Preview To "risen" (chapter One)

I walked up the steps of Ender's house and knocked on the door. While I waited for an answer, I studied the door's wooden carving; memorizing every detail until it was permanently etched into my brain--whcih didn't take long, considering my memory. It was actually really pretty. I turned my attention to the doorknob, anxiously waiting for it to turn, as I played with a few strands of my long, black hair. I thought about how strange it was for my school to just give us a Tuesday off. I was having trouble deciding whether or not to te--

  Suddenly, the door started to open, and I jumped a little bit as my hand flew down to my side. Ender soon stood before me. His bright red hair that was slightly dangling on his forehead glimmered in tthe faint sunlight-crossed-moonlight. He's a few inches taller than me, so I had to look up a little, but only a slight tilt upward. His camouflage jacket is pulled tightly around him in the bitter cold of the wintery dusk. His dark blue jeans almost blend in to the dusk. The white sneakers on his feet stood out brilliantly, as did his hair. His shirt was black--most likely to keep in the heat. His hazel eyes looked at me lovingly, warming me nicely as his mouth turned into a welcoming smile. I smiled back--a real smile; not one of those fake ones I usually have to do at school or anywhere in public, really--as his figure filled the doorway, came ouside, and shut the door.

"Hey," He says.

I smile wider, "Hey."

"And what brings you here?"

I shrug, "I just wanted to see you."

He takes my hand in his, "Well, I'm glad you did. C'mon."

   Ender got in front of me and led me down the few stairs scaling down from his porch. He stopped just as our feet touched the grass. "Wait here," He says. He took his hand away from mine, turned, and walked off behind his house somewhere. I stand there wondering just what he was doing. Soon, Ender returned with his hands behind his back--most likely holding something.

He smiles widely and says, "I've got something for you."

"Ender, you didn't have t--"

He put up a hand to stop me, "I wanted to. And I've actually got two things for you."

I raise one eyebrow, "Really?"

He nods, "Really. Now close your eyes and hold out your hands--and don't open until I tell you."

   I nod vigorously as I close my eyes tightly, and hold out my hands, fully stretched open before me.

   Soon, there was something warm and fuzzy in my hands. "Don't move yet," Ender cried quickly. Slowlly, he gently pushed my arms to my chest, with the fuzzy-warm thing pressing against my shirt. I heard the sound of his feet on the ground. I waited as he pushed me gently to a different spot of the yard and turned me. I pointed my head towards the ground so when I opened my eyes, I could find out what the warm-fuzzy thing was. "Alright. You can look now," Ender eagerly said. Slowly, I opened my eyes and opened my arms, finally staring at what the fuzzy-warm thing was. I gasped. A camouflage jacket...like his. "How did you know I wanted one?" I asked him, still staring at it. "Well," Ender said," you always seemed like you've never had a jacket...and you seemed to like mine." I smiled as I pressed it too my chest once more, "It smells like you." I never looked up except right then. I gasped. My hands flew to my mouth. My jacket fell on the ground. I was too stunned to even try to catch it.