I Co-Authored A Book!

Hello, everyone!

For about a year my sister(Luna) and I have been working on a young adult trilogy called Non Existent. I am super excited to announce that book one of the trilogy series is finished and will be released Jan 2017! I have more exciting news, signed pre-orders are on sale Now! We have also decided to give you all a sneak peek into the world of our protagonist sixteen-year-old Lotus. Below you can read chapter one (not formatted) and click this LINK to view the book trailer.

I am super proud of this accomplishment and I am also super proud of Paige our co-protagonist and leader of the hackers is a beautiful full figured teenage! There is someone that everyone to relate to.

CHAPTER 1

CAMP VACANT

I sit here watching the immense blazing fire burn brightly in front of me. Some of the younger ones are partying and acting ridiculous, while the rest of us are listening to stories about our past. They call me Lotus and my number is 0033321, I do not exist is what they tell me, even though I am sitting here breathing, heart pounding, and my thoughts running wild. I am on a never-ending wheel of servitude. Why? Because I am a Non Existent. I look around the camp fire at all the animated faces and I don’t understand how they all could be showing so many different emotions here at Camp Vacant, A place so miserable you'd rather be dead. Which is ironic, since it is a place for the dead; Non Existent. “Hey, Lotus!” A shaky, raspy, high-pitched voice brings me back from my wandering thoughts, I know that voice, its Geek. Geek wears big round glasses that fit perfectly on his large bird shaped nose and a wide quirky smile. He is tall, slim and his face is covered with freckles. “Hey Geek, what are you up to?” I ask. “I saw Brick go into the questioning room twice today, have you heard anything? “What…” Chrome shouts, “Hey everyone come gather around, it’s time for a story, especially you Intros So tomorrow will be the new Intros first day of real work here a Camp Vacant.” Chrome, who is seventeen and has the biggest brown eyes you will ever see, full lips, round nose, and shaved afro. He is tall, medium built and strong. He is loyal to all Non Existent's, he is a leader and we all look up to him. “Yeah, it is time for you Intros to learn your real history! Not that crap they have been shoveling down your throat in what they call a school.” Brick said. Brick walks out of the shadow of the woods and greets Chrome with their special handshake. Brick is seventeen and extremely tall for his age and has beautiful flaming red hair and the start of a beard, he is ruggedly handsome and ripped. His battle scars give him character, each one has been earned with integrity. On his collarbone, he has the same tattoo like all of us Non Existents Identification Tag. Across his chest, he has the inscription “I was born, I have lived, and I will surely die.” On his right inner lower arm he has a large black cross and on his left wrist a series of small triangles all of them pointing in different directions. Last, but not least I have confused feelings for him and I know I shouldn’t because that is forbidden here at camp, we are not allowed to love, like, or get married. They even decide who we breed with. “Everything they have taught you is just an illusion, we are all here to die, we work and we die,” Brick said. “Your history starts with your blood, It’s bad…” Chrome said. “That’s what they say,” Brick said. Chrome continues. “We, unfortunately, have Non Existent blood so therefore we have been born into a life of servitude…” “Slavery, let’s call it what it really is.” Brick said. Chrome sends Brick a nonverbal signal, telling him to calm down. “So that means one or both of your parents carried the bad blood gene and the penalty for giving birth to you is death. So they say we here a Camp Vacant should be grateful because they are allowing us to live. “The people outside of this camp have good blood, so therefore they are allowed to exist, have free will to live their life as they please. “In order to survive Camp Vacant and to have the privilege to die of natural causes, do your work and keep your damn head down.” Chrome said very authoritarian. “How do I know this is real, what you’re saying and you're not just pulling my leg?” an Intro ask. “When your friends start to go missing, you start to question things. Three months ago a good friend of ours was shot on sight for asking a question. So when your friends start missing you will know I was telling the truth.” Chrome says. Brick walks