by LM. Preston
“My parents could help us. They’re ambassadors of the Ga-lactic Peace Council.”
Daniel pointed at Faulk. “Your parents’ power as diplomats for Earth won’t help when we get sent to Uukin. Cuz, you came here for an adventure, right? Well it’s about time you man up and stop running to your daddy at the first sign of trouble.” He grabbed his gun belt and quickly left the room.
He headed to the lower rooms, and climbed down the steep ladder leading downward from the secret door in the floor. “Nick-el? Nickel? You find it?”
Nickel was looking under the couch. “No. Freak! I looked everywhere. We can’t leave without it. We gotta find it. Dad made me promise.”
Daniel started looking around the room and hastily turned over anything that stood in his way. “I remember walking in on Dad when he was down here. He jumped when I came down, like he was hiding something. He was over there by the mirror.”
Daniel bumped into Nickel and then tripped over Nickel’s foot. He broke his fall by landing in the middle of the mirror. While he righted himself, he saw the mirror under his fingers glow with a strange blue light.
Nickel pointed. “Look! There, on the opposite wall...the picture moved.”
Daniel watched with quiet interest when the picture split in half to reveal a built in shelf. It held a small black book, which pushed forward. He took the book out. It felt heavy and thick as the worn pages pushed the black cover up slightly. He flipped it back and forth in his hand for a second and then opened up the first page.
For Daniel and Nick.
Daniel shut the book and put it in his back pocket. He turned to see Nickel staring at him. “Let’s go. We’ve got to get out of here before it’s too late.” Nickel didn’t argue but ran past him to climb up the ladder.
Faulk was waiting at the top of the stairs, and gave Nickel a hand to get up.
Daniel followed Nickel up but purposely ignored his cousin’s outstretched arm. “Let’s go. Now! Get everything to the door,” he ordered, leaping up out of the hole.
Nickel stomped his foot. “We can’t leave Dad like that. We gotta do the Zukar ceremony of death. We have to do it or he won’t rest.”
“We don’t have time, Nick. They’ll be here soon. We stayed to long already,” Daniel said sternly as he pushed Nickel toward the door.
Nickel resisted. He stumbled against Daniel’s hard pushes on his back and head to force him forward down the hallway. “No! No, I’m not leaving unless we do it. It’s our Dad!”
Faulk looked solemnly at Daniel. “Look, man. I’ll pack the car. Give the kid something to remember—a chance for him to say goodbye.” With that, he grabbed the bag and left the house.
Daniel gave in and walked with his brother to stand in front of his father’s fallen body. “Okay Nickel, let’s do it.”
They chanted and prayed the Zukar death ritual over their father. Daniel snatched his knife out of his belt and cut off a lock of his hair. He turned to Nickel and did the same. Nickel gathered the pieces and plaited it into his father’s long braids.
There was a moment of silence, and finally Nickel dropped down and hugged his father goodbye. He took a deep breath and swallowed hard, trying to be brave. “I’m ready.”
Daniel put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. He lifted him up and threw him over his shoulder. He tickled Nickel, hoping their old game of capture would take their minds off the grave road ahead of them.
“Put me down! Stop! I’ll get you!” Nickel yelled and squirmed.
Daniel slapped him on the leg, a smile tickling his lips. “Keep fighting. You squirt. You’ll never be big enough to beat me.”
“When I turn eleven, you’re going down—you just watch,” Nickel replied with a firm smack to Daniel’s head. He laughed out as Daniel seized him with another tickle attack.
“Is that so? Then maybe I need to get all my licks in now,” Daniel chuckled and slapped Nickel’s backside. He forced it out and pushed down the conflicting emotions raging in his chest.
More Releases From LM Preston
www.lmpreston.com and blog: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com
THE PACK, 2010
Shamira is considered an outcast by most, but little do they know that Shamira is on a mission. Kids on Mars are disappearing, but Shamira decides to use the criminals’ most unlikely weapons against them, the very kids of which they have captured. In order to succeed, she is forced to trust another, something she is afraid to do. However, Valens her connection to the underworld of her enemy, proves to be a useful ally. Time is slipping, and so is her control on the power that resides within her. Yet, in order to save her brother's life she is willing to risk it all. Look for book two of the series, THE PACK – RETRIBUTION in 2012
EXPLORER X - BETA, 2012
Barely escaping their captors, Aadi and Eirena are determined to save their dying friend. After their final confrontation with the species that tortured them, they've changed-unfortunately, not for the better. The changes caused by a terrible experiment force Aadi to accept the possibility that he may never be fit to go home, and that holding onto his sanity, or leading his friends to safety will end in failure and may rip his friendship with Eirena apart, forever. Time is slipping away and the possibility of losing his friend is not an option, but the foe that awaits them may be worse than the one they left.
About the Author
LM. Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction under the encouragement of her husband who was a Sci-Fi buff and her four kids. Her first published novel, Explorer X - Alpha was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.
You can find out what LM Preston’s up to on her blog: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com and new releases http://bookpartylmpreston.blogspot.com
