Chausiku: The Gathering Storm Book One by Pamela E. Cash

Chassie Moreau woke up the morning of her 16th birthday believing that she would celebrate the day with her best friend John as a normal teenager but she was dead wrong. Instead, Chassie found out that she and John were far from being normal and that she was now in extreme danger.

Chassie’s real name was Chausiku Aminia Sakombi Moreau and she was a descendant of the Sakombi clan of the Azande tribe in Africa, one of the six secret clans in the world with supernatural abilities. Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Australia, each clan had their own unique powers. However, Chassie was the Prophecy and on her 16th birthday, she would receive the most powerful abilities ever known to the clans……and she would become the target.

John was ready to teach Chassie how to fight and to control her new abilities but there wasn’t much time. Chassie had to deal with her harsh new reality fast if she wanted to stay alive.…..because her mother’s killer was already looking for her.

Excerpt:

Chassie closed her locker door, looked at Alexa. “Don’t worry Lexie, you will be fine. You always say that you are going to flunk and then you get an A.”

Alexa pulled her book out of her locker then looked at Chassie like she was crazy. “Uhhh, I didn’t say anything,” Alexa replied.

Chassie looked back at Alexa, her eyebrows furrowing indicating that Chassie thought that Alexa was the one who was acting crazy. “What are you talking about? You just said that you are going to flunk your bio exam this morning even though you studied so hard, because you can’t remember a thing.”

Alexa’s eyes widened and in her mind she said, What the hell??? I was thinking that but I know I didn’t say anything out loud.

Then Chassie stared at Alexa as if she were from another planet, her own eyes widening as well. She was looking straight at Alexa and she heard everything Alexa said but Alexa’s lips did not move. Now it was Chassie’s turn to think, “What the hell????”

Chassie averted her eyes so that Alexa couldn’t see how perplexed she was by pretending to check her book to see if she had the right one for her first period class as she mumbled, “I knew what you were thinking because that is what you always think.”

Alexa frowned and hesitated a moment before closing the door to her locker and turning the lock. “Okayyyy, that was strange. Get outta my mind, girl. Meet you after school.” Alexa turned and walked to her class already forgetting the incident and worrying about her biology test.

Chassie stayed by her locker for a moment shaking her head. She must have just imagined that she heard Alexa’s thoughts. Man that was freaky, thought Chassie. I know I heard Lexie talking. Maybe I was halfway daydreaming….while standing up….and looking straight at Lexie’s mouth. “Stop it Chaz,” she said out loud. “Of course you didn’t hear Lexie’s thoughts.” Then Chassie laughed softly at the notion of being able to hear anyone’s thoughts. Man, I must be really excited about turning 16, she thought.

The late bell was about to ring so Chassie grabbed the books for her next two periods, slammed her locker door, turned the lock then started walking swiftly to her class. As she walked she saw one of her friends, Darryl, walking towards her. She started to speak as he got closer, but suddenly she heard him say “I hope my knee injury won’t take me out of basketball practice today…” but his lips didn’t move either.

Chassie turned and looked at another girl that she didn’t know walking by her and she stared at the girl’s lips to see if she could hear the girl’s thoughts. Suddenly the girl’s thoughts penetrated Chassie’s mind saying, “Wonder if Andrew will be in my class today…” This time Chassie knew for certain that the girl’s lips were not moving.

Chassie’s mouth hung open and she stared so hard at the girl that it made the girl look up and directly at her.

“What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?” said the girl, looking annoyed.

“Yeah, but I think you just got a little of your lip gloss smeared on your cheek,” Chassie stammered in an attempt to give a reason for staring.

The girl gave Chassie a weak smile and a strange look. “uhhhh, thanks,” she said while rubbing her face, “I got it.” As the girl was walking away Chassie heard her think, “What is she talking about? I’m not wearing any lip gloss.” Again, the girl’s lips were not moving.

Chassie started walking faster and closer to people nearly bumping into them to look at their lips. Another girl walked by and Chassie heard her think, “I am so hungry already and only one day on this diet…”

Then a boy ran past Chassie who barely missed colliding into her. As he ran around her, Chassie heard him think, “Hey, watch where you’re going.” The boy’s thought even conveyed his annoyance with her.

More and more thoughts were entering Chassie’s head as she walked faster and faster past the other students. Sometimes she would walk straight up to them and stare at their mouths trying to see if they were moving their lips as she heard their thoughts. They weren’t. Chassie grabbed her head as it started to ache and turned around in circles. The thoughts were bombarding her. Was she going crazy? What in the hell was going on?

Chassie felt as if her brain was exploding because she could hear everything that the students were thinking as they hurried to class before the late bell. She kept turning around and around, holding her head as it pounded and suddenly she screamed, “STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!”

Pamela E. Cash was born in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from law school, she moved to New York where she worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn. She later returned to Chicago and is still practicing law during the day while writing about her favorite subjects at night. Pamela has always loved books and movies about science fiction. She also has a penchant for stories about supernatural or paranormal abilities with a suspenseful or mysterious edge.

Get to know Pamela:

1. How did you get interested in writing about the supernatural?

I used to sneak into my older brother’s room to read his Marvel and DC comic books when I was young. I loved the characters and mostly I loved that they had powers. But I also noticed that there wasn’t much diversity among the super heroes. So, I started thinking about this character that would be teenage half African American/half African girl who inherits super powers on her 16th birthday. Then I started thinking about making it even more diverse and that’s how it ended up being about 6 clans all over the world with different supernatural powers.

2. Who are the clans in the series?

The Sakombi clan from Africa, the Spencer clan from Europe, the Qiao clan from Asia, the Amaru clan from South America, the Natosapi clan from North America and the Gale clan from Australia.

3. How many books will be in the Chausiku series?

Four…at least!

4. How many books in the series have you published so far?

I’ve published two books in the series. Chausiku: The Secret Gambit Book Two is also available.

5. When will Book Three be released?

I’m planning the release for December 2013.

6. What is your favorite supernatural movie?

The Matrix!

7. What do you like to do besides write books?

I exercise a lot and I spend time with my family. I also love to go to the movies.

Find the author:

Facebook.com/chausikuseries