Aquapocalypse: The YA Paranormal Romance

Jenny is finally becoming friends—maybe more?—with Rutan, the cute guy who moved in next door two months into the high school year. He comes from another country, or maybe a part of another country that’s trying to become independent, she’s not sure. Rutan and his family have mostly kept to themselves.

But only a day after Jenny gets Rutan to walk home from high school with her at last, the governor declares a water emergency for the whole county.

Some horrible parasite might have gotten into the water supply, the authorities say. There’s no test for the parasite, and no way to cure it once it gets into your body. If you’re infected, in six days its evolutionary instinct takes over your own and you lose control of your actions. The parasite grows inside, hollowing out your body over the course of eight months as you attack and eat other people.

Jenny and her family try to go on with normal life, using bottled water and furiously boiling what comes out of the tap. Rutan proves to be a big help, sharing advice about the water shortage and folk remedies for avoiding the parasite. Rutan explains that he and his family are used to living with such problems.

As the six days tick off, the community becomes more anxious and suspicious. There are rumors of infections already breaking out, rumors of hoaxes, rumors of cures. People argue about who might already have swallowed the parasite. Jenny wonders, if I’m already infected, is it better to stay beside the people I love or to run away from them?

On day 5, Jenny hears on the news that a little-known terrorist organization has taken credit for releasing the parasite. Her father points out that the group’s spokesman sounds a lot like Rutan. Jenny scolds him for implying something horrible, even though she noticed the accent herself.

That night, Jenny starts to wonder about the political arguments she’s heard at Rutan’s house, the family religious rituals she thought were exciting and fresh. Could Rutan and his family really have come to America to infect the water supply? But if they did, why would he give her family so much advice? Or is Rutan’s advice actually any good?

Day 6 arrives…