Title: Awakening
Author: D.B. West
Genre: Science Fiction
America’s worst fears are realized when a hospital is the target of a suspected terrorist bombing. As our first responders descend on the area, a discovery is made that will change the course of human history. Three aliens emerge from the wreckage, and three humans are chosen as Earth’s champions. Will the bond they share be enough to save us all from destruction?
Author: D.B. West
Genre: Science Fiction
America’s worst fears are realized when a hospital is the target of a suspected terrorist bombing. As our first responders descend on the area, a discovery is made that will change the course of human history. Three aliens emerge from the wreckage, and three humans are chosen as Earth’s champions. Will the bond they share be enough to save us all from destruction?
D.B. West was born and raised in the southern United States. While studying at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, he met his wife and fellow author, Lane Hart. They now reside together with their two young daughters and their pets, a pair of Pomeranians.
After losing his father to a lingering illness, West began writing ‘Awakening’ as a way to channel his emotions, and honor the memory of a true friend. In addition to writing, he enjoys video games, motorcycles, and traveling.
Links
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authordbwest
Twitter: www.twitter.com/authordbwest
Website: www.dbwestbooks.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-First-Tale-Trine-Book-ebook/dp/B01GSPUADM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465822579&sr=8-1&keywords=awakening+db+west
After losing his father to a lingering illness, West began writing ‘Awakening’ as a way to channel his emotions, and honor the memory of a true friend. In addition to writing, he enjoys video games, motorcycles, and traveling.
Links
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authordbwest
Twitter: www.twitter.com/authordbwest
Website: www.dbwestbooks.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-First-Tale-Trine-Book-ebook/dp/B01GSPUADM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465822579&sr=8-1&keywords=awakening+db+west
Excerpt:
The lab tech watched in horror as the trio staggered back, each of them quickly sagging to the floor. He wanted to run, but his legs felt disconnected and numb, leaving him rooted in place. The bolt on the door to the cell withdrew with a clank, and the heavy door creaked open.
The green dog trotted out into the hall, its teeth exposed in a huge canine grin. It looked around the hall seeming quite pleased, before walking slowly over to the technician.
Raising his hands in a feeble warding gesture, the tech made a low whimpering sound. The animal’s head came up to his chest, and it pressed right between his outstretched arms. Its muzzle crinkled as it began sniffing at his suit. After a moment, the dog sat down on its haunches, and looking straight into the technician’s eyes, opened its mouth and…spoke!
“Did you seriously pee?” the dog asked, tongue lolling in amusement, and his yellow eyes crinkled with glee.
“I…I…I can’t tell,” the tech stammered. Overwhelmed, his legs finally abandoned him entirely, and he sank to his knees in front of the animal.
“You smell like you peed,” the dog reiterated. “You’ve got a hole in your suit, too.” Raising a paw, he placed it onto the tech’s shoulder. “Calm down kid, I’m not going to blow your house down, eat your grandma, or commit any other acts of canine barbarism. Let’s start fresh without all the guns and needles. My name is Aki. What’s yours?”
“My name…? I’m…I’m Andrew Crouch…Andy,” he choked out.
“Andy, it’s nice to meet you” Aki said, taking his paw off of his shoulder and holding it out for a shake. The familiar gesture was oddly comforting, and Andy took the offered paw gently. It was at least twice as large as his hand, and he released it quickly.
“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Andy asked him.
“Orak was worried that it would be too much for your people to handle, and to be fair, you guys are known to be pretty loose with your guns,” Aki said.
“Orak? Is that your white-haired buddy?”
“The one and only,” Aki said cheerily.
Watching the dog’s mouth form words was so strange it was causing Andy to feel a sense of vertigo, as though his mind just couldn’t grasp what was happening. Averting his gaze so as not to stare straight into its toothy maw, he said, “You could have just said something before we tried to put you to sleep!”
“Well, you didn’t give me much of a chance, and frankly I’m not sure I could have relied on their benevolence. That one fellow with the keys was even talking earlier about taking it upon himself to come back here and put a bullet in me!” As Aki spoke, the cardkey on the ward guard’s belt came unclipped, and floated over to hang in the air between them.
“How…how are you doing that?” Andy stammered.
“With my mind,” Aki growled in a deep, mocking tone, before his tongue spilled out and he burst into a wheezing laugh. “Seriously human, my species doesn’t have thumbs. We were either going to have to hammer everything together with our mouths or figure out something a bit more refined. Hey, grab that catchpole and let’s get upstairs. Orak is calling for me. We can explain things all at once when we’re together.”
The green dog trotted out into the hall, its teeth exposed in a huge canine grin. It looked around the hall seeming quite pleased, before walking slowly over to the technician.
Raising his hands in a feeble warding gesture, the tech made a low whimpering sound. The animal’s head came up to his chest, and it pressed right between his outstretched arms. Its muzzle crinkled as it began sniffing at his suit. After a moment, the dog sat down on its haunches, and looking straight into the technician’s eyes, opened its mouth and…spoke!
“Did you seriously pee?” the dog asked, tongue lolling in amusement, and his yellow eyes crinkled with glee.
“I…I…I can’t tell,” the tech stammered. Overwhelmed, his legs finally abandoned him entirely, and he sank to his knees in front of the animal.
“You smell like you peed,” the dog reiterated. “You’ve got a hole in your suit, too.” Raising a paw, he placed it onto the tech’s shoulder. “Calm down kid, I’m not going to blow your house down, eat your grandma, or commit any other acts of canine barbarism. Let’s start fresh without all the guns and needles. My name is Aki. What’s yours?”
“My name…? I’m…I’m Andrew Crouch…Andy,” he choked out.
“Andy, it’s nice to meet you” Aki said, taking his paw off of his shoulder and holding it out for a shake. The familiar gesture was oddly comforting, and Andy took the offered paw gently. It was at least twice as large as his hand, and he released it quickly.
“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Andy asked him.
“Orak was worried that it would be too much for your people to handle, and to be fair, you guys are known to be pretty loose with your guns,” Aki said.
“Orak? Is that your white-haired buddy?”
“The one and only,” Aki said cheerily.
Watching the dog’s mouth form words was so strange it was causing Andy to feel a sense of vertigo, as though his mind just couldn’t grasp what was happening. Averting his gaze so as not to stare straight into its toothy maw, he said, “You could have just said something before we tried to put you to sleep!”
“Well, you didn’t give me much of a chance, and frankly I’m not sure I could have relied on their benevolence. That one fellow with the keys was even talking earlier about taking it upon himself to come back here and put a bullet in me!” As Aki spoke, the cardkey on the ward guard’s belt came unclipped, and floated over to hang in the air between them.
“How…how are you doing that?” Andy stammered.
“With my mind,” Aki growled in a deep, mocking tone, before his tongue spilled out and he burst into a wheezing laugh. “Seriously human, my species doesn’t have thumbs. We were either going to have to hammer everything together with our mouths or figure out something a bit more refined. Hey, grab that catchpole and let’s get upstairs. Orak is calling for me. We can explain things all at once when we’re together.”