Read Minutes Before Sunset Page 1




  By: Shannon A. Thompson

  Book 1 in The Timely Death Trilogy

  THIS book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  NO part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Minutes Before Sunset

  Copyright ©2015 Shannon A. Thompson

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 978-1-63422-105-4

  Cover Design by: Marya Heiman

  Typography by: Courtney Nuckels

  Editing by: Kelly Risser

  For more information about our content disclosure,

  please utilize the QR code above with your smart phone or visit us at

  www.CleanTeenPublishing.com.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Dedicated to Kristine Andersen and Megan Paustian, for the timeless memories and unfailing support.

  1

  Eric

  He hadn’t smiled since Mom died. I wasn’t allowed to either. In fact, our whole community didn’t smile. At six years old, I didn’t understand, because I couldn’t, but I would later. I knew that much.

  It was Independence Day, and I stood with my family on Willow Tree Mountain. They called it that, but, in reality, it was Willow Tree Hill, and the town denied that reality. I didn’t care that a famous Civil War battle took place on it. It was a hill, and the only exciting part was the tree.

  Wrapping my arm around a loop in the trunk, I peered over the valley. Beneath the fireworks, the entire town was celebrating, dancing, drinking, and even odder, smiling. I wanted to smile.

  “They’re just bursts of useless fire, Eric.” My father folded his arms and glared at the scene. “Nothing more.”

  I kicked my tennis shoes against the torn-up dirt and dried grass, not able to look at my father like a son should’ve been able to. The fire didn’t look useless. Fireworks, all red and blue, illuminated the darkening sky, and deafening bangs echoed through the valley. The fire seemed powerful—something that hissed from the ground and exploded into the air, defying gravity. They were magnificent.

  “You have more important things to worry about than blasts of colored sparks,” he said as shadows crawled over his legs. The darkness whirled around his body, and his glare dissipated with his form. He was gone, back in our shelter, and I was alone. Kind of.

  “Eric.” Camille, a girl three years older than me, grasped my hand. Her white hair glittered beneath the light, and she spread her fingers into the dark. “We have to go.”

  I moved my foot closer to the edge of the hill. I wanted to ride the wind down to the crowd. I wanted to celebrate and dance. I wanted to throw my arms in the air and listen to the exploding fireworks. I wanted to run around in endless circles until I fell down from exhaustion. I wanted to enjoy everything.

  But that couldn’t happen. It was impossible.

  Instead, I turned to her and nodded. She was my guard, for life, and I had to listen to her, even if I wasn’t listening to my father. “Let’s go,” I said, and she knelt down to meet my eyes.

  “Are you all right?”

  No.

  “I’m fine,” I lied, and her eyes searched mine before she stood up. Without another word, her powers flowed through me, and the dark engulfed us, leaving the fireworks and the happiness behind.