Romance Series

  ***Read bonus chapters of Eternal Vows at the end of this intro!***

  Eternal Vows BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_w-eZwPJbA

  Eternal Vows link US link: http://amzn.com/B007HPDFBC

  Eternal Vows link UK link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007HPD

  Never marry a stranger...even if he is a drop-dead gorgeous immortal king.

  Never pretend to be a princess.

  And most importantly...never slip on an ancient wedding ring you know nothing about.

  Sarah Larker returns to a cave where her sister disappeared ten years earlier. She walks through a portal and is mistaken for a runaway princess on the run by a dangerous immortal king in medieval times. Her plan is bold as well as daring—become this princess, wed the king, and slip on an ancient wedding ring that will unlock the portal back home. Then find her sister and run as fast as she can out of Dodge. But taking on the identity of Princess Gloria comes along with dangerous consequences; and slipping on the ruby ring comes with an even higher price.

  Young Adult, Paranormal Romance Series
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  Enchanted Castle US Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008LDZG3Y

  Enchanted Castle UK Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008LDZG3Y?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

  Zoey Sanders attends her senior year of high school at a mysterious, gothic castle in Scotland. As much as she loves meeting her Prince Charming, she begins to wonder if the castle is really haunted.

  Zombie Series

  ***Read three chapters of The Zombie Chronicles at the end of this intro!***

  BOOK TRAILER: http://youtu.be/ociUHiL1g70

  The Zombie Chronicles US Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008R53WBO

  The Zombie Chronicles UK Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008R53WBO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

  If you like vampires, you might like zombies. If you do, I have a zombie series out in e-book, paperback, and audio. It’s called, THE ZOMBIE CHRONICLES.

  *This is a young adult book series. Each chronicle will feature Dean's struggles as he tries to survive in this new world. And thus the name, The Zombie Chronicles. I hope you enjoy this series, and thank you for giving book one a chance.*

  Warning: Mild violence. For mature teens or older.

  Val was bitten by a zombie and now she’s scheduled for lethal injection. Breaking all the rules, eighteen year old, Dean Walters snags an experimental serum. But it can’t be tested until Val turns into a zombie: something authorities won’t allow. Her execution is scheduled to happen before transformation is complete, giving Dean only hours to break her out.

  When their helicopter crashes straight into the heart of Zombie Land, his rescue mission becomes a fight for survival…and giving up on Val is NOT an option.

  Prequel to The Zombie Chronicles: VAL

  Book Trailer for Val: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mp43Ml4hvE

  ***

  Val US Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IXY5SI4

  Val UK Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00IXY5SI4?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

  The Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/viwT0M8Ms_g

  Book 1 in The Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series

  Castaway US Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009KZGWBM

  Castaway US Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009KZGWBM?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

  Castaway Blurb

  The dream vacation that might just turn deadly...

  Seventeen-year-old Casey Smith can't wait to embark on her summer vacation, not least because she's finally shed her tomboy image, and now heartthrob Mike seems interested. What starts out great, with lots of flirting, taking her a step closer to winning her crush's heart, soon turns into her worst nightmare.

  Tossed out to sea during a freak storm, Casey is washed up on what she presumes to be a mysterious tropical island that's on no map she's ever seen.

  ***

  Want more FREE stories?! Most of these anthologies are free in the US and UK! It’s the same story by Chrissy Peebles you read in this anthology, however, you can meet other authors with fantastic stories! See banner below:

  Read a sample from Crush! If you like it, then it’s a FREE download at Amazon!

  Crush

  Book 1

  The Crush Saga

  by Chrissy Peebles

  Copyright © 2013 by Chrissy Peebles

  Editor: Autumn J. Conley

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  A huge thanks to Autumn Conley, my editor.

  Visit the Author’s Blog at: http://chrissypeebles.blogspot.com/

  Connect with the Author on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=vb.351121651567296&type=2#!/pages/Chrissy-Peebles/351121651567296

  His precious touch could prove deadly…

  When Taylor Sparks moves from New York City to Big Bear Lake, California; her life is forever changed when she meets a hot guy with winter-blue eyes named Jesse. Their attraction is instant, the chemistry undeniable. But sadly, things aren't adding up. Taylor wonders what her 'crush' is hiding. When her new friend, Fred tells her his suspicions about Jesse being a paranormal creature, Taylor laughs. But when Fred turns up dead, she believes every warning he ever told her.

