1st 5 Pages April Workshop- Lott

Name: Courtney Lott

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Title: Guard of the Ungifted: The Flight of Connor Gray

First Five Pages

Connor Ellis squinted at the Law of Nations inscribed in golden letters over the red brick entrance of Hunter High.

...No Gift shall be elevated above the rest…

Nice sentiment. In theory. But in practice?

Wind rippled the green National flag in front of the words. Connor flipped up his jacket collar against the cold, adjusted his glasses, and scanned the crowd of kids shuffling toward the school entrance. A few feet ahead, a senior, Max Anderson, shoved a smaller student to the ground. So much for Guardians protecting the Ungifted.

“Watch where you’re going, junk-genes.”

Connor flinched at the hissed phrase and stopped short. At his last school in California, he’d blown his cover by Telekinetically shoving a bully across the soccer field after she’d kicked an Ungifted water girl. By sheer luck no SAT phones snapped the video of the incident. No doubt a video showing a Guardian using a gift he shouldn’t have would have gone viral in about 8 seconds.

With a slow breath, Connor glared at the bully as he jerked the kid up by his collar. The tips of his shoes swung inches from the concrete. Every muscle in Connor’s arms shook, vibrating the concrete beneath him. Another breath and the Telekinetic tremors ebbed.

Don’t call attention to yourself. Connor clenched both hands in his jacket pockets and scanned the crowd near the front of the school. Most teachers and APs stood close to the entrance, ushering students inside or directing air traffic into the parking lot, unable to see the trouble brewing.

Don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve almost made it an entire month under the radar…Again, he glanced to the front of the school. Come on, somebody look over here. Look over here...Connor’s hands itched but he forced himself to walk around Max and his victim. Don’t do anything. It’s too risky. There are too many people around. If you’re not careful you’re going to expose yourself again.

Max shook the Ungifted kid and Connor stopped. “Come on man, leave him alone.”

Green eyes narrowed in his direction. “Excuse me?”

A group of other Gifted students hovered around Max. Some wore aviator goggles over windswept hair; others tossed baseball-sized fireballs between their hands.

“Doesn’t prove much that you can pick on a kid half your size. Just back off. You’re a Guardian, you’re supposed to be protecting people.”

“What, you’re the Guardian police or something?”

“Good one, Max,” a scrawny Pyrotech said.

Connor rolled his eyes. Original. “Just let him get to class, man.”

Red flushed across the face of the boy who still hung in the air. Max sneered. “Just reminding him of the pecking order. Guardians at the top, Junk Genes on bottom, even lower than Animal Shifters.” Jerking the Ungifted boy by the shirt collar along with him, the bully took a step toward Connor. “Lower even than the Commissioner, here. Sure Ellis is a Guardian, but he lives with Mercy parents. Only junk-genes and mercy kids have to see the counselor once a month. How are those group meetings with all the other loser mercy kids? Cry about how much your real parents didn’t want you?”

“You’re going there? Seriously?” Gentle tremors shook the sidewalk. Connor forced out a slow breath. Keep it together. Stay calm. He’s not worth another retreat.

Max laughed, but didn’t seem to notice the shake. “Seriously. Now mind your own business, mercy kid.”

Connor burst forward. The heel of one hand connected with the bully’s face. The crack of Max’s jaw bounced off the walls of the school and his victim dropped. As the Guardian stumbled backward and let out a strangled grunt, the Ungifted kid fled. Connor focused on Max, hands open, palms up to guard his face.  

The bully regained his balance and glared at Connor. One hand curled into a fist. When he swung, Connor ducked and threw out a hand to block him. The back of Max’s fist slid along his palm and off to one side. Max drove punches forward: right, left, right, left, duck. He moved slower than he should, giving away every move with each rotation of his shoulders or flinch of muscle. Connor blocked his attacks with a simple 360 defense. Sweat formed on Max’s red face and he charged like a bull.

Connor caught his wrist and twisted until he’d pinned it behind the bully’s back. In one continuous motion, he spun Max so he now faced his friends, a shield against attack. They glared, but didn’t try to rescue their leader. Connor kept his voice low, “You done?”

Max jerked and arched his back, but even his Guardian strength couldn’t break Connor’s hold. “Get off me.”

Connor tightened his grip and asked again, this time more slowly, “Are. You. Done?”

The bully strained; then growled. “I’m done.”

Connor released Max’s wrists and took a step back, hands open in front of his face, ready for retaliation. Like injured, frightened animals, embarrassed bullies were always more likely to snap than retreat. The muscles in Max’s back expanded and contracted as tension wound through both arms all the way to clenched fists. No one from his group moved; their smiles had melted into tight-lipped glares. Any second they might launch a ball of fire or telekinetically propelled object in his direction. While using gifts outside of the classroom wasn’t forbidden, there were, of course, rules. A Pyrotech setting one of their classmates on fire, for instance, was highly frowned upon.

In a flinch of muscle, Max wheeled around, one fist pulled back for a blow. He froze mid-swing. Quickly, he let his hand drop. Tension continued to tighten his jaw, but he managed to work up the semblance of a smile. Before Connor had the chance to wonder at his odd behavior, a voice came from behind.

“There a problem here, Anderson?”

Connor turned to face a bearded man he recognized from around school. Apart from the bowtie and messenger bag, he wore a lanyard with his picture in a plastic pocket. Next to the outline of a bear, his name was written across the bottom: Mr. Hagan, Bear Shifter Instructor.

“No problem, Mr. Hagan. Just welcoming the new kid to Hunter High.” Max gripped one of Connor’s shoulders. “Never too late for that, right?”

Mr. Hagan lifted a brow. “That’s so nice of you, but I think it’s time to get to class.” He turned to one side and the group started to move. Max pushed Connor forward, but Mr. Hagan put up one hand, a wry grin still on his face. “Think I’ll have a word with Mr. Ellis, if that’s alright.”

Max’s smile jerked but managed to remain steadfastly in place. “Sure. No problem. See you later, mercy kid.”

The last phrase scraped past clenched teeth, an obvious warning. Max and his group headed toward the entryway, their mutters and irritation barely concealed.

Once out of earshot, the Shifter Instructor glanced down at Connor. “So you met the welcome committee. We need to swing for a new one, but there’ve been budget cuts.”

“They’re kind of a month late to the game, but it’s the thought that counts.” Connor snorted and started toward the school as well. “You could have a bake sale. My mom makes great cookies.”

“Good to know. Didn’t think many Guardians were into that kind of thing.”

“You’d be surprised. Baked goods are a great place to hide weapons or amo. Granted they have to be pretty small…