Fanfiction: Unwinding in My Eyes

Hi Hi! It’s me, LocoCoco, and I’m going to try to make a fanfiction about this book I was reading, Unwind, by Neal Shusterman. I just thought this book was AMAZING! So here ya go!

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Unwind: The process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept alive.

Someone like me, that’s all I want. I’m Ume Nephthys, age 15, and an Unwind.

My parents both wanted me to be with them, but not with the other, so they fought over me. And I eventually got tired of it, so I ran. When I had got back, I found out that they signed the papers for me to be Unwound.

Now, I’m running again, but not from my parents feud, from the Juvey-cops. Juvey-cops are the ones who bring the Unwinds to the harvest camps. The places where your… Unwound.

I had a friend named Cletis. We would always sneak off in the middle of the night and vandalize houses near by. But his father signed him over just to save himself money. I still try to convince myself that he’s still alive, but…

Now whenever I’m running, I’m always thinking about him. My parents are still trying to find me, but I think they’ve given up already. Just after two months of me hiding.

But now, I think that I will be able to live the rest of my remaining three years in safe keeping.

I was walking along a freeway out in the middle of nowhere and this truck was stopped by, “Oh, crap.” There were Juvey-cops  everywhere and I saw the truck-driver being arrested. I also saw a boy around 16. Brown eyes and hair. He looks over at me and I could see the depression swimming in his eyes. An Unwind.

Then he did something that no Unwind should do. He ran. He ran towards me. And when he got close enough, I saw he was saying something to me. “Run! To the woods!” Was he actually trying to help me? Helping me or not, I took his advice and ran.

When I got deep enough I stopped to catch my breath.

I heard the bushes rattling and I hid behind a tree. A girl around my age with brown hair and green eyes rushed out. I could tell she was an Unwind too.

Then behind her a voice called out, “Wait!” I look behind her and see that same boy, except he was carrying another boy. He had light blond hair and his eyes were closed.

“What? Who are you?” The girl asked.

I stepped out from behind the tree to listen more. “I’m Connor. But you have to help me or we’re both dead.”

He noticed me. “Who are you?”

Should I tell them my real name? “Ume.” I find myself saying it before I could stop myself.

“Ume huh? Well, would you like to help save our lives?” I nod.

When I heard the foot steps of the Juvey-cop, I started crying for help. “Help! I-I think I broke my arm!”

The cop ran over to me. “What happened?” I looked around. Both Connor and that girl were in place in the tree above the cop.

“It was that Unwind, he needed a hostage, so he-”

“I see, hold on and I’ll get him.” I smiled. He looked at me strangely.

“What?” I looked up.

“NOW!” Connor and the girl jumped down off the tree on top of the cop.

When we got away, we stopped to rest. I found out the girl’s name was Risa. Nice name. The other boy that Connor brought into the woods woke up, he said he was a tithe. Tithes are the special Unwinds that think there’re ‘chosen’. His name is Lev. I don’t really trust this guy, so I don’t let my guard down around him.

Once we’ve rested for a little, we continue to walk towards, what we thought, was a safe place to hide. I knew we were getting closer to civilization because of the rusted electrical tower and food wrappers.

“What are we going to do for food?” I look around at Connor.

“I’ve been on the run for two months. I think I can get us some food.”

When we get to a house by the edge of the woods, I walk up to the door and ring the doorbell. A tired looking 30 year-old women answers the door. “What is it?”

I disguised my voice as best I could. “Hello. I’m Sparrow and I am collecting food for my school. Could you spare some for me?”

She looked me up and down. Then she went back into her house. “I told you it won’t-” Connor shouted at me.


“Sh.” She came back out carrying a bag full of food.


“Thank you.” I walked away from the house and put the bag on the ground. “You told me what now?”


Connor stayed quiet. I looked out at the street. There was a cop car sitting there. But there was also a group of kids waiting for a bus. “Hey guys. Let pretend that we’re with that group until the cop goes away.” Risa smiled.


“You're good with this street smart stuff, aren’t ‘ya?”


I nodded. “Ya, but lets get over there first so we won’t look suspicious.”


Connor, Risa, Lev, and I walked across the street to the group of people. But before the cop could go, the bus pulled up and flashed the ‘illegal-to-cross-while-red-lights-are-flashing’ lights.


“Crap. We have to get on this bus.”


“What?” They said at the same time.


I shook my head. “The cop can’t leave and if we don’t get on the bus, he’ll know some thing’s up.”


“She’s right.” Lev said. Wow, he can talk.


“Get on.” We got on the bus and sat in the back.


“Now, we have to stay together.” I said, just above a whisper. “If just one of us gets caught, we’re all dead.” I looked out the window. “Keep your eyes peeled.”

When the bus stopped at the school we all got out and looked around. Teachers were blocking all ways to leave the grounds. “Ok, we need a plan.” I looked at Risa. “You got one?” She shook her head. I sighed.


“How about you?”


Connor smiled. “I was hoping you’d ask. This is the plan. We’ll all hide in the bathroom until the lunch period. Then maybe we can get out with the crowd.”


I nodded. “That’s good. Ok, any questions? No, ok. Lets go.”

In the bathroom, Connor was in one stall, Risa was in the one beside it, I was next to her, and Lev was in the last one. “We have to talk quietly. And only if there’s no one here. Understood?”


“Yes.”


“Mmm hmm.”


“Sure.”


The door opened. Just some girly-girls checking their hair probably. When they left Risa spoke up. “Where will we go?”


I sighed again. “I haven’t gotten that far in the plan yet.” The door opened again. “Wow, wear something better next time.” “Hey, how was that test?” “Aug, horrible.” The door opened and closed. Then finally, the bell rang. “We should switch stalls. Just in case some of the same people come in.”


“Good idea, Risa.” I was starting to trust that girl. We got out of our stalls and I went over to Lev’s. “Ok tithe. Out.” I opened the stall door…No Lev. My eyes widened. “Guys where’s-” The fire alarm cut me off. “We have to go!” I shouted over the screech of the alarm. They nodded. We ran outside the bathroom and I scanned the crowd. There were Juvey-cops. Everywhere.

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Wells? Do you like? I hope so.*Sigh* Me so glad that THAT’S over. Me try to make other one soon. BYES!XD