The Download

By Ann Strawn

Em and her friends are all ready to start high school. One of only two African Americans in her class, shy Em just wants to find her niche without making waves. Before freshman year is over she finds herself at the source of a technological tsunami.
The unwitting recipient of a mysterious app, Em starts getting text messages from guardian angels. She wants to fit in and tries to keep her gift secret. But the texts keep gettting more serious. When “mom” and “cancer” come up in the same text Em must decide if she can, or even wants, to control such powerful technology.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483558004

Book preview

12

Oh crap, where’s my phone?

Her phone was new, touchscreen with slide-out keyboard, lavender case and just a little bling. Lately it had been doing weird stuff, like getting warm when she texted. She shoved her hand into the deepest part of her bag, did one frantic pass, yeah, it was gone.

Em got up, pushed her braids back and looked around. Grounded was crowded as usual. Funky, cluttered, good smoothies (organic, local Northwest), of course everyone hung here. In the internet corner, four boys practically levitated as they watched a fifth crush a new video game. The fifth one stood up, fists raised over his head and … in his right hand? It figures.

Dude, did you see that? RJ trumpeted when Em approached. Vanquished in under fifteen minutes!

Em held out her hand and waited.

What? RJ said, dark eyes wide under wacky curls. Hey, I wasn’t on your contact list, that’s just wrong. He dropped her phone into her hand.

"Thanks, Riley," she said, chuckling as he flinched. She’d been whipping his real name out since kindergarten.

"You’re welcome, Emani. Didn’t get a chance to check out your new app. Cool icon."

Em frowned. Look, whatever you downloaded, just fix it, okay? RJ raised his hands in a total it wasn’t me mode. Em rolled her eyes and headed back to her table. RJ followed and plopped down in a chair opposite her.

Have you seen Dee? Em asked, looking out the window. She was supposed to be here half an hour ago.

Last time I looked she was practicing lines for drama tryouts, RJ answered. He stood up, right hand on his heart and his left pointing to an imaginary balcony. What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Dee had appeared out of nowhere. She was a little flushed from running, her ponytail sitting a bit off center. And it’s ‘but soft, what light through yonder window breaks.’ She sat down in the remaining chair and dropped her backpack next to her.

Sorry I’m late. Tryouts ran long, she said, still breathing hard. She straightened her wire-rimmed glasses. You really should have come, Em. You’d have been a great Lady Capulet.

So you got the part? asked Em, so glad that she wasn’t there to be Hazley High’s first black Lady Capulet.

Only as a stagehand. They said I needed to work on projecting. No big, I’m trying out for drill team next week. She reached down into her cluttered backpack and pulled out a wrinkled orientation schedule and a highlighter. If I’m lucky, I can squeeze in the Art Club meeting.

Dee pored over the schedule hungrily, highlighter streaking across the page. Now that they were starting high school, she was determined to stand out and that meant being involved, a lot. Em watched her turn the white schedule almost completely yellow.

Glad you found time for your friends between all the fun, teased Em. Really, girl, how can you possibly expect to do all of that and pass your classes? High school is scary enough without all the extras. No trail blazing goin’ on here. I intend to keep my head down.

Like in middle school? When you look up, high school will have passed you by, Em. You need to get your head up out of the sand, Dee said, still looking at the schedule. I’m ready to have some fun. Besides, we’ll probably have some classes together. You’re both taking geometry, right?

Em nodded, her eyes flicking over at RJ. His roguish smile faded just slightly.

Dee looked up and put her hand sheepishly over her mouth. You are taking some regular classes this year, right?

Met with my counselor last week, RJ said. Did you see Em’s new app? You’ve gotta check out the icon.

Em shot him another killer look as she reached for her phone. Did it just warm up in her pocket?

You kids have been sitting here long enough to order something!

Bethan Baxter stood over them, head to toe tie dye and fireball hair. Nobody messed with her, she owned the place. You either ordered something or got out. Everyone was cool with that.

Let me have a peach mango, said Em, phone forgotten. What’s that on the menu board? At the top of the old chalkboard, just above the apple cinnamon smoothie, was a word written in strange script. It looked like a cross between Chinese characters and medieval English.

New contest, Bethan answered. Solve the puzzle; get a prize.

What’s the prize? asked RJ, giving the puzzle a serious squint.

A free smoothie, or something more, depends, Bethan teased, fingering her peace sign necklace. First prize could change your life.

Dee took out her phone and took a picture of the board. We got this, Bethan. Can I get a Cherry Berry?

Satisfied, Bethan made her way back behind the counter. Soon the blender’s whirring mixed with the usual chatter.

What is up with that? said Em. I can’t even read the thing much less solve it.

RJ gestured toward her pocket. Hey, maybe that app is some kind of decoder. Seriously, the icon looks kinda like the puzzle. He gave Em his most sincere pleading puppy-dog eyes. Em took out her phone and showed him her unchanged screen, punctuated with an I knew you were messing with me eye roll.

Whoa, I swear it was there, said RJ, mystified.

Dee tapped the screen on her phone. Don’t sweat it; the internet’s the only decoder you need. She glanced at the clock and stopped mid-scroll. Gotta go or I’ll miss Art Club. Let’s see if we can hurry those smoothies along. She grabbed her backpack and made a beeline to the counter.

RJ dragged himself out of his seat, shooting a longing look toward the internet corner. Em sighed and shook her head. There was no stopping Dee. That girl was on a mission. She got up and followed her friend to the counter.

Getting a closer look at the puzzle? Bethan asked as she eased the smoothies into large plastic cups.

Gotta go, Bethan, Dee said as she leaned over the counter. I promise I’ll look at it later. Dee bounced up and down on her toes, trying to will the smoothies into the cups faster. Bethan placed the cups on the counter and sauntered to the back to get tops, humming as she went.

You know ‘hurry’ isn’t in Bethan’s vocab, Em whispered as Dee strained over the counter. I think she lost it somewhere in the sixties.

Bethan reappeared, two plastic tops in hand. She snapped them in place and slid the smoothies across the counter. Dee scooped hers up, slapped down her money, and stabbed the straw through in one blinding motion.

You coming? Dee asked, inhaling her smoothie as she headed for the door.

RJ shook his head and jabbed his thumb toward the internet corner. "Gotta go save the world, digital annihilation is imminent!