Apex Predator

Chapter One

Chapter One

Alaina

The ground rushes towards my face. I'd been waiting to do this all week. It continues to approach me and shows no signs of stopping—threatening her death—but I'm not afraid. A fraction of a second—just inches—before I hit the ground I stop. The large elastic chord pulls me back up towards the bridge. I land on my feet next to my best friend—Sy. Sy isn't emancipated like me; his parents had abandoned him entirely. They just weren't there when he went home one day. Now we are both living in his house with our other friends and take care of each other.

It is strange that they'd left him. There is nothing wrong with Sy. He isn't a delinquent and he isn't handicapped in any way. He is actually quite handsome. He has smooth black hair—similar to the color of my long, straight hair—cut just above his eyebrows and bright green eyes. Whenever he looks at me with those eyes my very soul feels violated. He is tall—at least six-foot-five—and muscular. His jaw is square and he has perfectly even, peach-colored skin. Yes, he is quite a beautiful boy.

"That was awesome!" Cindy squeals. Her hazel eyes fill with excitement. She couldn't wait for her turn. I unhook the cord from my ankles and hand it to Cindy who equips it hurriedly.

"You're all a little young to be doing this alone," the instructor say. He tousles his golden blonde hair. "Have your parents consented?"

"You tell me," Cindy chimes. "We don't have any." The instructor retreats. She lets out a battle cry and leaps off the bridge. I can't help but to smile. She is small yet the tallest of us girls just reaching five-foot-five. I am only five-three and the shortest. Cindy is slender with short, pixie-cut brown hair and so energetic and full of life despite the fact that her life is full of death. The only one of her family members that is still living was a very old and very ill great grandfather that she'd never met. Every one of my friends has lost someone close. We use each other to fill the voids.

"What are our plans for the rest of the weekend?" Karla asks and twirls her curly, burgundy hair. Her brown eyes peak out from under the long bangs cut straight across her forehead. She is an inch taller than me and just as thin. She has a pointed jaw and hollow cheek bones covered with tan skin.

"We wing it." Quinn answers before I can. His gorgeous grey-green eyes glow. His auburn hair sweeps across his forehead and ears and is complimented perfectly by his tan skin. He is just an inch shorter Sy with an oval-shaped face and strong jaw-line. He is flat-muscled and thin but much stronger than he appeared. Besides me, he is among the most spontaneous of us. Zayx looks the most out-of-place among us. He has platinum blond hair and dark blue eyes. His face shape is more that of an inverted triangle. His skin is pale and he is the shortest of the three boys at five-foot-ten. He is compact and although he doesn't look it, he can beat Sy in a fight within two minutes.

When Cindy returns to the bridge her hair is a mess and her eyes are wild.

"That was so great!" she squeals and high-fives each of them.

"What to do now?" I ask. We begin to walk off the bridge. Sy looks at his old, beat-up watch.

"It's about lunchtime," he say. "Let's head downtown, grab something to eat, and then head to the park."

"Better than staying at home," Karla sighs. She jumps down the one stair that leads up to the bridge.

"We'll rent some four-wheelers and go into the dunes after that." I add.

"Now you're talking!" Quinn claps his hands once and points at me swiftly. He nearly falls over the elusive concrete stair.

"It's better in the rain," Zayx says and looks up at the sky. "The sand will be flying everywhere."