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About Awakening by Poppy Williams
Title: Awakening
Author: Poppy Williams
Series: The Zoe Dixon Saga #1
Genre: Young Adult Thriller, Suspense
Every Hero Has a Beginning
Raised by parents who work deep within the U.S. intelligence agency, Zoe Dixon has picked up a few skills along the way.
When her family moves to a new town, Zoe thinks it’s business as usual. But that all changes when a student turns up dead at her new school. Now, after years of keeping a low profile, Zoe has to decide whether she’ll step out of the shadows and use her skills for good.
As she digs deeper, she’ll uncover shocking truths that will change the course of her life forever.
Awakening is book one in the Zoe Dixon Saga. Fans of Marvel’s Black Widow, J.J. Abrams Alias, and Hit-Girl from Kick-Ass, will love this young adult action-packed suspense thriller.
Excerpt from Awakening
© 2021
Poppy Williams
Zoe quickly washed her face and laced up her shoes before heading down the stairs. She turned right, passing the den, and made her way towards the door underneath the stairs. It was made of solid metal. She reached out, placing her palm against the wood grain to the right side of the door. She could feel the coolness of the hidden scanner that was nestled underneath a thin layer of wood. It scanned her prints, and then a small panel slid open, revealing a keypad. Zoe’s fingers moved quickly as she typed in the eighteen-digit code from memory. The code was random, and her father changed it every three days. She heard the lock click and watched as the door slid open. She stepped in and hurried down the stairs as the door closed behind her.
At the bottom of the stairs was a short hallway that led towards the main room, where the walls and floors were covered in dark gray mats. She found Mia sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room, waiting.
“No Mom and Dad yet?” Zoe asked as she sat next to her sister.
“Still upstairs. Are you ready for this?”
“Yeah,” Zoe sighed. “I gotta admit, I was hoping we would get a break tonight.”
“Wishful thinking,” Mia said as she rocked back and forth.
“I guess you’re right. What do you think tonight’s game is going to be?”
“I don’t know but get ready to lose.”
“Yeah, right,” Zoe sneered back at her. “I think it’s going to be all about Cleveland.”
“We haven’t done that one in a while,” Mia said with a nostalgic look.
“You gonna be okay?” Zoe said with fake concern, her tone full of mocking.
Mia flung out her hand, swatting Zoe’s arm. “Ha ha. I’m more than okay.”
“We’ll see,” Zoe said.
Carl and Sofia Dixon entered the room, each carrying a set of thick metal chains. Zoe glanced at Mia as if to say, I told you so, as the girls stood.
“Zoe to the right,” their mom called out in a no-nonsense voice. Both girls moved towards the one section of wall not covered by mats. It was solid gray brick. Towards the middle of the wall embedded in the brick were several thick steel rings. Zoe sat on the floor directly underneath one of the rings, pressing her back against the icy wall.
“Hands up,” her mom said. Zoe lifted her hands and waited while her mother chained her to the wall.
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About Poppy Williams
Poppy grew up in Cleveland Ohio, where books played an enormous role in her upbringing. She started writing when she realized she had a few stories of her own to tell. When she’s not typing away at her keyboard, you’ll find her playing video games, or listening to K-Pop!
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