 Like YA Post Apocalytic books?I've always got a couple projects I'm working on, and hundreds of ideas bumping around in my head. The concept for my latest project came from my series Secret of Alba, which takes place a century after the world is devastated by global war. I kept thinking how much I wanted to tell the story of how the city of Alba came to be; the story of how technology became the world's downfall in a prequel to my Secret of Alba series. The infamous Cecilia Delacroix is mentioned frequently in the series, and why not let the readers meet her first hand? The story is told from the perspective of Cecilia's daughter, Cleo, and a young man who saves her - in more ways than one. I love end of the world stories, and if you know me, you can expect this adventure with a side of romance. Here is a peek at How the World Ends, Cleo and Linc's story. Let me know what you think in the comments, or subscribe to my blog to read more in future posts! I jerk awake, the sounds of my muffled sobs fading away. Lilly still snores lightly beside me, undisturbed by my nightmare. I’ve got to get out of here. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I shuffle in the dark towards the door, needing some fresh air. Needing to get out and breathe. I hurry towards the back door, the images from my nightmare still burned into my mind’s eye. I burst through the back door, taking a few gasping breaths of the cool evening air. A hand touches my shoulder and a shriek escapes as I jerk back. A dark shadow looms before me, blocking out the dim light of the moon. “Shh, it’s just me.” My heart slows at the low sound of Linc’s voice. “You scared me,” I say needlessly. I see the flash of white teeth in the dark. “Sorry. Couldn’t sleep?” I shake my head. “I dreamed…” I hesitate, not wanting to even say the words out loud in case it was true. In case Heather was lying somewhere, her beautiful eyes staring sightlessly at the sky. “I can’t get the faces out of my head, either,” Linc finally says when I don’t finish. He holds out a large hand, and I take it without hesitation. He pulls me along beside him and we walk slowly through the darkened courtyard, the wall casting long shadows. His hand is warm and callused, and my stomach flip-flops to feel it pressed to mine. I lace my fingers with his, and he pulls me closer to his side until I can feel the heat from his body against me. We walk in silence, past the barn where I hear the soft snuffles of Milly as she catches our scent, past the silent chicken coop where the hens are roosting, and through the herb garden with its many different scents. Linc bends down to grab a leaf and the smell of mint fills my senses. He tears it in half, offering me a piece. My mouth quirks as I take it, popping it hesitantly into my mouth. The taste is potent as it travels over my tongue, cold and spicy all at once. “Dad taught us how to clean our teeth with a cloth and use mint to freshen our breath, since a toothbrush is something we may have to learn to live without in an apocalypse.” Linc pulls me down beside him on the wooden bench under the avocado tree growing on the corner of the house. “Your dad is pretty amazing.” I lean into his side slowly, and his arm goes around my shoulders as if we’ve been dating for years. It feels so good to be tucked into his side, and I let myself relax a little deeper into the embrace. “I can’t believe how many things we just took for granted. Like toothbrushes.” “And coffee.” “Clothes that fit.” “Shampoo.” “Sushi.” I feel Linc turn to look at me, giving a snort of laughter. “Sushi? I can’t say that is something I would add to my list.” “Don’t underestimate the value of good sushi,” I return with a smile. Silence stretches between us, a comfortable silence, blanketed by the darkness. The earlier horror of my nightmare fades slightly as I sit in the crook of Linc’s arm, feeling safe and secure for the first time in days. Feeling a closeness like what I have with my friends, but deeper. Something I might call love, except that would be insane. I’ve only known Linc a few days. In this moment, I don’t care what it’s called. It feels good. It feels right. Excerpt from How the World Ends by Lindsey Winsemius (c) 2019
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