From: Bailey Prescott >

To: Lucas Garver >

July 24, 2012 at 8:56 PM

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Dear Lucas,

Have you ever speed dated? Have you heard of it? For the sake of saving time, I'm going to tell you about it in case the concept is new to you. So it's this thing where people go to a restaurant or some place like that. The split up the men from the women and the women sit down at a table for two. There is some sort of whistle or buzzer and the men descend upon the women like desperate boys---I mean interested people of the opposite sex.

Anyway, the couple only gets a few minute with each other before the timer goes off and the entire male population gets up from their seat and rotates to the next woman. At the end of the evening, everyone writes down the names of the people they were most interested in. If there's a match, the people running the event pair up the couples for a second date.

What do you think about this form of dating? Sounds awesome, right!? Wait-----don't tell me. I'm going to just jump to the part where I beg you to consider it. I know that trying to schedule a flight to meet up with mine will be difficult if not impossible, but I'm really looking forward to that moment where I see you again. Even if it's only for a few minutes. My parents have booked my flight and my layover will be some time during the 20th of August for thirty minutes. Will you be there? I can get you more information tonight when I talk to my mom.

I'm going to start preparing myself for the fact that this might not happen. I hate it. The poor couple from my book will never get their magic moment, and I won't get to hear your voice to check if I'm remembering it correctly. OK! Ok, ok, I'll admit it, I also won't get to see you and that part sucks too.

I guess I should update you on your part of the book. So the group descends the mountain and falls into darkness as it moves away from their source of light. They each start to think about their family back home—because who wouldn't?! Then they hear a strange noise in the distance. You know that feeling that something isn't right? I imagine people get it the moment before a plane goes down, or their car spins out of control. Well, your characters get that strange feeling as if they have tapped into some crazy 6th sense just from the power of them all being together.

What comes next is just....well...it's incredible. It's possible the most twisted ending to a story I've ever read. I didn't normally read that kind of stuff, but I'm telling you, this author is good! It's life changing. I don't think I'll ever look up to the sky at night and not think about this pivotal moment for all of humanity. I just...I just can't tell you the ending over email. You have to meet up with me or you'll never know how it ends!

Am I playing dirty? Yes. Yes I am. Meet me in Texas on the 20th or your poor characters will be stuck in the darkness of a far off universe never to be able to break free. And it will be all your fault. I think that goes against everything hero like about you. In fact, I think the Marines have some sort of rule about not leaving any man behind. You'd be leaving them behind, you see--these warriors from a future time. And that would just be sad and unacceptable.

Love,

Bailey

P.S. I can't tell you my middle name because it just seems ridiculous now. My story isn't as cool as yours. My mother had a great aunt who she loved more than any of her other aunts (she's from a huge family with many women). Her youngest aunt was sort of an outcast being the last of ten children, but only because her beliefs weren't perfectly in line with the faith of her family. Religion was very important in their culture, but she believed in taking things from the earth and worshiping the things around us. She was a healer and my mom would spend the summers with her while her parents worked. They got very close, but she died a year before I was born. My mom gave me her first name as my middle name. So now we both have a secret.

*****Are they going to make it happen? 30 minutes isn't a lot of time to meet in a crowded airport. Please remember to vote for each chapter and continue reading their story!