Hi folks! It’s time again for AusYABloggers 77 Saturday. I’m bad at posting the rules, but I thought I would treat you with them today.

1. Find a book – your current read, one close to you, whatever strikes your fancy.
2. Turn to page 77 or 77% if you are on an e-reader.
3. Find a snippet you like.
4. Share it and link back to AusYABloggers.

I thought today I would share part of one of my favourite Aus YA books from this year – Highway Bodies by Alison Evans.

In the morning everything is quiet. Sometimes I hear a car on the main road, but none on our street. The phone is still unplugged. Mum’s set up a nest on the couch, where she just sits and watches the news. She’s drunk too much coffee but I don’t want to tell her to stop. At least she doesn’t smoke anymore.

The fires went out eventually, but it took a long time. We didn’t hear any sirens, so I don’t know if it was firefighters or just regular people who did the job. Now the news broadcast is fuzzy and it says there were minor explosions in town, caused by rioters, and I feel like my skull’s been hollowed out. Because I don’t know why they’re telling us this.

In this excerpt you can really feel the lull before the storm. Things are in the process of breaking down but they aren’t there yet. What would you do in this situation? Would you bug out? Or watch it unfold on TV?

Are you participating in #77 Saturday?

Cheers,