The Hinges of Destiny Volume 1: Determination

By Angelle Tusa

At the age of 15, 10% of the world's population develops superpowers. This has been going on for centuries, but suddenly a select few individuals are developing multiple abilities. Elizabeth Laurie and Max Reinhart are among them. They thought they were unique until they met while starting their first year in college. They also admit to each other their secret: they wish to become vigilantes.
Together they join The Achievers Club, a campus organization for people with abilities. With their friends in the group they try to make a difference on campus helping others in their own small way. But they've got a lot to learn before they can truly call themselves superheroes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Angelle Tusa
• Release date: Jul 20, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476044651

Angelle Tusa

I've had an active imagination for as long as I can remember, and I've been writing stories since I was 13. When I went to college I took the advice of my family and pursued business, but writing is still my passion. I split my writing time between reviews of movies, comics, and video games. My main work of fiction right now is The Hinges of Destiny.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Elizabeth stared at the unoccupied dorm room in front of her. Her boxes were stacked neatly in one corner of the room, the wall bare, even the bed was just a bare mattress. She took a deep breath, doing her best to fight the tears from coming. My first time away, without my parents. I can do this. No need to freak out. It’s going to be fine.

Elizabeth looked over to the second bed on the other side of the room. Her roommate, a complete stranger, would be arriving any minute. The college had paired them up based on some form of compatibility, purposefully choosing a local girl to help her adjust to her new life easier. I was so nervous during that entrance interview, I wonder if they truly got to know me that well to make the right choice. Ah well, hopefully she’ll be nice.

Hi! I’m Gabrielle, but everyone calls me Gabby! It’s so nice to meet you!!

Oh God, not that nice. Elizabeth looked over to the doorway where the voice had come from. She did her best to not let her eyes pop out of her head. Standing there was a beautiful, slim, large chested girl with blonde ringlets cascading down her shoulders. Her smile was huge and seemed to overtake most of her face, except for her sparkling green eyes. She was dressed in a classy pink sweater and grey pants with high heeled shoes that probably cost as much as the rest of the outfit. She was carrying a box of items in her hands, a teddy bear spilling out of the top. She shifted the box slightly and reached out her hand to offer a handshake to Elizabeth.

Hi, I’m Elizabeth. It’s nice to meet you too.

Elizabeth’s shock was based on the fact that she felt like the two of them couldn’t be more opposite. Elizabeth had an olive complexion with straight black hair that stopped at her chin. Her wardrobe consisted of retro and band t-shirts with jeans and tennis shoes. While she had overcome her shyness in high school, she was still rather reserved and preferred to take the backseat in most conversations. Maybe her outgoing personality will mean I won’t have to talk much.

I’m going to major in Biology. Do you know what you want to do yet? Gabby asked, her smile slightly smaller but still hopelessly cheerful.

I’m not really sure. Education, probably, but I might change my mind. Elizabeth did her best to return the smile despite her nervousness.

"I hear you. I want to do marine biology because I love the ocean. But sometimes I stop and wonder if that’s really what I want to do, you know?" Gabby spoke with her hands, waving them wildly and throwing them up in the air as she spoke.

I guess that’s sort of typical, right?

Yeah, if we knew what we wanted to do already, we’d probably be total weirdos!

You have no idea.

Gabby made her way back to the door, huge smile returning to her face. Well, I’ve got a ton of stuff to unload from the car. I’ll be back!

Elizabeth nodded, reaching into one of her own boxes to unpack. Yeah, sure, see ya.

Elizabeth’s Journal, August 23rd

I passed on going out to the big meet and greet on campus tonight. That many people in one place? They’ll break us into groups and have us say something interesting about ourselves. I can just see it:

"Hi, I’m Elizabeth, and I have claws on my fingers and toes. Oh, and I can read minds too."

I’d be completely overwhelmed. High school was a total nightmare. The first test I took after my powers showed up was horrible. Everyone’s thoughts streaming in at me while I tried to concentrate on my work. I thought to myself WILL YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP!! but everyone actually heard it. I tested alone from that point onward. I’ve spent the last three years since then meditating and doing my best to keep up the barriers between my head and everyone else’s but when you put me in a huge crowd like that, it gets difficult.

