Tag Archive for: Writober

Writober Part 9

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“Get ready?” Violet said. “Ready for what?”

Ryan glanced above them at an AC vent.

That’s his plan?

How would they even get it open before being spotted?

“Where are they?” a familiar voice shouted from the next room.

The guard got up from his perch and walked to the door. How did Ryan know they would have an opportunity?

That was when Violet saw how—Ryan was watching the reflection of the security camera off the metal door of a cabinet next to the guard’s desk. Smart.

As soon as the guard’s back was turned, Ryan ran under the vent, lifted his hands, and blasted two streams of green fire at the ceiling, destroying the vent and leaving the duct wide open. He jumped, higher than Violet thought was possible, grabbed the ledge and lifted himself inside.

“Your turn,” he said, reaching out his arm.

Violet jumped, surprising herself that she made it just as high as Ryan. He helped her up, and just as she was clear, the guard and the man who had been yelling entered the room below. Now she knew why the voice sounded so familiar. It was the Hunter.

“They’re gone! What part of ‘dangerous, high-priority, target’ did not compute with you? I called to warn you when I realized they were heading here so that you could take them below, somewhere more secure. Not leave them unattended.”

While they were still arguing, Ryan and Violet crept through the duct with Ryan in the lead. He seemed to know exactly where he was going. They made multiple turns, until he finally stopped and looked through the vent to the room below. From what they could see, the room was devoid of people, but was filled with high-powered microscopes, incubators, computers, and several other pieces of lab equipment Violet didn’t recognize.

“Coast seems clear,” Ryan said. He removed the vent and they dropped to the floor.

Not missing a beat, Ryan went straight to the computer. Within seconds he had hacked his way past the password protection.

“You should see this,” he said. “This goes much deeper than I originally thought.”

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Writober Part 8

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Violet readjusted her position on the concrete floor and looked over at Ryan, who didn’t seem nearly as uncomfortable, or as worried, as she was. They were inside a dark, chain cage, under constant surveillance by the guard who found them.

“Why didn’t we use our power when he took us?” Violet whispered. “Then we wouldn’t be trapped in here.”

“We could have. But then he would have alerted the whole base to our presence, everyone would be looking for us, and we’d have to go on the run instead of gathering information.”

“We’re not doing that anyway. We’re stuck.”

“We’re not stuck. Just biding our time.”

“Why are you so at ease?”

“Because there’s nothing to be worried about.”

Violet thought for a moment. “You’ve been here before, haven’t you?”

There was a long pause, and when Ryan finally spoke, he was looking at the ground. “Once, a while back. They had captured me and ran all sorts of tests. They never told me what they were looking for or what would become of me after. The tests were…horrendous… I finally got a lucky break and was able to overpower a guard while he was distracted.

“So I ran. Ran faster than I’ve ever run in my life. That was when they sent the Hunter after me. He was supposed to bring me back, and he almost did. But the trick is to never let him close enough to use his ability on you. I figure he has about a ten foot radius, maybe fifteen. I committed myself to pursuing them, like you. But unlike you, I knew I needed help. That I couldn’t take them down on my own. So I searched for others like me, and that’s when I found you.”

Violet nodded. “I’m sorry you had to go through all that.”

“Yeah…but hey, I got to meet you, so something good came out of it.” He smiled at her and Violet smiled back.

“I’m glad I met you too. Thanks for saving me, by the way.”

“Of course.” Ryan looked past her at the guard sitting outside their cell. “Violet, do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, good. Get ready.”

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Writober Part 7

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“We’re here,” Ryan said as they crested the hill and looked down on a valley littered with a network of buildings and an immense power plant at its nucleus.

“Wow,” Violet said. “Now what?”

“Now we get inside.”

“Okay, and they’re gonna let us just waltz right in?”

“Well, there will have to be some stealth involved on our part…”

“So what’s the plan?”

“Intel. We first need to know what they’re up to. We’ll worry about the rest when we get there.”

“Great. Flying by the seat of our pants. Love it.”

