The Diseased Ones
Danielle Harrington
(The Hollis Timewire Series, #1)
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: February 8th 2020
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
On the morning of her 16th birthday, Hollis Timewire receives the worst possible news. She can’t become a citizen of the world. She’s a Diseased One.
Born with a biomarker that bestows dangerous, brain-altering powers, Hollis is forced to hide underground with other Diseased Ones, who believe that the government falsified history to cover up their genocide.
Now Hollis must discover the truth, and is willing to risk anything, including her powers, to go back home.
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“Me?” Keith chuckles. “Ben’s the show-off.”
Ben nods. “It’s true.”
Abruptly, there is a torrent of wind, and I step back a few paces, buffeted by some invisible shock wave. Ben is gone. “W-where did he go?”
Someone taps my shoulder. “Right behind you.”
“How did you—”
I spin around, caught off guard.
The group laughs as another rush of wind whips my hair askew, tossing it across my face. I brush it away. Ben is gone again. Keith joins my side, pointing to the opposite end of the massive common room.
“He’s over there, waving his hands like an idiot.”
I squint through the throngs of people, and sure enough, Ben is standing on top of a table, flailing his arms over his head.
Another rush of wind and Ben is standing right in front of me. I stumble back, tripping over my feet and nearly falling. Keith catches me, and his hands send another jolt through my skin. His touch is still so jarring.
“Careful, Benny boy,” Keith says. “You’ve nearly knocked her over twice now.”
“I’m speedy,” Ben says. “Really, really speedy. I’m like the Flash.”
I must look thoroughly confused because Ben’s energy deflates.
“You know? The Flash,” he says, gesturing to the room.
I shake my head.
“He was a DC Comics superhero who was introduced in November 1939?”
“Dude,” Keith says. “Does she look like she—”
“The Flash’s name is really Barry Allen. He got super-speed when lightning hit his forensic lab, dousing him in chemicals. Of course, I was born with my speediness, so I think that makes me cooler than the Flash, but—”
“Okay, Ben, slow down there,” Candice says.
Ben looks completely beside himself. “Did you just say ‘slow down’? Do you even know me? I’m Ben Bryson, speedy boy wonder. I can’t just ‘slow down’.”
“Oh, my mistake. So, is ‘speedy boy wonder’ your official superhero name, or…?”
“Whatever, Candy,” he says. “Hollis was going to ask for my ability next, so naturally, I had to put on a show.”
He folds his arms across his chest, looking smug. She giggles, rolling her eyes and muttering something about “classic Ben.”
“See?” Keith says, looking to Darren. “Show-off.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” Darren waves his hands. “Your turn to shoot, Audrey. And no cheating. No powers.”
Audrey motions the shooter to her side and then flicks it expertly across the middle. It knocks three marbles to the floor. They fall with satisfying thuds.
“And that’s how it’s done, boys. No powers. Just pure talent.”
Audrey dips into a little curtsey, and Candice claps.
I can’t explain the surge of expression I’m witnessing. Something about this group is baffling to my core. They act like a family, but only two of them are related. It doesn’t make any sense. They’re expressing themselves, and embracing each other, and it seems to bring a sense of bliss.
I’m at ease too. I don’t feel the horrible tightness in my chest, and I’m not on my guard. Is that a good thing? Was that their plan? The raw emotion that I’m observing is exhilarating – thrilling even. My life has been so formal, but this… this is unparalleled. I don’t get it. We’re just playing a game.
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Author Bio:
Danielle Harrington is a high school chemistry teacher with a passion for the pen and a knack for storytelling. She got her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Biola University, and although she’s a hardcore science nerd, she’s always been a lover of the arts.
She grew up acting and singing and has turned her love for drama into writing. Danielle lives vicariously through her characters and considers it great fun because she “gets to play all the parts”.
Danielle lives in LA with her husband, Steven, and her two cats, Moose and Turtle. She is working on a four book young adult dystopian fiction series, and she’s beyond thrilled to be launching her debut novel, THE DISEASED ONES, through Acorn Publishing.
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