Hope Rises Novels & Stories

~Harlow’s Point of View~ “I’ve just never seen so many different flowers,” I gush, reaching for another that smells divine. Hope has awakened more in me than I ever knew possible, and I haven’t even shifted yet. Everything is stronger, brighter. Louder. And of course…

This time, when Poppy turned around, Hope stood up, causing Poppy to yelp in surprise. Hope and Summer laughed heartily at Poppy’s shocked reaction, while Mom and Dad watched with amused smiles. “Gotcha, Poppy!” Hope stepped out from behind the couch and stood in front of Poppy. With a theatrical gesture, she extended her hand. “I’m Hope. The one and only, utterly normal, and the most level-headed member of the LEE family. Hope Ryker Lee.” “Not quite,” Summer interjected, rolling her eyes. Poppy blinked several times, staring up at the beaming Hope, who was clearly pleased with his dramatic introduction. Noticing Poppy’s lingering confusion and hesitation to shake Hope’s hand, Mommy stepped

“I’m sorry to hear that.” There was silence before she continued to speak. “My mom was in a bad car accident when I was barely twelve. And when she was in the hospital I hoped so hard she would pull through. And she didn’t. Then when I was in college, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. And again, I hoped and hoped, and I hung onto every silver lining I could. When he died, I realized that hoping was worse than not hoping. If you don’t get your hopes up, you don’t have as far to fall when you’re let down.”

She clawed at her throat, gasping for air. "I honestly prefer you don't, that would be too boring. That fire in your eyes, that rebellious spirit ... that is what drew me to you. Pray to God to protect you, try and shield your friends. I want you to rebel against me. I want you to keep hope alive and dream of a day when this collar with be broken. Hope is the belief that things will change, that even the most horrible situation will come to an end. People cling to hope because they have no choice but to believe that they can outlast their Hell or that something will happen to change all the rules of the game. But every time the sun rises on their bleak world, every time they feel the strike

Remember, I'll only choose one of you. He announced this with pride, as if proud of himself. "I hope I'm the one he chooses. What should I wish for? A luxurious car? Or maybe a house and lot? But that's two things. Maybe just a house? Or would cash be better? What do you think, Delilah?" Betty's face lit up with excitement and anticipation. I looked around and noticed that almost everyone was eager to take on Raphael's challenge and hoped to be chosen. Everyone was thrilled, except for me.

"It's really you." "Unfortunately yes. And we're wasting time. Hope burned herself out stopping the Council's assault team but they're not the only threat. There are three more organizations converging on this location. They all want Hope. They all think she's still powerful. When they discover she's not, they'll kill her. Kill all of you. Eliminate the evidence." "So what's your plan? Rescue us out of the goodness of your heart?" "I don't have a heart. Your mother surgically removed it in our marriage. But I have investment. Hope represents thirty years of research. Billions in funding. Potential beyond measure. I'm not letting that die because the Council got sloppy."

"Craig, you've looked out for Justine all these years. You're kind of like her big brother. I hope to have your blessing." I looked up. Usually simple in her style, Justine wore a pink skirt tonight—cute and lively. But inside, I was calm. "I wish you both a long, happy marriage. I hope you never let go of each other." Justine's friends suddenly appeared, popping confetti cannons over them. "Woo! Congrats to the happy couple!" One of them glanced at me, shocked. "No way, Craig. You actually crashed their wedding announcement?" Then he glanced apologetically at Justine.

Forever. "No," Echo said. Her voice was small but certain. "No. Hope is not yours. Hope deserves rest. Hope deserves peace. Hope deserves freedom from suffering. You are stealing Hope's earned rest. You are violating Hope's choice. You are imprisoning Hope against Hope's will. That is wrong. That is evil. That is unacceptable. We will free Hope. We will fight you. We will save Hope. You cannot stop us. You will not stop us. You do not own Hope. Hope is not food. Hope is being who deserves peace. We will give Hope peace. We will free Hope. We will fight you. We will save Hope."

"She's thinking loud." Aurora smiled. "Thinking loud. I like that." River got up and walked over to Hope. He crouched down. "Do you want the red one?" he asked, offering the circle Hope had rejected. Hope looked at him. She looked at the red circle. She shook her head. "Wrong light," she said seriously. River nodded. He didn't argue. He understood that things had to be in the right place. He put the red circle down and handed her a purple triangle instead.

that was seeking a new, younger host. Hope stood at the center of the spinning floor. She was no longer the ten-year-old girl who had laughed in the South. Her hair was a roiling cloud of Black-Emerald-Gold Plasma, her eyes two burning portals of Absolute, Un-Filtered Calculation. She didn't look at me with love; she looked at me with Assessment. "You have broken the hunger of the father, Mother," Hope spoke, her voice a perfect, melodic resonance that echoed the First Luna’s own frequency.