Free Tesla: A Teen Steampunk/Cyberpunk Adventure (Tesla Evolution Book 1) by Mark Lingane Page A

sick.”
    “Don’t worry, I make everyone sick.”
    “Don’t you dare try to out-sad-story me. Go away.” She rolled over and flung another rock, which struck him in the chest. It clanged. “What are you wearing?”
    “Ah, a kind of armor.”
    “What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere, wearing armor?”
    “I was on the train, and it got attacked by great scary flapping fiery things that destroyed everything.”
    There was an impossibly long silence, and the sound of the rain drumming on the wet ground outside. Even though it was dark he could still make out the stunned expression on her face. Hatred was driven away by morbid curiosity. He could tell she was dying to ask.
    Eventually she said, “Where do I start? How did you survive? Are there any other survivors? You still haven’t said why you’re wearing armor. You’re, like, ten.”
    “Twelve,” he said. “Nearly thirteen.”
    “Whatever, a kid, and what on earth is a great scary flapping fiery thing? And the whole train?”
    “Yes. Everyone else is dead, burnt to a cinder. Would you like to see it?”
    There was another long pause as she pulled a face of disgust. “You bet I do.”
    She sat up and steadied herself against the rock walls. After a couple of deep breaths she made her way to the cave entrance. She sat down on a large stone just inside. Sebastian had been hoping to sit on it, but allowed her the chance. It was another thing his mother was quite strict about. A gentleman always stands for a lady. He wasn’t sure this unnamed girl counted as a lady due to the fact that she wasn’t old enough to be one, and she certainly didn’t talk like one. He wondered if he could push her off.  
    She coughed violently again, doubling over under the force of her contracting muscles. She straightened up and rested her head against the wall. “Let’s wait until the rain passes,” she whispered. Her voice was hoarse.
    Sebastian took out his canteen and offered it to her. She looked at it suspiciously. She took it, unscrewed the lid and sniffed at the contents. She raised it to her lips and drank heavily. She dropped it to the ground when she had finished. Sebastian scooped it up and held it out in the rain to fill it up again.
    “How long have you been here?” he asked.
    “Weeks. Months. Years. Who cares?”
    “Surely someone does.”
    She snorted. “Funny way of showing it.”
    Sebastian looked up into the dark skies. He enjoyed the scent of the fresh air, cleansed by the rain. The dust had been washed away and his head didn’t hurt. It was a good sign.
    “So, what’s your name?” he said.
    The girl was throwing small pebbles out into a small pond that had formed a few yards away. Each pebble she threw landed directly in the center of the pond.
    “It’s Melanie,” she shouted. “Are you happy now? Will you stop asking now?” She threw a handful of pebbles at him.
    The shock was easily visible on Sebastian’s face. Her tone had been brutal. His lower lip quivered.
    “Don’t you dare cry.”
    He could feel the sadness roll over him. “No one likes me. I have no friends.”
    “Oh, for crying out loud. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean … Look, it’s not your fault. I’m the one with no friends. I’m sure you’ve got plenty at … school or whatever.”
    He burst into tears. “They’re all dead. Even the ones I didn’t like.”
    She looked at him. “Did you do it?”
    “Yes. No. They came for me and killed everyone else. Except the vet,” he said between his sobs.
    “Who came?”
    “The black-clad men. The cyborgs.”
    “Cyborgs? Aren’t they just scary stories? I remember some of those stupid girls from school drooling over some guy dressed up as one. They were so ridiculous at school. He was an idiot. Just because they thought he was a bad boy who looked hot that made him worthy. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” She burst into a deep, heartfelt weep.
    Sebastian was now giving her a look of concern.
    “Joshuz, look at