For anyone who doesn’t know, YAFF MUSE is a blog ring where members of YA Fiction Fanatics take a common prompt and write. The word length varies, as does whether or not its a short or an excerpt. They’re all pretty fabulous, so make sure you check out the others when you get done here!!!
Photo Credit: Vanessa Barger
Gateway
“Are you all right?”
She shivered. It felt as if she’d never be warm again.
“No.” Her teeth clacked together briefly, and concern passed across Gabriel’s features.
She leaned into his shoulder. For a moment he was still and then he moved, opening the arm. “Are you afraid?”
“Not of you.” She leaned into the embrace, surprised when his warmth began to immediately soak into her flesh. His arms around her were strong and comforting.
Ethan watched beside him, something dark and jealous flitting across his features.
Their captors faces remained covered, and she shuddered again. Whether from the cold or the strange masks they wore, she couldn’t be sure.
His arms tightened around her. She reveled in the feeling, pushing away at the guilt that rose when she glanced at Ethan’s stony face. He’d been trying to get closer than “just friends” for years. She told him multiple times it would never happen, but she hadn’t expected to throw it at him like she was now.
One of the armed men moved toward her. He stopped, just short of her feet and shook his head. “Back away, girl. You have no need to be so close to him.”
She pulled away, squeezing Gabriel’s hand when he opened his mouth. He closed it, but she could tell he wasn’t happy.
The soldier wandered away and she drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
“How much longer are we going to be kept here?” Gabriel demanded.
The guard returned. “Until we’re told otherwise. If I were you, I’d keep quiet if you want to be able to leave.”
He didn’t wait for Gabriel to respond, but turned on his heel and marched back to a small knot of soldiers speaking to each other in a tongue she could not understand.
“I don’t like the way they said that.” she murmured.
Gabriel leaned back against the wall, sighing. “Don’t worry about it. They wouldn’t have taken so much trouble to hide us here if they intended to kill us. I’d say we’re far more valuable as captives.”
She hoped he was right.
Her eyes wandered to the ten other forms huddled at the edges of the room. A few sat alone, but most had gathered in pairs or trios. Elspeth’s gaze traveled over Ethan’s form. She hoped they would be able to piece together their friendship again, but she doubted it. Somehow, she’d always known that the day she chose to love another man or think about anyone else, the friendship would end.
And then there was Gabriel. She didn’t want to feel so close to him. He’d appeared from nowhere with the news of her brother’s death, had been there when it happened and hadn’t been able to save him. She’d wanted to hate him for that. But it hadn’t been his fault. Now she’d been captured by the people she’d been trying to hide from for years. Her brother would not have been pleased with her.
Static stuttered through the air and the lead soldier withdrew a small device from his pocket and wriggled it into his ear. The static grew muffled and he muttered a sharp word to the others. They scattered, poking and prodding until we rose from our positions and shuffled into a mass at the center of the room.
Gabriel pulled me in front of him, sliding one arm around my waist. I didn’t argue.
The leader held up one hand and everyone quieted.
“You will follow us into the transport. I have authorization to shoot anyone who resists.”
*****
Yeah. Not sure where the whole futuristic thing came from either….
Make sure you visit the other participants!
Intense, lady. Is there more on this?
A bit… but I decided to quit while I was ahead for the purposes of the blog.
You left this open for so many possibilities. Great job. I liked that she had a history with both boys (whether recent or over time).
Thanks!
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