Here is an excerpt from senior Tim Whitman’s first novel, The Vortex Hurricane.

I woke up standing in darkness, so black that I

couldn’t see my own hand in front of my face. I turned,

searching for a way out.

At first I saw nothing, but then a light appeared in the

distance. I ran toward it, only to find that it was some kind

of spotlight.

“Hello!” I called. “Is anyone out there?” I heard

nothing in return. I called out again, hoping for an answer.

When I didn’t get one after so long, I wanted to leave. But

fear kept me from entering the darkness.

So I waited, for what exactly I wasn’t sure, but I still

waited. What felt like hours passed, and my legs began to

get sore, so I sat down. More time passed and it began to

feel like I had been waiting forever.

My body was aching, and I was on the verge of

falling asleep, when I heard a voice.

“James Constantine Bruke the Third!” the voice

boomed from within the darkness. It was old and

authoritative.

I jumped to my feet. “Who are you!?” I yelled. “How

do you know my name?”

“Your time has come, young mortal.” a second,

younger voice said.

“And you must be prepared,” a third voice said. This

one sounded the oldest of the three, and the most wise.

“We are here to prepare you.”

“Prepare me? For what?”

“For what lies ahead.” said the second voice. Then,

three transparent figures appeared in front of me. One

with a gray aura, one with a yellow aura, and one with a

golden brown aura.

Together, the three figures raised their palms, and I

immediately began to feel an intense pull in my chest.

Pain coursed through my body, it felt like my sternum

was being snapped in half.

Suddenly there was a loud snap, and I felt something

rush out of my body and toward the three figures. I fell to

the ground, panting. I looked up and saw what looked like

a chain with a lock on it, in the hands of the strange

figures.

Before I could say anything, the three figures

disappeared.

“Prepare yourself James.” said the third voice. “For

what lies ahead, is only the beginning.” Then they were

gone.

Almost immediately the light swiftly faded, and the

floor beneath me gave way, and I fell into the darkness.