SWAB (A Young Adult Dystopian Novel) (35 page)

Iva nodded as if that was what she had expected and walked back to the camp. Derrick let out a stiff breath. I didn’t like the strain between us. Yes, I had let myself develop feelings for him in the colony. I shouldn’t have. My heart was with Ray, and Ray was alive.
I had to hope that he’d see me for who I really was, in time.
But Derrick was suffering because of it. I loved Ray—but I needed Derrick.
Selfish. So, selfish.

“So no alliance, huh?” he asked in his deep, country accent.

I licked the juice running down my hand. Every drop of liquid was precious out here. I thought it through again. “I don’t see how it will help us for long.”

“What are you going to do?” he asked, looking at me with his deep navy eyes.

I set a piece of moist fruit into my mouth, feeling its sweet tanginess on my tongue. I looked beyond the tans and grays of the desert to the orange rising sun, as if I might find the answer there. Was there any place on this planet that could offer us safety?
Most swabs settled down in a valley or inside a mountain and set about establishing a colony for themselves. Then, they would fight one another for more resources, more power. Whoever was the biggest and baddest won.

Some of them were leaving for the Origin planet. No one was talking about it yet, but I could feel it every time I tapped into the connection: Scarb were heading home. And home was somewhere far away.

The roar of a jet overhead interrupted the morning’s quiet, probably from Suzette’s colony in Texas. Another example of un-tempered desire. More land, more scarb, more planets. Always more.

That’s what Sophia, the leader of the human settlement had accused us of. She was right. Senhora Maria was taking human children, hoping that turning them into scarb before they reached puberty would increase their chances of being bearers.”

Round, fearful children’s faces flashed into my thoughts. I imagined them locked up like caged animals.

All for power.

I was sick of it. I was part of it. A reflection I couldn’t scrub off.
I was a swab. Scarb had
fought for me, bled for me, died for me. I remembered Jack and Saki’s faces just before I left them in the colony to die. There was a guilt there I would never be able to shake.
Even now, these scarb were willing to wander in the desert, suffering hunger and thirst, because I told them to.

I’m not going to be like the other swab.
The jet left a streak of white in the blue sky, which quickly faded to nothing.

“I think we should go to Maria’s,” I said.

Derrick frowned and nearly spat out the prickly pear he had in his mouth. “You’re going to make an alliance with her?”

“No,” I said. “No way. She’s taking children and turning them into scarb. I’m going to stop her.”

Derrick’s eyebrows rose so high they disappeared under the rim of his hat. “How are you going to do that?”

“I have no idea,” I admitted. “Let’s go tell the others.”

He had to walk fast to keep up with me. The other scarb were up now, eagerly digging into the fruit Iva had brought them.

“We’re going after Maria’s colony,” I announced.

Silence cut through the camp. Nathan’s mouth hung open mid-bite. Ten seconds passed.

“I’m serious.” They were still stunned.

“Why?” Nathan finally asked. “I know you’re a little loco, sis, but that’s suicide. Maria’s colony is, like, the largest one in the world. There are less than fifty of us. Besides,” he frowned, still holding the fruit, “aren’t we trying to run away from her?”

I understood the odds. “She’s taking children, and we’re going to rescue them.”

Even Iva had shock on her face, but she understood me. I wasn’t backing down. “All right then,” she said resolutely. “To Maria’s.”

I handed her my bag of fruit. “Divide this up, and after everyone’s eaten we’re going back to the human settlement.”

“The settlement?” she repeated, more shock widening her big green eyes.

“We’re going to need all the help we can get,” I answered. “Maybe they’ll join us.”

We broke camp, leaving nothing but footprints in the desert sand. We traveled all day and didn’t stop until late that night. I was determined to get to the settlement before good sense made me change my mind.

“You’re really crazy,” Nathan told me repeatedly. “You know that right?” His assessment of my mental capacities became as common as the sand beneath us or the hot southern wind that constantly chapped our lips. If the others thought the same, though, they kept it to themselves.

