Shadows {Book one in the Coriana Johnson series}

History Lesson

     "Why would anyone want to live here?" I asked as I surveyed our surroundings.  "I mean, sure, it's isolated, but if I wanted to be isolated I would live in a forest or something, where there's actually more colors that brown and yellow."

   Lincoln shrugged.

"No idea. I guess he just thought it would be the best place," he said.

    We continued to walk until we came to a crude wood sign on a barbed wire fence which read "No Trespassing: Violators will be shot."

   "He sounds like such a fun guy," I remarked drily.

   "I hope you know how to deal with this guy, because I'm thinking... crazy town was a pretty spot-on assessment," Daisy said .

     "We'll be okay, but we shouldn't use our powers. He's cranky enough as it is," Lincoln said.

   We passed several other signs along the same lines, and then came to a gate.

    We pushed it open and stepped inside.

     As we stepped inside, a man holding a rifle came out of his house, which looked like a shack.

      "Fair warning, pretty boy. You take one more step... you're gonna regret it," He said in an Australian accent.

    "James, we only want to talk," Lincoln said.

   Daisy took another step forwards, but suddenly she stopped. I looked down and realized she had stepped on something.

   "What is that?" Daisy said, looking at Lincoln.

   "Don't move," he said, looking at what her foot was on.

       "Wha-" She began.

  "You're standing on a landmine," Lincoln said.

    "I did say, 'one more step,'"  James remarked casually.

   I looked up and glared at him.

   I suddenly felt immense anger. It was like a protective instinct. Because of this man, my sister could get hurt, thus I hated him. I couldn't help it.

      "Seriously? What kind of lunatic puts land mines in their front yard?" Daisy exclaimed.

    "A lunatic like him," I growled.

   "James! We're not here to fight," Lincoln shouted

  "Oh, that's rich, coming from you. I've been waiting a long time for this day, for Jiaying to send out one of her little lapdogs to come after me. To be honest, I thought it'd be that no-eyed boot licker, Gordon. Kind of shocked that she trusted you with anything, really," James spat back.

   "Wow. You really undersold Mr. Personality," Daisy said.

   "Can you hold it down?" Lincoln asked her.

   "Or I'll blow off my leg," she replied.

      I glared at James again.

    I looked down as Daisy used her powers to hold the land mine down.

   I held my breath as we backed up.

  When we were a safe distance away, Daisy stopped holding it down, and it exploded, knocking us back.

    I hit the ground and winced as pain shot up my broken arm. 

  I sat up and looked over at Daisy and Lincoln, seeing if they were OK.