Big Ben (Civil War)
Chapter 18
Ben
The truck was on fire. Amy was blacked out in the driver’s seat. Jason was already out of the truck and firing upon the other car. Mike was trying to get Amy out of the truck and behind some cover. I was soaring through the air. Large black wings like those of a dragon coming through my back.
I could feel scales growing on me. I was shifting into something. I had been genetically modified by the scientists at the prison.
Swooping down at the enemy car I tore at the roof with my claws. Pulling the roof back like the lid of a can of sardines I opened my mouth and shot fire into the interior of the car. I launched myself into the air again as the car exploded.
Pieces of shrapnel flew everywhere. A few pieces imbedded themselves into my tail. The rest went flying into the forest, hitting into trees or killing any unfortunate animal that happened to be in the area.
A scream split the air, turning I listened for another. I tried to discern the direction it had come in. Then, blood, lots of it. The smell hit the air and beckoned me to follow.
The scent brought me around the cars. Through some bushes on the side of the road and behind a large tree. The source was Amy who had been hit by the shrapnel and now needed serious medical attention. Neither Mike nor Amy had noticed me yet.
Deliberately I snapped a twig a few feet from them then sat. Both reacted by snapping their heads in my direction. “What was that?” Mike asked.
“I can’t see anything,” replied Amy.
“I’m right here. Come on you guys, can’t you see me?” I said. A look of confusion crossed both of their faces.
“Where are you Ben? I can’t see you,” Amy said.
“Alright I’m coming forward a little,” I said. Stepping forward slightly I brought my head down to face level with Mike and Amy. “Here I am,” I said with a grin, well less of a grin than me baring my teeth.
“Jesus Christ! What the hell are you doing?” Mike asked, seemingly unfazed by my being a dragon.
“Bruh, do you not see me?” I asked with a twitch of my wings and thump of my tail. I held out my claws to Mike and Amy, hoping they would realize what I was.
“Holy, hell. You’re a dr-dra-dr-dragon!” Amy screamed.
“Shhh! Not so loud! We don’t need the entire world to here about this. Got that?” I said.
“Yeah, we got that,” Mike said. Looking to Amy, I gave her as much of a questioning look as I could.
“Alright, fine. I just can’t believe that you’re a dragon. Why didn’t you tell us?” Amy asked.
“I’ve been feeling strange for the past couple of days. Last night, when we were attacked, I saw the woman that exploded. She said that my mom was still alive and being held captive. She also said that I would find the power I seek in Anchorage.”
“What would that mean?” Mike asked. “I mean, ‘the power you seek’ can mean anything.”
“I think the woman was sending me a message. Maybe the power I seek is being a dragon. Maybe its finding my mom. Maybe it’s getting rescued and taken back home,” I replied.
“Have you ever wanted to be a dragon?” Mike asked.
“Well, I did when I was a kid,” I replied.
“Then, there you go. That’s the power you seek,” Mike concluded. This statement gave me pause because Mike was never one to jump to conclusions let alone about something so big. Mike was always rational and logical, looking for a way to make his decisions on logic not emotion.
“Okay... how do you know that?” I asked carefully. I was treading on thin ice right now and we both knew it. There was something that Mike was hiding.
“I just … know,” Mike replies hesitantly. I can see from his face that he is indeed hiding something but won’t tell me without some motivation.
“What do you want Mike? I know you won’t tell me anything unless you get something out of it. So tell me, what do you want?” I watch his face shift into an expression of thought.
“You have to take me to a place.”
“What place?”
“It is in Mexico,” Mike replies.
“I need more than that,” I say.
“What more could you ever need?”
“I need more information. Where is this place? What city or town? What address?” I ask. “I can’t just walk into something without sending scouts. You know I’m not that dumb.”
“Alright fine. The address is one this paper,” says Mike as he hands me a small slip of paper.
“I’ll look into it when I can. But first you must tell me what you are hiding,” I say.
“I used to work for the US government. I was the Senior Military advisor to President Solomon.”
“You were the president’s right hand man?!” I yell. I take a step toward Mike, ready to rip him apart.
“Stop! I know what you want. I know what that woman said before she died. I know you saw her earlier,” Mike said frantically.
My eyes grow wide. “How? Was it part of her . . . implant?”
“Yes, all implants are controlled by the president personally and are programmed to keep the soul of the wearers present even after they die,” Mike said.
“What in the Hell??” I say. “Let me guess, the US government has the technology to travel from one end of the universe to the other in a few hours or something.”
“Actually, yes. I personally oversaw the project and the government currently has seven star systems under it’s control.”
“You have got to be kidding me. So, this war that I’m fighting is going to be in space too?”
