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Authors: Cheryl Rainfield
Tags: Science-Fiction, Juvenile Fiction
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stories only started a few months ago. Around the time the troopers started targeting you more. I didn’t want to scare you.”
“You think” —I swallow, mouth dry— “you think he’s after me?”
“I think he’s after all Paras. But it makes sense he’d go after a powerful one.”
“But nobody knows that I’m the Teen Para blogger. . . .”
“Some of the Underground Normals do. I know they’ve all been vetted, but—this guy is killing Paras in hiding. He’s finding them faster than the ParaTroopers are. Maybe that’s 72
HUNTED
why it hasn’t been on the news—they don’t want anyone to know that they’re not in complete control.” I lean back against my seat. I knew there was anti-Para sentiment. You can’t be a Para and not know that. And I knew some Normals hated us. But this? This is more than hate. This is sick. Sick and scary.
“They’re starting to call him the Para-Reaper. So for god’s sake, Caitlyn—be careful. These Normals—they’re not worth your life.”
But I’m not doing it for the Normals. I’m doing it for us all .
I disconnect, feeling shivery and cold. And that’s when it hits me—John hid this from me.
Paras aren’t supposed to be able to hide from each other. When we connect, we connect fully—mind-to-mind and soul-to-soul. We don’t keep secrets, because we can’t.
I rub my chin. But John did. Somehow, he kept something from me that he was worrying about.
If John can hide things from me, what else is he hiding?
I shake my head, trying to halt the thoughts, but they won’t stop. Maybe I don’t know John so well as I thought I did.
I sit up straighter and focus on Mr. Borris droning on about some ancient war. It’s hard to care about it when I’m afraid another war will happen right now, in my own life-time. I just hope it won’t turn into another Cleansing.
When the class ends, I gather up my books and backpack, then shuffle to the door with the rest of the crowd.
73
Cheryl Rainfield
Becca’s standing in the hall, arms crossed over her chest, looking at me through squinty eyes. Her blond hair looks as fake as her smile. Her posse stands around her, all of them with attitude.
I start down the hall away from them. I can’t deal with this right now.
“Hey, new girl!” Becca yells in a voice that reverberates through the hall.
I stop and turn around slowly, my throat tight like it’s been drawn together with string. I smile at her like I don’t remember how rude she’s been.
Becca sneers at me. Others crowd around us, sensing a fight.
“You come to town and all of a sudden Normals are being attacked?” Becca says. “I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
I force myself to breathe slowly. Becca can’t prove I’m a Para. But suspicion and spite are enough to cause trouble. Just one call will bring an investigative team to check me out.
“What Para would be stupid enough to move here?” I ask, trying to sound like I think she’s joking. “You guys have the best Para-catching rate in the country! Why do you think I came here?”
Okay, that’s laying it on a bit thick, but it seems to sat-isfy some of the others. I can feel them backing off. Everyone but Becca.
…Snot-faced pie-hole! I want Alex; I’ve wanted him for years. He never looks at me, never even gives me the time of day, and now this—this trash comes and snares his 74
HUNTED
attention, just like that? She has to have some hold over him. I can cause trouble for her, keep her out of Alex’s sight… “Yeah, well, anyone could say that,” Becca sneers.
“But only people who haven’t looked at their own crap try to take it out on someone else,” I say.
Becca’s anger flares to hatred and I take a step back, my mind slowing down, fear taking over as Becca’s spite nips at me. I don’t know how to diffuse this.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
I feel his deep calmness, the mind-noise around me lessening, even before I see him. I want to smile at Alex,
“You think” —I swallow, mouth dry— “you think he’s after me?”
“I think he’s after all Paras. But it makes sense he’d go after a powerful one.”
“But nobody knows that I’m the Teen Para blogger. . . .”
“Some of the Underground Normals do. I know they’ve all been vetted, but—this guy is killing Paras in hiding. He’s finding them faster than the ParaTroopers are. Maybe that’s 72
HUNTED
why it hasn’t been on the news—they don’t want anyone to know that they’re not in complete control.” I lean back against my seat. I knew there was anti-Para sentiment. You can’t be a Para and not know that. And I knew some Normals hated us. But this? This is more than hate. This is sick. Sick and scary.
“They’re starting to call him the Para-Reaper. So for god’s sake, Caitlyn—be careful. These Normals—they’re not worth your life.”
But I’m not doing it for the Normals. I’m doing it for us all .
I disconnect, feeling shivery and cold. And that’s when it hits me—John hid this from me.
Paras aren’t supposed to be able to hide from each other. When we connect, we connect fully—mind-to-mind and soul-to-soul. We don’t keep secrets, because we can’t.
I rub my chin. But John did. Somehow, he kept something from me that he was worrying about.
If John can hide things from me, what else is he hiding?
I shake my head, trying to halt the thoughts, but they won’t stop. Maybe I don’t know John so well as I thought I did.
I sit up straighter and focus on Mr. Borris droning on about some ancient war. It’s hard to care about it when I’m afraid another war will happen right now, in my own life-time. I just hope it won’t turn into another Cleansing.
When the class ends, I gather up my books and backpack, then shuffle to the door with the rest of the crowd.
73
Cheryl Rainfield
Becca’s standing in the hall, arms crossed over her chest, looking at me through squinty eyes. Her blond hair looks as fake as her smile. Her posse stands around her, all of them with attitude.
I start down the hall away from them. I can’t deal with this right now.
“Hey, new girl!” Becca yells in a voice that reverberates through the hall.
I stop and turn around slowly, my throat tight like it’s been drawn together with string. I smile at her like I don’t remember how rude she’s been.
Becca sneers at me. Others crowd around us, sensing a fight.
“You come to town and all of a sudden Normals are being attacked?” Becca says. “I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
I force myself to breathe slowly. Becca can’t prove I’m a Para. But suspicion and spite are enough to cause trouble. Just one call will bring an investigative team to check me out.
“What Para would be stupid enough to move here?” I ask, trying to sound like I think she’s joking. “You guys have the best Para-catching rate in the country! Why do you think I came here?”
Okay, that’s laying it on a bit thick, but it seems to sat-isfy some of the others. I can feel them backing off. Everyone but Becca.
…Snot-faced pie-hole! I want Alex; I’ve wanted him for years. He never looks at me, never even gives me the time of day, and now this—this trash comes and snares his 74
HUNTED
attention, just like that? She has to have some hold over him. I can cause trouble for her, keep her out of Alex’s sight… “Yeah, well, anyone could say that,” Becca sneers.
“But only people who haven’t looked at their own crap try to take it out on someone else,” I say.
Becca’s anger flares to hatred and I take a step back, my mind slowing down, fear taking over as Becca’s spite nips at me. I don’t know how to diffuse this.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
I feel his deep calmness, the mind-noise around me lessening, even before I see him. I want to smile at Alex,
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