I'm sharing snippets from my Middle Grade/YA science fiction adventure, Rescuing Mara's Father. The narrator is Mara, an almost 15-year-old girl who lives in a mining outpost on the Outer Rim. This will be my last snippet from this story. One more argument between daughter and father.
Please excuse the creative punctuation, necessary to keep this within the guidelines. It's also edited from the original.
“What
difference does it make now, I’m going to the Tech in three tendays.”
He takes a deep
breath, “I know you have been looking forward to going—”
No, he wouldn’t, “Don’t you tell me I
can’t go.”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean it,” I
fist my hands on my hips, “You are not going to tell me I can’t go, you can’t, I’ll be fifteen in three tendays—I’m going,” we’ve had a lot of arguments, but
I’ve never defied him before.
“You may be old
enough to enroll in the Institute, but you still need parental approval.”
I’m stunned
speechless, but not for long, “You wouldn’t, you wouldn’t punish me like that.”
“Mara, you must
obey me on this, you must stay here, you will pay attention in class, you will
apply yourself.”
“Like Perfect
Lukus? Maybe you wish he was your son instead of a stupid girl like me.”
Available in Print: Amazon
3 friends, a hidden starship, a quest
Her father is gone! Taken by the Queen of Compara’s agents. Mara has to rescue him before the Queen tortures and kills him.
Instead of the kind, loving father she’s always known, he’s become demanding, critical, with impossible expectations—not just as Father but also as the only teacher in their frontier outpost. Mara would rather scoop zircan poop than listen to another boring lecture about governments on Central Planets. Give her a starship engine to take apart or better yet, fly, and she’s happy. Now, he's gone.
Never mind, they’ve had a rocky road lately.
Never mind, Father promised she could go off planet to Tech Institute next month when she turns fifteen, where she’ll learn to fly starships.
Never mind, she ran away because she’s furious with him because he reneged on that promise. Father is her only parent. She has to save him.
Along with her best friend, eleven-year-old Jako, and his brother 15-year-old Lukus, Mara sets off to find her father. An old spaceport mechanic and her mentor seems to know why the Queen captured Father. In fact, he seems to know her father well. But, does he tell her everything? Of course not. He dribbles out info like a mush-eating baby. Worse, he indicates he’ll be leaving them soon. And Lukus can’t wait to get off our planet. Mara’s afraid they will all leave her, and she’ll be on her own. Despite her fears, she has to rescue her father.
You have touched my heart, Diane. You bring your story to life.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Charmaine.
DeleteI have a feeling this argument will not end well and drastic things are about to happen. An intense snippet!
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Jessica. Thanks.
DeleteI wonder what's happened to make her father renege on his promise? Something's definitely going on.
ReplyDeleteOh, it is, Jenna.
DeleteOh my, I'm assuming he has a good reason but wow, what a plot twist! Exciting snippet and I can really feel her building apprehension.
ReplyDeleteHe does. As a reader, I wish he'd share with her what's going on. As a writer, I hope it built tension.
DeleteThis big argument between them could get even bigger. Great snippet.
ReplyDeleteRight, Ed. Thanks.
DeleteWow, powerful snippet!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Siren.
DeleteAh, teenage years! Great scene though!
ReplyDeleteYep. Those years are not fun. Thanks, Amy.
DeleteThis argument took a turn. I'm wondering how her father will handle this outburst.
ReplyDeleteGood question. Most kids know how to push their parents' buttons. Mara is not different.
DeleteI relate to Mara. I remember having arguments like this with my parents in high school. My father was a firm believer in traditional gender roles. I wanted to take a welding class in my senior year of high school, but he insisted that I had to keep taking Spanish. I turned eighteen before the start of the final semester of my senior year and went to the administrative office, hoping I could change the class because I was legally an adult. They still wouldn't let me do it.
ReplyDeleteI tapped into my arguments with my parents and our daughter's with us. My dad insisted on me taking 4 yrs of math, not my best subject. I finally stood up to him and said no. He was right, though, about taking biz classes (like typing, shorthand, & bookkeeping). I still use typing skills. Shorthand helped in college. Quicken takes care of my bookkeeping. :) Sometimes, parents know best. Not always.
DeleteThis could go wrong fast for both of them. Enjoyed the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteIt does. Thanks, Kate.
DeleteUh-oh. This doesn't bode well. I wonder if she's going to disobey him.
ReplyDelete