Pitch 18: No Place for Black Sheep

Name: Mike Saunders
Title: No Place for Black Sheep
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Word Count: 78,000

 

Pitch: All fifteen-year old Max Protega wants is to keep her face off the government’s Wanted List. But to do so, she must destroy the one thing her race can’t survive without: magic.

Exerpt: 

 

Maxine Protega had a ritual for March 9th. In dishonor of the day she murdered her brother, she tormented herself to the verge of suicide. Never less, never more. 

Living was part of her punishment. 

“You ready?” Cara asked as she held out the hand that would punish Max enough to last another year. Max focused on it as she stoned her resolve. Her eyes locked on the glowing yellow ring that signaled Cara was using her manipulating ability: hypnosis. Max thought the color of her charm was mesmerizing, but every March 9thfor the last four years, her fear outweighed its beauty. She grew afraid of what it meant; afraid to remember.

Max exhaled sharply as she placed a trembling hand in Cara’s. There was a pause. There was always a pause. Max wasn’t sure if it was her friend having second thoughts or if it took a moment for Cara to draw on her ability. She never questioned it. She already had the guilt of murdering her brother, she didn’t need Cara’s guilt too. Either way, when her ability struck, it struck like a hammer.

There were no pendulate clocks or counting down from five. No soothing voice or guiding words. Cara’s ability took hold completely and immediately.

Max didn’t remember closing her eyes, but when she opened them, thick pillows of smoke enveloped her like the cloak of death. She breathed it in and gagged. Smoke littered her mouth and throat with soot. She collapsed against the bedroom door.