Hunted
written by Kayla L. Moune
After being given a strange locket that supposedly contains magic, thirteen year old Annie Colder and her friend Irwin set out on an miraculous adventure to find Annie’s family who have been kidnapped by a monster named the Consumer. Along the way, Annie meets some flower pixies, flies through the sky, almost drowns, and fights in a battle between the CODE and the A.T.P.E. Will Annie be able to save her family and friend before it's too late?
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
12
Reads
557
The Beginning
Chapter 1
@leanorapublishing
My father was the best father ever. He could bake cakes higher than me when I was four, he could scoop me and Peter both up at the same time, and he always to us out for ice cream after our soccer games, baseball games, or gymnastic meets. But best of all he was a great storyteller. He told us about every creature, everything imaginable and turn it into a story. My older brother, Peter, and I always clung to his words as he spoke.
After he was finished tell a story, Dad would scoop Peter and me up in his arms and twirl us around. But one day, he went to work and didn't come home. Mom said he died in a car crash but no one knows for sure. All we know is that a large black blotch with small flame red eyes was spotted near where he was last.
⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️
“I'll drop you guys off here,” said my mom, stopping the car to let us out in front of Linda’s Clothing Store. I hopped out of the car and waved as Mom went to go park the car.
My 18 year old brother, Peter, brushed past me and through the double doors. The door swung close in my face. I scowled at the doors but went into the store instead of pouting.
I couldn't find Peter but I figured he'd just gone over to the boys’ section. I stopped a passing saleswoman as she walked by with some caps.
“Um…do you know where the girl boots are?” I asked politely.
“Down the first aisle and to the left.” she said in a bored sort of way. I thanked her and rushed off to the shoe area.
After what seemed like a zillion years of looking, I finally found the black high tops I'd been looking for. Since school was just around the corner, Mom thought we should get some nice school clothing.
I picked out some cute shirts, shorts, skirts, and nail polish then dragged my treasures over to the checkout line. The checkout girl raised a pierced eyebrow at me when I plopped all the clothing on the counter. I shrugged at her.
“Your total is twenty four dollars and seventy five cents.” said the girl. I slapped twenty five bucks in her hand and grabbed my new clothing which the girl had kindly put in a bag.
“You can keep the change!” I called over my shoulder. The girl gave me a weird look but put the coins in the money register and carried onto the next person.
Peter slumped against the wall next to the checkout area. He was wearing a new hat with a red brim and stripes. His bag was smaller than my two bags but I didn't care.
“I was right,” Peter muttered.
“About what?” I asked, genuinely confused.
“Girls do buy more than boys. Maybe that's why you don't have that much money.” Peter grinned at me, showing off his blue braces.
I gritted my teeth and dropped my shopping bags. Peter chuckled.
“You wanna go?” I whispered in what I hoped was a deadly whisper.
Peter snickered and made the, ‘Bring it on’ sigh. I rushed at him but he grabbed me and started fizzing up my hair.
“Peter!” I squealed, trying desperately to get out of his strong grip, “You're going to mess up my hair for the sleepover I'm having with Milly!”
“Sorry Your Royal Highness!” said Peter releasing me.
I retied my ponytail and scowled at him. He scowled back.
“Alright kids, you ready?” Mom came over to us with her shopping bags. I nodded. Peter just walked out the door.
“Nice boots,” said Mom as we walked to the car. I smiled at her.
We hopped into the car and headed home. I had to get ready for my sleepover!
⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️
“Movie: Check. Flashlights: Check. Soda: Check. And nail polish: Check! Alright, I've got everything!” I checked off the last checkbox and placed my blue clipboard on my desk.
As I poured the last bit of noodles onto my plate, the doorbell rang. DONG DONG! I rushed to the door and opened it to reveal my best friend, Milly Johnson. Milly has a spiky, purple pixie cut and always wear cool clothing with edges. Today she was wearing a black coat with pink lining and neon leggings.
“Hey,” she said as she stepped into my house. I smiled at her. Even though we had the most differences in the world, she was like the sister I'd never had.
We first had dinner(buttered noodles) then did our nails. Mom had let me buy five small bags of whatever candy I wanted. I picked Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Lemon Drops, White Chocolate Hershey Bits, and (Milly’s favorite!) Jolly Ranchers. I had put them each in little glass bowls with different designs on each. We had a contest to see who could eat the most Sour Patch Kids until the bowl was empty. My mouth was not on fire but was all pinched up from the sourness.
Milly and I have been friends since fourth grade when Milly moved into The Mapletree Suburb. I live in The Brooklyn Suburb. I know the names sound dumb but I like them. They're very specific.
At 8:30, we laid out on our sleeping bags to watch the movie I'd picked out, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
“I'll go get the popcorn ready,” I said, standing up.
