The Awakening

By Jessaca Willis

Mara is not your average student. She has powers, she's one of the Awakened. But in a world where the rest of mankind doesn't understand or accept people like her, Mara chooses to conceal her abilities, protecting herself from those who might harm her.

It doesn’t help her today though.

When Mara's school is attacked by anti-Awakened radicals determined to eradicate people like her from existence, Mara finds herself caught up in the chaos and forced to decide whether she will ignore her Awakened identity or embrace it.

The Awakening is a short story teaser/prequel to the post-apocalyptic fantasy series The Awakened.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jessaca Willis
• Release date: Aug 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463784761

Jessaca Willis

Growing up in the 90's and early 2000's, Jessaca spent her free time heavily immersed in books and shows such as Harry Potter, True Blood, The Sword of Truth/Legend of the Seeker, and Merlin, so much so that at one point she truly believed fantasy worlds were real (maybe she still does). Her passion for the unimaginable and the magnificent grew, leading Jessaca to a career in fantasy writing, with an inclination toward the dark, horror, paranormal, and dystopian/apocalyptic sub-genres.Jessaca is a self-proclaimed nerd who loves cosplay, video games, and comics. She grew up and still lives in Portland, Oregon, where she resides with her partner and their fur- and human-babies.

Book preview

The

Awakening

An Origin Story

from the

The Awakened Quartet

Jessaca Willis

The Awakening: An Origin Story.

Copyright  2019 Jessaca Willis.

ISBN: 9780463784761

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Request, at the address below.

Any reference to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination.

Front cover designed using Canva.

Published by Jessaca Willis on Smashwords 2019.

Jessaca Willis

PO Box 66574

Portland, OR 97266

https://www.jessacawillis.com

Table of Contents

The Awakening

Connect with Jessaca (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and more!)

Excerpt from Blood Awakens

About Jessaca Willis

THE AWAKENED QUARTET

The Awakening- An Origin Story

The Discovery- An Origin Story

Blood Awakens, Book 1

Puppets Dream, Book 2

Nightmares Rise- Book 3

Death Slumbers- Book 4

To Kieran, Lily, James, Michael, Mom, and Dad.

THE AWAKENING

Mara’s Story

Just last week, Louisiana declared it legal to murder someone under suspicion of being Awakened. Fortunately, Louisiana is far away, and California is one of the few states to have declared itself a sanctuary. Still, fear is the breeding ground for hate, and the brittle state of this nation—of the world—has people on high alert.

If I would've known the Awakening was approaching, and the subsequent conflicts that followed, I might've summoned the courage necessary to stay home and face my demons. My father always said though, per tutto, c'è un motivo: for everything, there is a reason, so I have to believe I was drawn here, at this time, to this place, for something greater than myself.

As I look around the emptying lecture hall, I can’t help but doubt the credibility of his words. Even our professor scribbles on the whiteboard with less conviction, likely doubting why she continues to facilitate a class with what’s been going on and with what lies ahead.

All of my classes are like this, only a few students remaining loyal to their weekly schedule. Those of us who continue to attend, do so because we don’t know what else to do. We’re slaves to our daily routine and the expectations that threaten us. I myself can’t give up and risk disappointing my father and sisters. Not now.

A silent whimper builds in my chest, something that always comes when I think of them. I wish I was home, combing through Elena’s goldilocks curls and listening to Giulia narrate her dreamy, teenage