Ryan smiled at her playful sarcasm as they descended into the valley. The half moon in the sky lit their path, but wasn’t bright enough to expose them. Violet’s heart was beating so fast she thought it might explode. How did a simple, young college student such as herself manage to get caught up in all this?

Oh yeah. I randomly developed a mutant power. Thanks fate. 

Deep down, Violet had to admit she enjoyed it. It was fun and thrilling, even if it meant crazy people would try to kill her on a daily basis.

The two of them crept along the wall of one of the buildings. Without warning, Ryan grabbed Violet’s shoulder and pushed her to the ground. A second later, a bright search light swept across her previous position.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

“Don’t mention it,” he whispered back. “You see that door? After the next pass of the light, we run for it. Ready? Three…two…one…now!”

Hunched over, they ran into the open, fully exposed for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, they made it to the cover of the doorway without incident.

“Locked,” Ryan said as he unrolled a set of lock picks.

“Ooh… someday you’re gonna have to teach me how to use those.”

With a soft click, the door unlocked and they opened it to see a massive guard with arms crossed, blocking their way.

“Well, what do we have here?”

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Writober Part 6

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The Hunter woke in the middle of the road with the sun shining in his eyes. The girl was gone, but the car was still there with both front doors wide open.

He got to his feet, brushed off his pants, and replaced his hat. Closing his eyes, he inhaled, letting the various aromas fill his nostrils. One of the pyros had used their ability nearby. He could smell it. But unfortunately he would not be able to see the embers until night.

No matter. He didn’t mind waiting. He could track them easily enough, even with their head start. So he walked to the edge of the nearby trees, leaving the car in the road, and waited patiently. While on a hunt, he required neither food nor water. Survival in extreme conditions was apart of his ability. That’s why they called him, The Hunter. A true predator allowed nothing to deter him from his prey.

Except night. Nothing he could do about that.

Dark. He loved the dark. Thrived in it. He could actually see better at night. As darkness spread across the woods, he scoured the area, until finally locating the boy’s embers. Small, green, glowing flecks—like remnants of a dying campfire—were sprinkled along the ground and trees.

And not far ahead, he found both green and indigo. They had been there alright. They went—

Wait.

He sniffed. “Did they really think they could trick me so easily?”

Standing still, he closed his eyes, breathed deep, and did an about face.

They’re fools if they think embers are my only means of tracking.

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Writober Part 5

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“How do you know my name?” Violet said as they ran through the trees, the occasional stray branch scraping her face.

“I’ve been tracking him, tracking you. His name is Russell and he is more powerful than you think. Don’t be fooled into believing you can win him over. You can’t.”

“How do you know so much about him?” Violet gasped, remembering what the Hunter had told her about the single pyro to ever escape him. “He told me about you. Well, briefly. You’re the only one he ever lost.”

“That’s me, in the flesh and at your service.”

“Wait, you used your ability as we were leaving. He told me how he tracks people like us. He’ll be able to—”

“Don’t worry. I know how he uses the embers to find us.” Ryan stopped running and faced Violet. “Ignite your fire.”

“No, it will only make it worse.”

“Trust me.”

Strangely enough, she did trust him.

“Okay.”

Violet let the familiar heat spread through her body and congregate in her fists. Opening them, her indigo flames flared to life. It was a strange relief, letting the fire course through her like that. In such a tense situation as this, it brought clarity to her mind and calmed her nerves.

“Absolutely beautiful,” Ryan said, staring at her hands, the indigo light flickered across his face.

Grabbing her hands, he ignited his own flames. The green and indigo swirled together for a moment until Ryan nodded, signaling Violet to cut off the flow.

“Now we backtrack and take a different route,” he said. “We use his own methods against him.”

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Writober Part 4

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An elbow to the face and a knee to the stomach later, the mystery man had the Hunter on the ground. Violet franticly tried to free herself, as the man ran over to her side of the car. It was too late; there was no way for her to escape. He jerked open the door and she instinctively jumped back—until his eyes caught hers. They were green, kind and gentle, not the harsh glare she was expecting from someone so strong. His hair was blond and hung lose by his ears.

