Excerpt from Ravage

His bright blue eyes flitted over the woods around us, looking everywhere except at me. I had never seen him this nervous before. He opened his mouth, but no words escaped his lips.

"Bobby, spit it out!" I snapped. "Just tell me, already. You're scaring me!"

"Okay, fine. Just... just promise me you wont laugh?"

I was expecting him to tell me bad news, like there were soldiers coming our way. Not something that I would potentially laugh at. "I promise."

He took a deep breath and finally met my eyes. "Brooke, I can't describe the way I feel for you, love is not the definition of this." He leaned in closer. "I just have to show you."

My heart was racing, and there were butterflies in my stomach. He pressed closer and kissed me. Hard. I closed my eyes and let this moment flow over me. I felt his hands slide down to my hips, pulling me even closer to him, and I reached up and tangled my fingers in his hair. I felt his tongue brush across my bottom lip. I hesitated, but then gave in to the warm feeling that was taking over.

I was happy. That moment... it was perfect. He broke the kiss sooner than I would have liked. He stepped back and looked down at me. We were both breathing heavily.

I smiled and whispered, "I love you, too."

He smiled widely, and I giggled. I don't think that I have ever giggled before that moment. I had never had anything to giggle about.

Summary of Ravage

Ravage is the story of a group of people trying to survive in a world where the government has decided to kill off everyone under the age of sixteen as a cure for overpopulation.


Brooke, Bobby and his little sister Jenny have survived on their own in the woods with the help of their friends, Luke and Leilani. Together they plan to travel south to meet up with the Rebellion.


The Rebellion plans to overthrow the existing government and abolish the Age Laws. But everyone knows that its a long shot. Brooke and Bobby are really only looking for a safe place for Jenny to grow up. They figure the safest place would be in one of the Rebellion's safe camps.

But in order to get there they will need to travel through the harsh environments of post-apocalyptic Western America and avoid all contact with civilization. And the teams of soldiers that are hunting them.

Characters

Brooke Ryan is a fifteen year old girl, who is dealing with the constant fears of living as a fugitive. In Brooke's world anyone under the age of sixteen is considered a fugitive. Due to overpopulation the government has decided that anyone under the age of sixteen needed to be terminated to "increase population space". Unfortunately for Brooke she has spent every day since the law was adopted running from the government. Her life is now all about trying to survive.

Bobby Linch is a sixteen year old boy who is trying to hold what little of the family he has left together. After fleeing with his little to escape the soldiers who looking for them, they live on their own in the woods. When Bobby meets Brooke he thinks he's starting a new family, but good things can only last so long.

Jennifer Linch is Bobby's nine year old sister. She's was only two years old when she was forced to leave her family. She's never known anything but this life. Jenny depends on her brother and her makeshift family to survive. She'll need every ounce of survival skills to help the people she loves survive.