  Taylor is shocked to learn that Big Bear Lake isn't just glittering lakes, towering pines, and breathtaking mountains...there's more...way more than meets the eye.

  Will Taylor dive into a paranormal world she knows nothing about? To be with the one her heart can’t live without?

  The Crush Saga Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/4eMF8KXEUc4

  Chapter 1

  Big Bear Lake, California is located in a lush green valley, surrounded by mountains and the towering pines, sparkling streams, wildlife, and hidden lakes of the San Bernardino National Forest. We’d just moved into a cute, two-story brick house along the south shore of Big Bear Lake, a beautiful, quaint little home left to us by my grandmother when she’d passed away. She’d spent her whole life in the house and had loved it, so my parents thought it would be fantastic to dump our city life and move out to the smog-free middle of nowhere, where we could get lost in the peace and quiet tranquility. It wasn’t the easiest place to get to, and only three roads led in and out of the valley.

  My parents loved the solitude because they were writers. My father wrote mystery thrillers, and Mom penned romance novels. They hated the hustle, bustle, and noise of the city and were sure they’d be better able to concentrate out in the peaceful wilderness. “It’ll be a fresh start for all of us,” my mother assured me just after my bad breakup with my boyfriend, “a very healthy experience all around.”

  I wasn’t sure, though, if I could so easily adjust to the simple life after living in New York City, but once we got there, I loved the place. It was a far cry different, going from honking taxicabs and towering buildings to honking geese and towering trees, but I knew my mother was right; it would be the perfect spot to forget about my depressing love life.

  I had two brothers and one sister, but they had already moved out of the house, so now I was virtually an only child, with the two most wonderful parents. We were a loving, close-knit family, and I couldn’t have been more thankful for that.

  It was only June when we moved in, so I had almost the whole summer to get used to California and my new home before school started. I carried in the last heavy box to my cluttered room; everything was a mess. I bit my lip hard as I looked around at all the boxes and bags, knowing there was no way I’d get everything unpacked and put in its place in one night.

  My mother pushed through the maze of boxes, toppling them everywhere. “Pizza’s here.”

  It was past lunchtime, and my stomach rumbled. My German shepherd pranced around in a circle and barked.

  “Mom,” I said, “Max needs to be walked first.”

  She brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled. “Go ahead and take him out, then, but don’t wander off too far.”

  I kissed her cheek. “Of course not.”

  She pointed to my eyes. “What’s with the dark circles?”

  “Uh…I’m sure it’s just makeup, or maybe just because I’ve been getting absolutely no sleep?”

  “It’s your makeup,” she said, smiling. “You look like a raccoon.”

  “See? I’ll fit right in with the wildlife out here.”

  My mom laughed. “Well, maybe the raccoons can adopt you. They’
re nocturnal too.”

  “I just can’t sleep at night. I can’t help it.”

  She wrapped her arm around me. “Is this about the breakup with Sean? Honey, it’s been six months. Remember what we talked about? We’re here for a new beginning, a fresh start.”

  “I know,” I said, wincing because the whole thing still hurt.

  Sean had dumped me out of the blue, and getting dumped sucked, no matter the reason. I had given him my heart, and he had trampled all over it. The breakup absolutely blinded me, and I didn’t see it coming when he called me and said, “Taylor, this just isn’t working for me anymore.”

  I knew it was time for me to move on with my life, with whatever grace and dignity I could muster. We’d both made mistakes in the relationship, and neither one of us were perfect by a long run. Still, I refused to let that relationship define who I was. Just because we didn’t work out and clearly weren’t meant for each other, that didn’t mean things wouldn’t work out with someone else in the future. My friends set me up on stupid dates that never worked out, and I wondered if I’d ever find the “spark” again. For the time being, I decided I was done with guys. I was just going to enjoy my fresh start and focus on my passion, painting. The yard was overrun with weeds and vegetation, but my dad had hired someone to fix it up, and when he was finished, it would be the perfect place for me to pursue my art.