"What the hell?" I took a step closer to the mirror, staring at my reflection in disbelief. The person looking back was still me, but at the same time it wasn't. I had the same thick, dark, curly hair. The same hazel eyes. The same olive skin with a light dusting of freckles (ugh) scattered across the bridge of my nose. But my curls were now streaked with highlights. And not the subtle, golden-brown ones that sometimes appeared during the summer. No, these were an aggressive, dazzling blond that went from the roots of my hair all the way to the tips. It looked like I had spent a full day getting my hair done in some upscale salon. Never mind that I had never set foot in such a place since the day I was born. My eyes appeared somehow wider and more luminous. The colour brighter, my eyelashes darker up against them. And, when I looked closely, my pupils seemed to be slitted almost like a cat. I looked down at my body. My skinny arms-which had always refused to gain any definition no matter how hard I exercised-were lined with flat, wiry muscles. My bony shoulders were now curved and smooth. My scrawny legs were toned like a dancer. I reached down and lifted my shirt, revealing two subtle lines running vertically down my perfectly flat stomach, hinting at the rock-hard abs underneath. My whole body was rippling with strength. Like liquid steel.

Athena believes her world is perfect. Direct democracy means that everyone votes, on everything: from how their healthcare is funded to the colour of the clothes they wear. When an explosive encounter with the mysterious Dyo throws Athena's beliefs into turmoil, Athena is soon drawn into a society on the outskirts, where she discovers a darker side to the world she lives in. But there is danger in the truth and this new knowledge comes at a heavy price. Can Athena turn her back on everything she has ever believed in? And what will happen to her if she does? This story is a draft version of Democary is Dead, which I am currently posting on Wattpad weekly. If you would like to read the updated version, please find DiD on my profile!

Author's Note: A revised edition of the complete book is now avilable to purchase via Smashwords. The adventures of two children, Fred and Hannah, as they slip accidentally into another parallel universe, a new dimension in space and time, where they meet the mysterious Journeyman and his strange travelling companiions. The Golden Arch is the first book in the trilogy Tales of the Journeyman