over to the Intro who asked the question, squats down next to him and pops him in the face. “It’s Intros like you who go missing and guys like Chrome who risk their life to come looking for you.” Brick says. Brick walks back into the woods, disappearing into the shadows. Chrome continues with the history of our camp as I follow Brick into the woods. I look back and I can hear the faint voices of chatter and can still see the glow of the bonfire, in front of me it is pitch black. I call out, “Brick!” He doesn't respond. I walk deeper into the woods brushing my hands against the trees. “Brick.” I call out again. He does not answer, it’s not like him to not respond to someone calling out to him. I have made it to the stream, and I climb on top of a rock to see if I can see him, just as I am about to call out to him again someone yanks me into a cave and I try to scream, but their hand is covering my mouth. I grab their arm to push away and realize it is Brick. “Be quiet!” Brick whispers, His voice comforts me, but his hold on me frightens me and I freeze not knowing what to do. “What…” I ask. “I said be quiet, do you hear that?” Brick ask. “ I hear nothing.” I said. “Exactly, no laughter, no chatter and I don’t hear Chrome’s voice anymore.” Brick said. We walk over to the left side of the cave and we can see sparks of the bonfire, but no one is there. As we peek out of the left side of the cave we hear three gun shots and I fall backward, Brick catches me and pulls me back into the cave. “What the hell is going on?” I ask. Brick gently puts his two fingers on my lips and tells me to be quite. We hear running in the woods and the stomping of boots is getting closer to the cave. I swat his hand off my face. “Are you in trouble? “ I ask. “No why?” Brick ask. “Why did you get taken into the questioning room today?” I ask. “Not important.” Brick said. Brick stands and pulls me to my feet and all of a sudden there is a flashlight being shined in our faces. Harsh voice yells, “Hey! What are you two doing?” It’s an Enforcer. “Oh, we were just heading to the bonfire," I said. “No your not, we ended the bonfire early and everyone is on lockdown, now get back to your sleeping quarters!” Enforcer yells. “What’s going…” I ask. The Enforcer backhands me and his knuckles crack against my cheekbone and the force of it knocks me to the ground. He grabs Brick by the neck and slams him against the cave wall. “What are you doing with this girl in this cave?” Enforcer ask. “Nothing.” Brick replies. He let's go of Brick’s neck and points at me. “Watch your damn tongue and get back to your room quarters!” I quickly stand and we being to make our way back. I am walking as fast as I can to get out of the woods and Brick catches up with me, stops me and examines my face. The touch of his hand to my face is reassuring, as he slides his finger down my cheek bone I tense up from the pain of being backhanded. Brick quickly takes his hand away and backs up because he has sensed my discomfort. “It’s okay, it’s not you.” I said. “I know.” Brick said. I turn to hide the fact that I am blushing and I start to walk again and Brick falls a step behind. *** I occupy one on many blue cots lined in a perfect row along the outer walls in this damp, dark, and gray room. I lie on this cot thinking about all that happen yesterday. My head is pounding at the thought of a new day, I hate when the sun rises. I push the covers off and make my way to the girl’s bathroom. My dark chestnut hair is all disheveled and I barely recognize the big taupe eyes looking back at me. The bruises on my face are very prominent, but only hurt when I touch them. I hear my feet shuffling and I feel like am not moving even though the hallway to the Boss’s office is the same as it was yesterday, the day before, the day before that, and every day the hallway seems longer and grayer. I stand in the open doorway, but I dare not enter her office until I am summoned. On most days I stand in this doorway for hours, she does this crap on purpose, because she can. “0033321 come in.” she summons. I walk in, these words she speaks to me in her office are the only words she will say to me. She walks over to me with a look of disgust, grabs my messenger bag and begins to pull me around her office while tossing the day’s work orders in my bag. When she is done she walks back to her desk and sits, I turn and walk to the doorway and stand there until I am released. “0033321 you can leave.” she says. My first stop of the day is the nursery, this is my most favorite stop and my