We traveled all day without incident. Finally, the gray outline of the settlement buildings stood dark against the setting orange sun. The guards patrolling the rock wall surrounding the compound sounded the alarm as we approached.

I told my scarb to hang back while Iva, Derrick, and I went to the gate.

Using the connection, I found the minds of the four human guards on the wall and tapped into their consciousnesses. “I want to speak to Sophia,” I said.

One of the guards scampered off, and a few moments later, Sophia appeared on the wall. “You sure have some spunk. You’re wasting your time if you want to talk to Ray again.”

“I don’t want to speak to Ray.”
Though I wouldn’t object if he wanted to talk to me.
“I want to discuss an alliance with you.”

“Ha,” she huffed. “What do you have to offer, Cat? You have no colony, no weapons, and no resources. Plus, there’s a bounty on your head, Cat. You’re not bringing anything but danger.”

I ignored her fears and got right to it. “We’re going after Senhora Maria to free the children she’s taken. I’ll do it myself if I have to, but we could use your help.”

Half a minute passed, and the gates creaked open. Sophia came out, surrounded by her guard. “You really are the craziest swab I’ve ever heard of,” she said as she walked over to us, surveying me with her chocolate-brown eyes. “Why do you want to free them?”

“Because what she’s doing is wrong.” It was a simple enough reason to me. “You said you were going to do something about it. We can work together. What do you say?” I held my hand out to her.

She didn’t take it. “I believe you have good intentions, which is completely insane for me to even say. Scarbs only wanted more power. Except you. So this must either be a trick or you really mean what you say.”

I kept my hand outstretched. “You can trust me. But whether you help us or not, we’re going to Senhora Maria’s colony and saving those kids. If I can, I’ll bring them back here.”

She still didn’t take my hand. “Maria’s headquarters are in Sao Paulo, Brazil.” She looked back and forth between Iva, Derrick, and me. “That’s over five thousand miles from here. Do you plan to get there on foot?”

“That’s kind of where I was hoping you’d help us. We could use your trucks.” I kept my arm outstretched. “What do you say? Will you help us?”

She studied my hand then put hers in it and we shook. “Yes. It’s time our two species learned to work together. If you help us, we can get you more than a few trucks to get to Brazil.”

I looked at her quizzically.

“I can get you a jet.”

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Acknowledgements

I’d like to thank my Heavenly Father for blessing me and making the creation of this novel possible. Much gratitude to my husband, Ben and five wonderful children, especially my youngest, Naomi who was either in my belly, or nursing while I typed most of this book.

My heart is full of gratitude to my ever-supportive sister, Jasmine Hansen. You’re willing to read my books at their roughest and you still make me feel talented enough to keep going. Thank you for your encouragement. Thanks also to my parents, Dana and Linda Hansen, for being a great example and inspiration to me of going for your dreams. I appreciate all the support you’ve given to me all these years!

Many thanks to my editor, Josh Levitt, whose advice is appreciated and keen-eye is greatly needed! Thanks to my awesome beta readers: Marseille Stephenson, Cheryl Reardon, Lacy Stryker, Sammee Crawford, Chris West, Auburn Clark, Paul Pulsipher, Jessica Curry, Jen Phips, Jasmine Hansen, and Darla Wolf. You guys rock! Your support chases away the gremlins that live around my computer.

Thank you, reader. You give life to my dreams!

About the Author

Heather Choate was born in Littleton, Colorado. She now lives in a small town in Southern Colorado on a farm with her husband and five children. She chases chickens, declares war on the weeds in her garden and enjoys quietly people-watching. Most of her time is spent daydreaming of worlds and people that don’t actually exist but reflect the beauty and complicity of humanity. Writing is her escape from diaper changes and runny noses, but motherhood is the greatest journey and joy of her life.

See what’s coming next at www.heatherchoate.com