The Sadian Chronicles: Book 2: From Mercury To Venus

Signs of Life: Part 4

That night she lay in her bed thinking about the predicament she had gotten herself into when the phone rang.

"Who is it?" she said into the phone.

"Mary, did I wake you?" It was a woman's voice, one she recognized.

"No, Carla, I was just thinking," she said to her foster mother. "I do a lot of that these days."

"Mary, are you alright?" Carla asked with concern in her voice. "Since you decided to go back to school, you seem different."

"Good or bad, Carla?" Marianna asked the question but got no response. "Not so long ago I was a different person, or should I say people, but don't worry. I'm doing fine now."

"Then how about coming home this weekend?" Carla asked her. Yet again someone else in her life was trying to make plans for her. The truth was she would have loved to come home for the weekend, not that she would ever admit that to Carla. "Ty and I both miss you."

"Oh," Marianna moaned, remembering her plans for the weekend. "I can't. I promise Cynthia I would go with her to this stupid camping trip."

"Sounds like fun," Carla said excitedly. "Have a good time."

"A good time?" Marianna fired at her. This just confirmed what she already knew. The world was conspiring against her. "Carla, I really don't want to go."

"Why not?" Carla asked. It was her mildly scolding tone which made Marianna roll her eyes. "Mary, you're a young woman now, and you should be having fun with your friends."

"Fun?" Marianna couldn't believe what she considered fun. "What does that word mean?"

"Why don't you find out this weekend?" Carla sounded more excited about this trip then she could ever be.

"Now, you're sounding like Cynthia," she said and let out of groan.

"Smart girl," Carla said, and she could tell the woman was smiling which made her what to gag. "Now, go and have a good time."

She doubted that would happen be she agreed and ended her conversation with Carla. For the first time since Cynthia mentioned the trip did Marianna start to look forward to it. She fell into sleep dreaming of the possibilities the future might bring her. All she could really think about was how she didn't want to go on this trip.

Thanks for reading the prologue of my new book. If you want to read the first book in the series, it's called Broken Candle and is posted right here on Wattpad.

Find out what happens at the camping trip in the next chapter. See you then!