Owen: A Through Glass Novella Read online

  “Everyone has already died. How can we survive.”

  “We need food, not leadership.”

  “Will you guys all shut up!” I roared, whirling on the group. They all shut up with the snap, eyes wide as they spun on me, my instruction manual himself smirking a bit. “Let me ask a question. Who is interested in helping build our community?” Everyone stared at me. “Come on, raise your hands. If you have no interest in leading and want to help with food, or security, or school, or anything like that.”

  Slowly, more than half raised their hands as a look of relief washed over their faces.

  “Okay great, go over there or something,” I waved my hand off to the side and directed my focus to the rest of them: all male, all old, and all smirking.

  “Okay, so there are,” I quickly counted, “eleven of you. Logically we need to do a vote, but my guess is we will need lots of different leaders. Army leaders, and main leaders, and people leaders…”

  “People leaders?” Mr. Instruction Manual said with a scoff, looking at the other candidates who clearly did not share his enthusiasm. “I don’t know what you are playing at, kid, but I think it’s time for the adults to take over--”

  “What?” Bridget interrupted, jumping on the chair she had been sitting on in an attempt to be seen. “Because you guys did so well the first time. Owen was the one who figured out light killed them, and they risked everything by posting it on a few boards that were still online, and then screaming into a walkie talkie for hours while he walked here. Then, when he finally got here, he got everyone moving on securing the doors, and building a radio so more people can find us, and turning the lights back on--”

  I gave her a look, I think I might be the only other person besides her and Carl who knew she was the one to get the lights back on, but she didn’t seem so keen on that getting out.

  I might just let it spill if this kept going the way it was going.

  “So, after he saved your asses, did all the work, and started to make this place safe you guys are just going to ‘take over’?” Carl piped up, jumping to his feet, although he didn’t need to stand on his chair like Bridget did.

  “You guys are kids,” one of the other leaders said, joining in on the laughter. “You can’t lead.”

  “So far we are the only ones who have,” I shrugged. “But no worries, let’s put it to a vote.”

  I stepped towards my friends, leaving the eleven old men to stand before the group and give their one line about how they would lead. How they would try to keep us safe.

  “Fight the Ulama.”

  “Make large lights”

  “Find a way to build weapons.”

  “Find more survivors to strengthen our numbers.”

  And on and on it went until all eleven had gone silent, and all of the scared, mourning, hungry people turned to me. Gaunt eyes staring into me as they waited for my answer, a twist of agony and ice winding over my shoulders, straightening them as I looked from person to person.

  Hopeful face to hopeful face.

  “I’ve already told you,” I sighed, throwing a bit of paper into the fire. “We have to fight. But we can’t just blaze through the doors. We need food and security. This place offers both. But we need to be organized…”

  “He’s not even old enough for his balls to have dropped,” Mr. Instructions snapped, jumping onto the edge of the fountain and sending a mostly full can of corn into the vile water.

  “It’s time to vote.”

  “Fine!” June said, holding her child to her. “I never thought I’d say this, but I trust Owen. I trust us all.”

  Everyone agreed. Carl just laughed.

  “See, I told you you’d be king.”

  The Story of Through Glass doesn’t end there.

  In fact, it’s just beginning.

  It’s twisted, and haunting, and DARK. Join Lex in her journey through the dark and find out what happened to Owen, and Bridget and the rest of them.

  Snag Book One Now!

  About the Author

  Rebecca Ethington is an internationally bestselling author with almost 700,000 books sold. Her breakout debut, The Imdalind Series, has been featured on bestseller lists since its debut in 2012, reaching thousands of adoring fans worldwide and cited as “Interesting and Intense” by USA Today’s Happily Ever After Blog.

  From writing horror to romance and creating every sort of magical creature in between, Rebecca’s imagination weaves vibrant worlds that transport readers into the pages of her books. Her writing has been described as fresh, original, and groundbreaking, with stories that bend genres and create fantastical worlds.

  Born and raised under the lights of a stage, Rebecca has written stories by the ghost light, told them in whispers in dark corridors, and never stopped creating within the pages of a notebook.

  Find me online

  www.rebeccaethington.com

  [email protected]

  Also by Rebecca Ethington

  THE WORLD OF IMDALIND

  The Imdalind Series

  Kiss of Fire, Imdalind #1

  Eyes of Ember, Imdalind #2

  Scorched Treachery, Imdalind #3

  Soul of Flame, Imdalind #4

  Burnt Devotion, Imdalind #5

  Brand of Betrayal, Imdalind #6

  Dawn of Ash, Imdalind #7

  Crown of Cinders, Imdalind #8

  Ilyan, Imdalind #9

  The King of Imdalind Series

  Spark of Vengeance, Book 1

  Flare of Villainy, Book 2 (Coming 2019)

  Books 3-4 TBA

  Imdalind Academy

  The Gauntlet, Book One

  Rogue Royalty, Book Two

  Broken Renegade, Book Three

  Reluctant Seer, Book Four

  TBA, Book Five

  THE CIRCUS OF SHIFTERS

  The Phoenix’s Ashes Series

  Rise of the Witch, Book One

  Fall of the Dragon, Book Two

  Flight of the King, Book Three

  Flame of the Phoenix, Book Four

  Death of the Demon, Book Five

  THE OTHER WORLDS

  The Through Glass Series

  Book One: The Dark

  Book Two: The Blue

  Book Three: The Rose

  Book Four: The Cut

  Book Five: The Light (Coming 2019)

  Book Six: The Ascended (Coming 2019)

  Of River and Raynn, The Series

  The Catalyst: Act One (Rereleases 2019)

  The Requisite: Act Two (Coming Soon)

  THE PARTY IS HERE