Loss

Jackie Morse Kessler’s Riders of the Apocalypse series follows teens who are transformed into the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The third book in the Riders of the Apocalypse series, Loss, is about a bullied teenager who's tricked into becoming Pestilence, a Rider of the Apocalypse, and finds himself with the power to infect people with diseases. Fifteen-year-old Billy Ballard is the kid that everyone picks on. But things change drastically when Death tells Billy he must stand in as Pestilence, the White Rider of the Apocalypse. Now armed with a Bow that allows him to strike with disease from a distance, Billy lashes out at his tormentors...and accidentally causes an outbreak of meningitis. Horrified by his actions, Billy begs Death to take back the Bow. For that to happen, says Death, Billy must track down the real White Rider, and stop him from unleashing something awful on humanity—something that could make the Black Plague look like a summer cold. Does one bullied teenager have the strength to stand his ground—and the courage to save the world? A Reluctant Antihero: Billy Ballard never wanted to hurt anyone. But when he's given the power of Pestilence, will he use it for justice, or will it turn him into a monster worse than the bullies he despises? Modern Mythology Retelling: Forget ancient scrolls. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are teenagers, and Death himself might just be a slacker guitarist with a wicked sense of humor. The Price of Power: A magical Bow can take care of high school tormentors, but it comes with a price. Billy's first act of revenge accidentally unleashes a meningitis outbreak, forcing him to confront the deadly consequences of his new role. A Deal with Death: To undo his mistake, Billy must hunt down the real White Rider. The only one who can guide him is Death, and his help might be more dangerous than the mission itself.