Wren

By Amy Richie

Fate led her here, then tried to kill her.

 

Wren has always been different than other people. Maybe it was because her and her dad had been on the run since she was a child. The only thing is, she never knew what they were running from.

 

After a tragic accident leaves her orphaned, she's forced to go back to the very town her dad had fled. And now, she's about to learn exactly what they were running from.

 

You can't fight fate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amy Richie
• Release date: Oct 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223072218

Amy Richie

Amy Richie has lived in a small town her entire life. She lives with her three kids and their cats, George and Ellie. She began writing in high school but never took it seriously until a few years ago. She enjoys writing because it takes her out of her everyday life and gives life to the people in her head. “When I was little I wanted to be a mermaid, then when I was in high school I wanted to be a vampire; now as an adult I’m a writer, which is better because now I get to be both.”

Book preview

Wren

Fate led her here, then tried to kill her.

WREN HAS ALWAYS BEEN different than other people. Maybe it was because her and her dad had been on the run since she was a child. The only thing is, she never knew what they were running from.

After a tragic accident leaves her orphaned, she's forced to go back to the very town her dad had fled. And now, she's about to learn exactly what they were running from.

You can't fight fate.

Chapter One

Asmall stack of untidy shirts was piled on the neat, unfamiliar bed. Aunt Clara had sent me up here to unpack, but that was proving more difficult than I would have imagined. I glanced back at the open suitcase; my throat tight.

Besides that single case, everything in the small town of Winston was unfamiliar. Even the reflection in the circular mirror above the dresser didn't look the same. Not since...not since I was sent to live with an aunt I didn't know.

The room my aunt had given me was small but clean. A bed that was only big enough for my own small frame was set against a far wall with a sloping ceiling over it. The walls were white; the carpet blue; the dresser, bed, night stand, and bookshelf all the same light wood.

It looked just like a bedroom I had always imagined girls my age would have.

In seventeen years of living, this was the first time I had ever had a room all to myself. Honestly, it wasn't all I had hoped it would be.

Crossing to the mirror, I glanced at myself again – just to be sure. Long hair pulled back in a braid. Small heart shaped face. Pale green eyes.

I was the same...and yet... maybe it was the light up here.

Hey, Aunt Clara called out softly from the open door.

Hi, I mumbled back.

How do you like your room, Wren? Aunt Clara asked softly, clasping her hands together in front of her.

It's fine, I muttered, looking away from her and returning back to my unpacking. She had told me to settle in.

This is a good picture of you two. She picked up a framed picture of me and dad; it had been taken on my seventeenth birthday. Both of us were smiling like fools with a lake shining out behind us.

Yeah.

How about if we set it here? She put the frame on the dresser by the door.

It's fine.

I'm really sorry about your dad, Wren.

Swallowing lightly, I pressed my lips tight together and nodded. Maybe I should have told her I was sorry about her brother too but I couldn't get the words out.

Terrible...terrible thing. She traced one finger over his face in the picture.

It was an accident, I mumbled, just in case she didn't know.

We had been camping in the mountains. Everyone told us how dangerous it was but dad wouldn't listen. He was determined to spend the night up there.

I could still see that morning as if it had just happened that day – every time I closed my eyes for too long.

Dad The sleeping bag next to mine was empty. Strange. It was our number one rule – never go off alone without telling each other where we were going.

Dad? Groggy and still half asleep, I crawled out of the tent.

It was a scene straight from a nightmare – only it was real.

Wren? Aunt Clara called out, chasing away memories that I didn't want.

What?

This shirt. I glanced at the white shirt with a unicorn head on it. Why don't you wear this to school tomorrow? It's cute.

Umm... I had won the shirt from a vending machine – one of those ones with the claw. School?

On Monday, she nodded. Tomorrow.

My forehead crinkled at the thought of going to the public school in Winston. I've never been...to school, I stuttered through the confession.

What do you mean you've never been to school? she laughed.

We just did it online, they have school online.

Never had a room, never been to school, Aunt Clara spun away from the picture. I think you're going to have a lot of firsts in Winston.

Why do I even have to go to school? I asked in a small voice.

Everyone has to go to school, she chuckled. And you might surprise yourself and love it.

I won't. There was no way I would love being surrounded by strangers.

You'll be fine, she smiled wide, I promise.

What if I'm not?

She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. My brother should have made sure you were socialized more, she scoffed.

As if I were a stray dog.

I ran my tongue lightly over my lips. They were dry and the skin was hanging off in a few places where my teeth had wreaked havoc.

Dinner is in ten minutes, she announced on the way to the door. Finish unpacking and then come on down.

Ok, I replied too late. She was already gone.

Scowling, I hurried over to the picture of me and dad and put it back in the suitcase. What made her think I wanted to see him every single day? That I would want to be reminded?

No matter what Aunt Clara thought, I knew I wouldn't be fine at school. There were things about me that she didn't know – things that no one knew now that dad was gone.

And I couldn't tell anyone.

Wrapping my arms around my middle, I realized something – I was an orphan now.

I didn't know exactly how my mother died; I only knew what dad had told me. She had gotten sick and was gone before I could walk. I couldn't remember her face or her voice. Since I didn't know her, I didn't know enough to miss her. It was just me and dad, my whole life.

Dad didn't like to stay in one place. Well, he told me he didn't like it but I knew he only ran because of me. A tent and various cars that only ran part of the time was all I knew. And my visions – of course.

My visions always came true; sometimes minutes after I had them. Sometimes days. But they always came true.

We can't let them know what you can do, right Wren? I had heard those words from him my whole life. I had never understood who they were until...

I shook my head, chasing away where my thoughts were taking me. No need to live in the past when you can see into the future, I whispered to myself.

Being able to see into the future hadn't helped my dad. In the end, when I needed it the most, my visions failed me.

Along the sloped ceiling, blood began to run in long streaks and drip onto my bed. The stack of shirts soaked it up until they couldn't hold anymore and the blood overflowed onto the floor and crept to where