Our choices dictate our fate. Whether we choose to go left or right at the fork in the trial, every choice leads to a different outcome. Some outcomes are small, while some are life-changing. Sixteen-year-old Arabella Alcor is about to learn where her choices will lead her when one night she can take no more of her foster father's discipline of one of the younger kids, she slips out her window. Her goal, the park, just for a moment of peace, but what she finds will lead to her life being transformed completely.
A chance encounter will lead to her learning the truth of her past and how she came into foster care. It will lead to a chance for a new beginning, with a new home, new friends, and a new family. However, not everything is as it seems. With a family secret that could destroy the very trust that has been slowly built, a danger that has long been forgotten, and a crush that suddenly returns the favor of affection, can Arabella overcome challenges that threaten to overwhelm her? Or will she regret ever climbing out her bedroom window?
*******AUTHOR'S NOTE************
As a warning, there will be some scenes of abuse, maybe not in the beginning, but there will be some. Also, there will be cussing by all different characters and potentially triggering themes. This story is still being written and due to a heavy workload, the updates may not be regular. Also important to note I am entering this into the ONC 24 Contest. This story is the first of its kind for me, and I'm not overly sure what category it fits into. I'm also undecided on the name of this story, so before it's complete we may see a name change. I have written stories with darkish themes, before, but the plans I have for this one well its a bit different, if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. I'll update when I can, but in all honesty, updates will probably fall into when the ONC deadlines occur.
Geoff and Naomi are dead, and they're depressed, but when Geoff's cat Bernie dies as well, they embark on a wild journey to find it in the underworld.
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When Geoff dies, alongside his girlfriend Naomi, they end up sharing an apartment in the Underworld as skeletons. But after a few years, Geoff starts suffering a mid-death crisis. What's the purpose of going through the motions as a skeleton if you can't really live? Then he gets word that his cat, Bernie, just died and he can collect him and bring him home! Geoff and Naomi hurry to get Bernie only to discover that, due to a clerical error, their cat has been lost. With the hunt for Bernie giving new purpose to Geoff's un-life, he and Naomi begin a quest to get back their cat. Battling skeleton pirates, climbing the sky ladder and facing off against the villain who took Bernie, Geoff is determined to find his purpose - or die a second time trying!
[[2018 Wattys Winner - The Originals]]
[[word count: 30,000-40,000 words]]