Scorched
Author
Michael Soll
Author Bio
Michael Soll was born in Woodland Hills, California. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of California, Los Angeles where he studied Political Science and International Relations.
In addition to writing novels, Michael is also an award-winning screenwriter. His feature If, Then won second prize in the PAGE Contest and was a top ten finalist in Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope Contest, beating out thousands of scripts. He is also a two-time quarterfinalist in the prestigious Nicholl Award held by the Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Website: michaelrsoll.wix.com/authormichaelsoll
Facebook: facebook.com/authormichaelsoll
Description
After a solar flare scorched the Earth and incinerated the atmosphere, survivors dug deep beneath the surface, discovering a new means of life where none had ever lived.
Spec is an ordinary 16 year old residing underground in the Hive, a modern day colony where he and 73 other human beings survive.
Every day is the same for Spec.
Wake up.
Mine for clay and insects.
Sleep.
That’s why he has decided to venture outside of the colony with his best friend, Cotta. Spec plans on going where there are no ceilings and no walls, a place where there are no barriers. He plans on going to the mythical surface.
Book excerpt
I stood in shock for a moment, dumbfounded that the seemingly innocuous girl standing before me was responsible for our imminent doom.
“I think we should go,” said a startled Cotta as dirt dribbled from above and onto his hair. “Scratch that. We should definitely go!”
Cotta turned and ran, but I was still frozen, staring up at the falling dirt, listening to the distant echoes, possibly from my father or Dover, their words and pleas kept alive by the barrier crumbling before me.
Kaolin’s hand clenched my wrist and I felt my world crumble. I felt the grains of dirt freeze in midair, I saw the echoes ricochet through the tunnel, and I felt her heart pump blood into my veins.
Her eyes shined and our rhythms pulsated. Her mouth opened and she screamed something, but I couldn’t hear. I had lost control of all other senses, all I could feel was the touch and then, everything came flooding back —
“What are you doing?! Run!” Kaolin pulled me away from the imminent collapse, as tons of dirt plummeted to the ground.
And then, the Earth was quiet. The three of us shared a relieved look.
Cotta examined the damage and the tiny collapse. “Well that wasn’t that bad…”
I felt it on my face first. A tiny grain from above. We looked up and all around, and we knew we could do only one thing…
“RUN!”
Our feet pounded against the ground as the tunnel collapsed all around. Yet, even though my fire was moments from being extinguished, I couldn’t stop focusing on the spark galloping in front of me. Those graceful feet and lean legs. She looked back at me and screamed something with her beautiful mouth and big, kind eyes.
We were moments from dying, but I hardly noticed the tidal wave of Earth caving in all around. I didn’t notice the tiny specs being displaced behind me, I was only focused on the displaced Spec within.
And finally, after what seemed to be an eternity of running, the dirt subsided and we collapsed, breathing heavier than we ever have.
Reality quickly struck as I looked behind and realized any thoughts of returning to my home had collapsed along with the tunnel.