Angels Mark (The Serena Wilcox Dystopian Trilogy Book 1)

                                                                                 Angels Mark

                                                                        Natalie Buske Thomas

Wattpad Edition  Copyright © 2013 Natalie Buske Thomas Independent Spirit Publishing  http://www.NatalieBuskeThomas.com  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Please do not copy. Disclaimer: This book is a work of fiction. All events and dialog are for entertainment purposes only and do not necessarily represent the author’s views.

Author’s Works: The Serena Wilcox Mysteries: Dystopian Thriller Trilogy: Angels Mark 2011, Covert Coffee 2012, Bluebird Flown 2013 [Note: Angels Mark is free for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony, Apple, Smashwords and Wattpad] For a complete list of Natalie Buske Thomas’ works, including her oil paintings, please visit her website. http://www.NatalieBuskeThomas.com

                                                                                          Chapter 1

She made X’s in her mashed potatoes with her fork, staring at her plate without really seeing the food.  All around her was the clatter and the chatter of people dining in groups large and small, huddled under the stained glass domed lights that adorned the ceiling above each cozy table. She was conspicuously alone in a large mid-priced chain restaurant in a suburb just outside of Minneapolis.

Parents donned bibs on hungry toddlers. Some fawned all over Baby, some were embarrassed by Baby’s noisy demands, and the rest ignored Baby, despite glaring looks from nearby tables. Friends shared deep-fried appetizer platters, each group with an obvious identity: co-workers blowing off steam, girls’ night out, birthday party. Couples clicked sparkling wine glasses; most pretended to share intimacy while distracted by other things. A few couples shared a real moment, with some moments more fleeting than others. Children bounced through the aisles on their way to and from the restrooms, occasionally led by a parent.

Tables with booth seating, running along every wall and tucked into every corner, were fully occupied by smiling people. The remaining tables, with traditional seating, were scattered throughout the middle of the restaurant and wedged in wall spaces too small for the booths. That was where she was sitting, the third table from the kitchen doors, hugging the wall.

“May I get you something?” said Bryce, a local college student who had recently taken this job waiting tables three nights a week. His tuition was paid for by his parents, books were covered by paternal grandparents, and clothes were gifted by his maternal grandparents. Aunts and uncles pitched in dorm and food costs. He worked solely to sustain his partying habits, which were substantial.

Seemingly never hung-over, over-stressed, or fatigued, his ever-present smile showed a history of good orthodontics and tooth whitening. Bryce’s fresh good looks, topped with thick sandy locks, often netted him big tips from female diners -- but not from this one. This one didn’t even look at him.

“Oh, no thanks,” she said. “Wait, actually, yes. I’d like the hot fudge sundae cake. With whipped cream, but no nuts, please.” She raised the glossy dessert menu and tapped her finger on the picture of the “Chocolate Lover’s Deluxe Fudge Sundae Cake” special, complete with red cherry on top. The price was not special, but she wasn’t thinking about cost.