least favorite stop. When I see the babies they give me such hope, then I think of my life and I realize there isn’t any hope; not even for them. “Safar here is today's work order.” I said. I walk over to hand the paperwork to her. “Thanks.” Safar said. “Looks like they have received three new babies since yesterday.” I said. “Yes! I have been up all night with then but, aren’t they beautiful?” Safar ask. “Very, do they have names yet?” I ask. “No, we are not allowed to name until the third week.” Safar said. “Oh yeah, I forgot.” I said. I walk over a stroke one of the new babies forehead. I hear a strange noise coming from the baby basket next to me, I look in and being to panic. I scream at the top of my lungs, “This baby is not breathing, somebody help it!” Drawing the attentions of the Enforcers overseeing the nursery workers. I look over at Safar who is just standing there helplessly and with despair filling her wet eyes. I reach in to help the baby, but I am grabbed by two Enforcers and they slam me against the wall. “Help her!” I scream. I struggle trying to break free, “Why are you doing this?” I ask. One of the Enforcers puts her hands around my neck. “We don’t save Non Existents. If she is not strong enough to survive, then oh well.” she said. They throw me out of the room and tell me to move on. I press my hands up against the glass trying to get one more glimpse at the baby before I am forcibly pushed away from the door. I turn around to see the doors to the nursery closing. I fight to hold back my tears knowing there is nothing I can do, I turn to walk away but I trip and fall, all the work orders spill out of my bag. “Hey, Lotus are you heading to canteen room now?” Red ask. Red squats down and helps me pick up the work orders. “Yeah, that’s my next stop, why? I ask. “Can you give this note to Ione?” Red ask. I take the note, open, and read it. “Red are you crazy? You know this is not allowed… this feeling.” I said. Red begs, “I know, I have tried to suppress it, but I just can’t. Can you just give to her?” I look into Red’s eyes and I see hope and life, but everything in me is telling me not to do this. “Okay! I will do it, but just this once.” I shove the note in my pocket and walk away. The smell of fire and wood hits me hard as I walk into the canteen room. To left there is a long line of Non Existents waiting to be served breakfast. I work in the mail room so I am forced to miss breakfast but, they give all of us in the mail room extra at dinner time. On the right side of the canteen room is where the Enforcers eat and we sit on the left side. Some Intros are mopping floors on the Enforcer’s side and handling their trash as well. I quickly scan the room looking for Chrome, my eyes fall upon the Enforcer that gave me the bruise on my face. His cold, long and hard stare sends shivers down my spine, I quickly turn and walk through the swinging doors and head to the dish room. I stop in the doorway of the dish room. “Hey Ione can you come over here? I have your work orders for the day.” I put my arm around Ione to guide her into the hallway. “I have a note from Red.” I pull the note from my pocket and hand it to her. Ione begins to read the note and tears stream down her face. I watch her a while as she reads the note and I can see why Red would risk it all to love her. Ione is not only smart and caring she is also physically beautiful. Ione has olive skin and her long, straight, jet-black hair covers her entire back. Her rich ebony almond-shaped eyes are beautiful and her lashes are long. Her full and plump lips are set in a permanent kiss shape. “I have something to confess to you, it has something to do with this note.” Ione said. “What?” I ask. “I am afraid.” she whispers. “You can tell me anything and you know it will stay with me, I will do whatever I can to help you.” I said. Ione lifts her apron to reveal a protruding belly, “I am pregnant.” “What!” I ask. “Sh!” Ione said. Ione places her hands on her belly, “They are going to kill you and Red if they find out.” I whisper. “I know what are we going to do?” Ione ask. I stand there shaking my head in disbelief, “I don’t know, give me some time to think!” I turn and leave the hallway, I am just about out of the canteen room when I am stopped. “What the heck took you so long back there?” Cambel ask. Cambel is a Non Existent who has worked his way up to a trustee position. He is a Non Existent Enforcer, or what we secretly call a traitor. Cambel is tall and has thick, wavy blond hair, hazel eyes, long nose and a sharp jawline. In