SEMI-FINALIST – 9

Screen Name: Kalen O’Donnell

TITLE:  Dust to Dust

GENRE: YA Fantasy

 

For my sixteenth birthday, my oldest brother tried to kill me again.

 

I was at Starbuck’s getting a celebratory scone when the shadows peeled off the walls and came for me.  I cursed and dove for the floor.  The hot chick waiting in front of me turned, eyebrows raised over heavily made up eyes.  Her perfect lips parted.  For a split second I fantasized she was about to ask what I was doing later.  Wait, nope, I wasn’t getting laid anytime soon.  That was actually her screaming because magic shadows were slashing through the fabric of her Grateful Dead t-shirt.  One more reason to hate my brother.

 

I grabbed her leg and yanked her down to the floor with me.  Terror was the coffee shop’s new special of the day as patrons and employees stampeded for the exit.  I suffered a few accidental kicks crab-walking me and my damsel in distress under the nearest table.  Which was of course brimming with shadows.

 

Brilliant, Micah.

 

A midnight black hand reached for my ankle and I tapped my own magic.  Dust raced from every corner of the room and stormed the air in furious clouds.  The shadows kept coming, undeterred – and Mom wondered why I had insecurity issues.  Trent could kill with shadows.  Serena could drown you with your own tears.  Alice walked through mirrors, Dennis could pull blood from a stone, but me?  Oh yeah.  Fear the mystic might of my magical dust bunnies!

 

Lame.