“What about the movie?” asked Milly, sitting up on her knees.
“I've watched it before,” I said with a smile, “Be right back!”
I walked up the steps to the kitchen. My brother stood there…eating our candy!
“Peter!” I squealed, “What are you doing? That's ours!”
“What?” said Peter as a Skittle fell to the floor. I folded my arms across my chest and frowned.
“Okay! Okay! I was hungry!” Peter held up his hands, defeated, “I'll make the popcorn, okay? Is that alright?”
I let my arms drop to my sides and I hugged him.
“Fine with me,” I said.
As I made my way down the stairs, I heard a knock on the door. I wonder who that could be, I thought.
Peter was making popcorn and Milly was downstairs so they both couldn’t hear the knocking.
I walked over to the door and opened it.
“Hello?” I called.
“Pssst!” whispered someone, “Hey over here!”
I looked around and spotted a person in a cloak crouching next to the door.
“Ahhhh!” I squealed, closing the door so only my eyes peeking out, “Who are you?”
“Please don’t be afraid,” said the person, lifting the hood of the cloak away from her face. It was a young woman with red, curly hair and bright green eyes, “I am Princess Talia. I need your help.”
She lifted a gold locket from around her neck and placed it in my hand.
“This locket is one of the most important things in the world. It holds the power of everything. Whatever you do, do not lose it.”
Princess Talia looked at me with her glittering green eyes as if waiting for a response.
“I-I-I, okay,” I stuttered, clutching the locket to my chest importantly.
“Thank you,” said the princess and she vanished.
I stood in the doorway for a little bit, gaping at the place where the strange princess had been. Then I tucked the locket in the folds of my night robe and went back downstairs.
“Alright, Milly!” I exclaimed, “Peter’s going to make the popcorn not me!”
Milly, for some reason, looked slightly startled when I came down the stairs but she immediately covered it up with a smile. We continued with the movie which she had paused to wait for me and Peter came down a little bit later with the popcorn. He'd even buttered it! Man, I've got the best brother ever!
After the movie, Milly told some ghost stories. She has some pretty good ones! Her violet eyes flashed with excitement as she spoke.
“Annie?” she asked after she was done with the last one, “What's the worst thing a friend could do to the other?”
I thought for a moment.
“Um…I guess betraying is bad,” I said, “Or lying or killing. But you wouldn't do that. Would you?”
Milly shook her head. She laid her head on her midnight blue pillow and shut her eyes. I put my head on my pillow and shut my eyes. When I opened them, Milly had turned her back on me. But that's totally normal. Right?
My father was the best father ever. He could bake cakes higher than me when I was four, he could scoop me and Peter both up at the same time, and he always to us out for ice cream after our soccer games, baseball games, or gymnastic meets. But best of all he was a great storyteller. He told us about every creature, everything imaginable and turn it into a story. My older brother, Peter, and I always clung to his words as he spoke.
After he was finished tell a story, Dad would scoop Peter and me up in his arms and twirl us around. But one day, he went to work and didn't come home. Mom said he died in a car crash but no one knows for sure. All we know is that a large black blotch with small flame red eyes was spotted near where he was last.
⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️
“I'll drop you guys off here,” said my mom, stopping the car to let us out in front of Linda’s Clothing Store. I hopped out of the car and waved as Mom went to go park the car.
My 18 year old brother, Peter, brushed past me and through the double doors. The door swung close in my face. I scowled at the doors but went into the store instead of pouting.
I couldn't find Peter but I figured he'd just gone over to the boys’ section. I stopped a passing saleswoman as she walked by with some caps.
“Um…do you know where the girl boots are?” I asked politely.
“Down the first aisle and to the left.” she said in a bored sort of way. I thanked her and rushed off to the shoe area.
After what seemed like a zillion years of looking, I finally found the black high tops I'd been looking for. Since school was just around the corner, Mom thought we should get some nice school clothing.
I picked out some cute shirts, shorts, skirts, and nail polish then dragged my treasures over to the checkout line. The checkout girl raised a pierced eyebrow at me when I plopped all the clothing on the counter. I shrugged at her.
“Your total is twenty four dollars and seventy five cents.” said the girl. I slapped twenty five bucks in her hand and grabbed my new clothing which the girl had kindly put in a bag.
“You can keep the change!” I called over my shoulder. The girl gave me a weird look but put the coins in the money register and carried onto the next person.
Peter slumped against the wall next to the checkout area. He was wearing a new hat with a red brim and stripes. His bag was smaller than my two bags but I didn't care.
“I was right,” Peter muttered.
“About what?” I asked, genuinely confused.
“Girls do buy more than boys. Maybe that's why you don't have that much money.” Peter grinned at me, showing off his blue braces.