He immediately went to work on undoing her bonds.

Violet felt immediately drawn to him; all fear of him had vanished. “What’s your name?” She said.

“We have to hurry. He won’t be down for long, and we need to get outside his radius,” he said.

“What?”

By now he had freed her and was helping her out of the car. He grabbed her hand and together they ran away from the road and into the trees beyond.

Looking down, green flames engulfed their entwined figures, but her skin was not burned.

“You’re a…”

“Yep. Name’s Ryan. Nice to meet you, Violet.”

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Writober Part 3

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The sun started peaking over the horizon and a dense fog covered the ground as Violet and the Hunter drove farther away from civilization.

“And when, over the course of your quest, did you become aware you were no longer the one doing the hunting?” He asked.

Violet noticed how engrossed he was in what she was saying. Maybe if she kept his attention, if she got him to care, he would sympathize with her. Maybe he wouldn’t turn her in.

“I realized it about five hours outside Chicago. I kept seeing your blasted hat everywhere. You must not be as sneaky as you thought.”

“Or you’re not as smart as you thought. Did it ever occur to you that I wanted you to know I was chasing you?”

“Why? Because running would distract me from going after the people you work for?”

The Hunter didn’t respond. That would be a yes, Violet thought.

“Who do you work for, by the way?”

Violet barely got the question out when a green burst of light ignited in the middle of the road twenty feet ahead. The Hunter hit the brakes, slamming Violet against her belt. The green light vanished. Only a man was left standing in the middle of the road, staring directly into the Hunter’s eyes. The Hunter opened the car door and strode toward him. Violet had a feeling the two of them had met.

Violet thought for sure the man would be knocked out by one punch, but he grabbed the Hunter’s fist mid-swing and overpowered him. Whoever this mystery man was, he was stronger than the Hunter. Impressive.

Should that comfort or terrify me?

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Writober Part 2

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“…So the next thing I know, my hands are on fire and the school is burning down. That’s when I first realized what I was. After that, some guy, presumably from the same people you work for, kidnapped me and tried to push me off the top of an industrial building. Although, he didn’t expect I’d be able to land easily on my feet. Even I didn’t know I could do it. The whole mutant thing was still new to me.”

Violet broke from her story to look over at the Hunter, who seemed unusually interested in what she was saying. Every so often he would glance over at her from under the broad rim of his hat.

“So that was when you went on the run,” he prodded.

“Almost. I tried to get my boyfriend to come with me, but shooting fire out of your hands has a way of scaring people off. So I went after your employers alone.”

Violet looked out her window. The glass was speckled with raindrops, and the black sky was barely starting to lighten. They had been driving all night.

“So you showed your boyfriend your power?”

“Yeah, at his house, why?”

“I’ll let you in on a secret…that’s how I traced you. Every time a pyro uses their ability, tiny micro-embers the same color as their fire are left behind, if you know what to look for.”

“Wait, there are others out there like me?”

“Yes, each one has a specific color flame. Yours, indigo. I’ve met one who had green flames. He’s the only one who managed to escape.”

“What happened to the others you’ve hunted?”

“Long dead by now.”

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Writober Part 1

/2 Comments/in , , /by

“Enough of this. Start talking,” the Hunter said with a growl in his voice.

“Or what? You already have me in custody,” Violet Blair said, looking over at him from the passenger seat. Her wrists were tied and bound to the door. This can’t be safe, she thought.

Without a word, the Hunter reached over from the driver’s side and grabbed her arm.

“What are you…oww that burns!” Violet watched his hand turn a searing red.

“That,” the Hunter said, “is what it feels like to have your own power used against you.”

Tears blurred her vision as she cried out in pain. “Please, stop.”

“Not only can I quench your abilities, but I can borrow them, as long as you’re in close proximity.”

The Hunter removed his hand, leaving a white hot mark in its place.

“What do you want from me?”

“We have a long drive ahead of us. Tell me how you became what you are. Tell me how you came to be trapped in a car with me, on our way to your end.”

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group. For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.