fact, he is quite handsome, such a shame he is a traitor. “The work orders got mixed up.” I reply. Cambel leans in close to me, “You should be more careful, you know.” There is a hint of concern in his voice, which surprises me. Confused I continue on my way to my next stop. I turn to look at Cambel and to my surprise he is watching me walk away. My last stop of the day is outside where the Earth Movers work, this is where the most defiant, biggest and strong are stationed. As I get closer I can see Chrome and Brick working side by side. Brick is shirtless, digging holes and his arm muscles are gleaming in the sun and I notice he has a new tattoo. It’s the woods that help keep us in this camp, the tattoo starts under his armpit and runs down his rib cage and ends at his waist. I know Chrome helped him with this new tattoo, I am going to kill him. Enforcer screams, “Hey, Non! Bring the work orders!” The screaming brings me back from my daydream, I walk over and hand the Enforcer the work orders. “What took you so long?” he asks. He snatches the papers out of my hand, “Fill that water barrel back up and then go to lunch.” I began to fill the water barrel and I hear Brick yelling and I turn around to see Brick fighting with two Enforcers. Brick yelling, “What are you two doing?” Enforcer yelling, “You’re coming with us!” Brick swings and punches the Enforcer on the right and then turns swiftly and shoves the other Enforcer into the hole Chrome had been digging. Brick takes off running towards the woods, as more Enforcers chase after him. I turn and see Cambel join in the pursuit of Brick, Chrome sees Cambel as well and makes a beeline for him and tackles him. I hear a quiet voice inside that says run and I take off running after Brick, I need to make sure he is okay. Chrome yells, “No Lotus go inside, now!” I know Chrome is right, but I just can’t stop so I continue running and out of know where Chrome is holding me back. “No Lotus, he is going to be fine. They need his strength so they will not put him down, they only do that to the weak ones.” Chrome said. I can see Brick over Chrome’s shoulder he is being dragged off. “Okay, I will go inside.” I lie. I sneak off towards the direction they dragged Brick, I stop at the big boulder and hide behind it. I watch as two Enforcers take Brick further into the woods. I wonder where they are taking him and why. I walk into the canteen room, grab my lunch, and take a seat at the table with Red and Ione. “Hey, you look mess… what happen?” Ione ask. “Something went down outside, but I want to wait and tell you when Chrome gets here.” I said. “Where are Chrome and Brick anyway? They are late for lunch.” Red ask. “I will tell you when Chrome gets here.” I said. Geek sits at our table. “Hey, guys!” A few Intros walk in looking lost and I wave them to our table and invite them to sit. “Thanks for the invite.” an Intro said. “No problem, how was your first day of work? Ione ask. “Just as Chrome said it would be at the bonfire.” Intro said. “Speaking of Chrome,, ” I said. Chrome walks over to the table and sits, “I saw you Lotus, what did I say about going back inside. I don’t have time to be looking for two people, we need to find Brick.” “What do you mean we need to find Brick?” Red ask. “Brick got into it with two Enforcer outside and the dragged him off into the woods.” I said. “What does that mean? “ Ione ask. “It means they are no longer questioning him because they took him outside of the camp walls… so we need to find him and find him quick.” Chrome said. “I am totally in.” an Intro said. Surprisingly the first Intro to volunteer to help us is the Intro Brick popped in the face. “Thank you, what is your name? “ I ask. “0055…” he said. “No your name, name?” Geek ask. “I don’t have one.” the Intro said. “Punk, that’s what we will call you.” Chrome said. Chrome slaps Punk on the back. “I don’t know if I can handle this.” the other Intro said. Her voice cracks. “Then get up from the table!” Chrome said. The other Intro leaves our table and goes to walk away but Chrome grabs her by the arm. “Oh and if you tell anyone about what you heard at this table I will personally hunt you down and kill you.” “I will be everyone's ears on the inside.” Ione said. Red looks at Ione strangely, she was never one to turn down a rescue mission. “So what’s the plan?” Geek ask. “I think we should leave tomorrow when the lights are out.” I said. “That’s perfect, it will give us a whole day to plan.” Chrome said. “Tomorrow then.” Punk said. Chrome gets up from the table and walks out.