“Yes. Eventually the US government will get bored of you and will call on it’s space fleet to blow off the face of the Earth. That place I want you to take me to? It has the blueprints and scientists of the project. They went into hiding after the government tried to kill them,” Mike said.
“UGH! So, 1.) I am a dragon which means there is probably a natural species of dragon. 2.) I need to build a space fleet and conquer entire star systems or make treaties with whatever species that I encounter. 3.) I need to rescue my mom. 4.) I need to deal with the war here. And finally, 5.) I have to figure out the implant situation,” I say.
“I can help with that,” Mike replies.
“What in the actual fuck?? So you’re telling me that I need to shoot my ass out into outer space and shoot a bunch of Star Trek geeks?”
“Well that’s one way to put it. We should get back to your army first. That way we have the resources to plan an operation to save your mom and retrieve the space fleet researchers and blueprints.”
“Okay, Mike. Just tell me one thing. Am I high?” I ask.
“Nah, man. I know it’s hard to believe but it is true. You need to advance the technology you use if you want a chance at saving your mom and winning this war,” Mike says dryly.
“So you’re telling me that I need to trust someone who I barely know to help me win my war?”
“There is nothing to be done about it but you do need to trust me,” Mike says. “I know it sounds stupid but I know someone who can help us with your dragon situation.”
“Who?”
“Someone I like to call Anubis the Elder.”
Chapter 19
Anubis
The flash of scarlet scales in the arid desert landscape catches the eye of Anubis. The hot desert sun beats down on Anubis’ human form. Finally, Inferno is here.
The shape of a dragon finally wings out of the shadows of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It would have been impossible for any humans to survive out in the Death Valley desert, but the heat perfectly suited the dragons. “Anubis! How long you been out here?” Inferno called interrupting Anubis’ thoughts.
“I been here for a few days. What the hell took you so long anyway? You were supposed to be here a day ago.”
“Yeah, yeah. Shut your mouth and listen up. We got a problem up in Alaska. Our little friend Mike has escaped and says he needs help. Something about a human being genetically modified into a dragon.”
“Who is this human?”
“You won’t believe it. You know that New Roman Republic? Their leader was captured a few weeks ago. He escaped with Mike and is the human who got modified. Also Mike said something about having to steal that stupid spaceship research from the government.”
“Soo... we need to go into space or something?”
“Yeah, welcome to the 21stcentury where wars need to be waged in space with the help of dragons.”
“Yayyy! In all of my three thousand years I never thought I would be working with a genetically modified human-dragon thingy to wage a war in space,” Anubis says sarcastically.
“Yep! So off to Alaska we go!” Inferno beams. Hopping into the sky, she beckons for Anubis to follow her.
Anubis feels his human form falling away and feels a ripple of heat in the air as his hulking form takes to the sky. Off to Alaska, Anubis thinks wryly.
Title: Big Ben (Civil War)
Genre: Fantasy Romance/War Romance/Sci-Fi
Age Range: 13-21 (Teen/Young Adult)
Word Count: 1603 (sample) and 16046 (total)
Author Name: Hunter Black (pen name)
My project is a good fit because it caters to many different genres while also providing characters that readers can connect to. The plot is invigorating and is constantly providing new twists and turns in the story.
Hook: "The sunset is a beautiful thing that many people take for granted. The soft touches of orange and red mixed with the bold combinations of pink and purple. Many people wish they could see this before they died."
Synopsis:
Big Ben and his friends are tired of watching their country be torn apart. They are tired of being told that corruption in government is normal. They are trained and ready. They have the means to make a difference. So, why not try to make a difference? Ben takes you on an action packed journey through rugged forests and dazzling cities. His troubled past mixed with his uncertain future are sure to give readers the ride of their lives.
Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults interested in Fantasy, War, Romance, and Science Fiction
Bio: I am an aspiring author who currently has two unfinished novels, one unfinished memoir, and one finished novel manuscript. I often take inspiration from smaller things then I let my imagination twist this inspiration into a story.
I currently do not have a platform as I am an unpublished author.
I am a high-school student who is currently attending classes at a local community college in supplementation of my high-school courses.
I have a quirky writing style and often veer from a set course. I tend to have a strict plan for my works but by the time I get through a few chapters, new ideas and pathways form and I often merge them into an amazing story.
I enjoy reading and writing. I also enjoy going for runs in the morning and playing with my dog. The only hobby I have at the moment is writing.
My hometown is Fairfax, Virginia but I know nothing of my time there as I was only a baby.
I would not like to disclose my age as of this moment.
Thank you for your consideration,
Hunter Black