I gritted my teeth and dropped my shopping bags. Peter chuckled.
“You wanna go?” I whispered in what I hoped was a deadly whisper.
Peter snickered and made the, ‘Bring it on’ sigh. I rushed at him but he grabbed me and started fizzing up my hair.
“Peter!” I squealed, trying desperately to get out of his strong grip, “You're going to mess up my hair for the sleepover I'm having with Milly!”
“Sorry Your Royal Highness!” said Peter releasing me.
I retied my ponytail and scowled at him. He scowled back.
“Alright kids, you ready?” Mom came over to us with her shopping bags. I nodded. Peter just walked out the door.
“Nice boots,” said Mom as we walked to the car. I smiled at her.
We hopped into the car and headed home. I had to get ready for my sleepover!
⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️▫️⬛️⬛️▫️⬛️
“Movie: Check. Flashlights: Check. Soda: Check. And nail polish: Check! Alright, I've got everything!” I checked off the last checkbox and placed my blue clipboard on my desk.
As I poured the last bit of noodles onto my plate, the doorbell rang. DONG DONG! I rushed to the door and opened it to reveal my best friend, Milly Johnson. Milly has a spiky, purple pixie cut and always wear cool clothing with edges. Today she was wearing a black coat with pink lining and neon leggings.
“Hey,” she said as she stepped into my house. I smiled at her. Even though we had the most differences in the world, she was like the sister I'd never had.
We first had dinner(buttered noodles) then did our nails. Mom had let me buy five small bags of whatever candy I wanted. I picked Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Lemon Drops, White Chocolate Hershey Bits, and (Milly’s favorite!) Jolly Ranchers. I had put them each in little glass bowls with different designs on each. We had a contest to see who could eat the most Sour Patch Kids until the bowl was empty. My mouth was not on fire but was all pinched up from the sourness.
Milly and I have been friends since fourth grade when Milly moved into The Mapletree Suburb. I live in The Brooklyn Suburb. I know the names sound dumb but I like them. They're very specific.
At 8:30, we laid out on our sleeping bags to watch the movie I'd picked out, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
“I'll go get the popcorn ready,” I said, standing up.
“What about the movie?” asked Milly, sitting up on her knees.
“I've watched it before,” I said with a smile, “Be right back!”
I walked up the steps to the kitchen. My brother stood there…eating our candy!
“Peter!” I squealed, “What are you doing? That's ours!”
“What?” said Peter as a Skittle fell to the floor. I folded my arms across my chest and frowned.
“Okay! Okay! I was hungry!” Peter held up his hands, defeated, “I'll make the popcorn, okay? Is that alright?”
I let my arms drop to my sides and I hugged him.
“Fine with me,” I said.
As I made my way down the stairs, I heard a knock on the door. I wonder who that could be, I thought.
Peter was making popcorn and Milly was downstairs so they both couldn’t hear the knocking.
I walked over to the door and opened it.
“Hello?” I called.
“Pssst!” whispered someone, “Hey over here!”
I looked around and spotted a person in a cloak crouching next to the door.
“Ahhhh!” I squealed, closing the door so only my eyes peeking out, “Who are you?”
“Please don’t be afraid,” said the person, lifting the hood of the cloak away from her face. It was a young woman with red, curly hair and bright green eyes, “I am Princess Talia. I need your help.”
She lifted a gold locket from around her neck and placed it in my hand.
“This locket is one of the most important things in the world. It holds the power of everything. Whatever you do, do not lose it.”
Princess Talia looked at me with her glittering green eyes as if waiting for a response.
“I-I-I, okay,” I stuttered, clutching the locket to my chest importantly.
“Thank you,” said the princess and she vanished.
I stood in the doorway for a little bit, gaping at the place where the strange princess had been. Then I tucked the locket in the folds of my night robe and went back downstairs.
“Alright, Milly!” I exclaimed, “Peter’s going to make the popcorn not me!”
Milly, for some reason, looked slightly startled when I came down the stairs but she immediately covered it up with a smile. We continued with the movie which she had paused to wait for me and Peter came down a little bit later with the popcorn. He'd even buttered it! Man, I've got the best brother ever!
After the movie, Milly told some ghost stories. She has some pretty good ones! Her violet eyes flashed with excitement as she spoke.
“Annie?” she asked after she was done with the last one, “What's the worst thing a friend could do to the other?”
I thought for a moment.
“Um…I guess betraying is bad,” I said, “Or lying or killing. But you wouldn't do that. Would you?”
Milly shook her head. She laid her head on her midnight blue pillow and shut her eyes. I put my head on my pillow and shut my eyes. When I opened them, Milly had turned her back on me. But that's totally normal. Right?