The claws are different. They stay in most of the time. They can even come in handy occasionally, but it’s not the kind of thing you want to show off. When I get angry, they pop out. I guess it’s like when you piss off an animal and it bares its teeth and claws at you. Some kind of gut instinct. Beyond the freaking people out, I’ve also ended up ruining some good pairs of shoes when the claws on my toes busted through. You would think all the meditation I do for my telepathy might help me control it, but no such luck. Teenage hormones and all that B.S. I’m not the person you want to get in an argument with. Thankfully I’ve never injured anyone yet, but I always kind of hold back, just in case.

I suppose there are plenty of people on campus who are familiar with dealing with powered individuals. We’re not that rare. I was the only one at my high school, but it was also a pretty small town. There are no doubt quite a few others here on campus. I hope I’ll get to run into them! I guess I could have gone to the meet and greet to find them, but how exactly could I have even gone about identifying them?

I wonder how well I’ll sleep tonight, being my first night on campus and all. I haven’t had a true night’s sleep since my powers emerged. My defenses completely breakdown when I enter REM sleep and I end up picking up others’ dreams and spare thoughts all through the night. It’s impossible to tell which dreams are my own. I guess there’s no time like the present to find out…

Chapter 2

The next evening, Elizabeth walked across the campus heading back to her dorm room. She cradled her books in her hands with her purse at her side. Survived the first day. Not too bad… freshmen year will be a breeze compared to my high school honors classes. She was lost in thought and therefore didn’t notice the man sneaking up behind her. Math and English will be easy. Biology will be a task to pay attention to with that droning voice–

He was close behind her and quickly wrapped his right arm around her, using the other arm to grab at her purse.

"SHIT!" Elizabeth thought, her surprise causing her to project her thoughts as well.

Whoa, hold still little lady! Just give me whatever is in your purse and I’ll let you go! he said.

Her attempts to struggle out of his grip didn’t work as he was larger and stronger than she was. Her mind running a mile a minute, she only began to contemplate giving him what he wanted when a young man about her age ran up out of seemingly nowhere to punch the attacker hard in the face.

Not so fast, asshole! the young man shouted.

The punch caused the attacker to release Elizabeth and she stumbled to the ground, letting her books fall as she stopped herself from eating dirt. The young man gave the attacker one more good solid punch and the attacker wobbled, near passing out. The young man dragged him over to the nearest police pole and pushed the alert button before letting the man fall unconscious. He hurried back over to Elizabeth to make sure she was okay.

The young man was tall and lanky, with lightly tanned skin and brown hair cut very close to his head. His attire was slightly dressier than you might expect for your average college student. He reached his hand out to help her up and Elizabeth couldn’t help but notice that he had claws extending from each finger, much like the ones she’d seen on her own hands so many times before.

You, she began, in awe.

The young man smiled widely. No need to thank me. My name is Max. I happened to see him jump you, I ran over as fast as I could. You okay?

I’m fine, thanks. Elizabeth. Nice to meet you. You- you have claws.

Oh… yeah. Don’t worry, I–- Max stammered as he looked down at his hands and allowed his claws to retract back in under his fingernails.

No, you don’t understand. Elizabeth raised her right hand and allowed her own claws to pop out. Max’s eyes nearly burst out of his head due to excitement.

Whoa! And I heard you project your thoughts when he grabbed you! I’ve met some telepaths before, and I knew there were others out there who had claws, but you’re the first one I’ve ever met who also had both!

"Wait, you’re a telepath, too?!"

Yes!!

The two of them stared at each other in silence for a moment, unable to believe the chances.

I always thought– Elizabeth started.

Yeah, I’ve only ever heard of folks with single powers too, Max said.

For there to be someone else, with the same exact powers no less…

Are you super strong too? Max asked.

Oh…no. Elizabeth looked momentarily crestfallen.

"Hm. Still pretty cool though, right? Be thankful, really. The first time I