AllFreeNovel
Share Us
PROLOGUE
Ifeel disconnected as I blink.What happened?I remember talking to Jordan and Derek, hearing the secrets about a father who threw me away and forgot about me… And then it all gets really hazy.
I whimper as I turn, but can’t move my arms.
“Help me…” I rasp.
“Oh sweet summer child… no one can help you here,” comes a voice in front of me.
I blink again, trying to clear the fog over my eyes, struggling to get out of whatever is binding my arms. “Why?” I gasp.
“It’s time you remember your promise, Lennon,” she whispers.
The haze slowly lifts and I can see silver-blonde hair and blue eyes staring at me. She feels as if she’s too close and I scream. Everything feels as if it’s in fast forward mode and then slowing down.Did I get drugged again? What kind of trip am I on?
“You’re probably never going to remember this,” she says softly, pushing my hair out of my face.
Looking down, I see my arms are pinned to my sides in a white piece of clothing. My eyes try to focus on the walls behind her, but she’s so close to me, it’s hard to see. Everywhere there’s more and more stark white, and I realize there’s a pattern. Vaguely, I think this place really needs some color.
I must have said it out loud because the woman tinkles out a laugh and I can smell magnolias.
“Always so odd, the girl with the crazy mom. You’ve always been such a good girl though, whatever happened?”
Wait… I know that voice.Sounds are too quiet, yet too loud, and I feel as if I’m losing the plot.How do I know that phrase anyway?
“Mom,” I cry out, finally able to string together a thought.Why is it so hard to think?
“Yes, dear old dead mom. Gorgeous looks are forever, and it seems crazy runs in the family though. I’m looking forward to playing in your head, and making a right mess of your life. It only seems right when your being born took your father away from us,” she muses.
Mom steps back and I can see the walls are padded and I’m strapped securely into… is this what a straightjacket feels like?!
“Be ready to get comfortable in your new home, pretty girl,” she murmurs. “As long as you see and hear a dead woman, no one will believe you’re not supposed to be here.”
Tears flow unbidden as I listen to her. I have always been terrified of this moment and my head is killing me. I moan as a piercing noise tries to break my brain.
“Time for a little therapy,” Mom’s ghost grins evilly.
I can’t cover my ears because I still can’t move my arms, and the sounds of screaming echo in my room. I slump over right where I am, hiding my face in my curled up legs. I’ve always been strong, solved my own problems, but I can’t get out of this one.
Help.I whisper the names of my loves to myself, hoping my mind hasn’t made them up too.Turner. Roark. Derek. Please be real. Come find me.
ROARK
I’m losing my everloving God damn mind. I burst out of the stadium, feeling as if I’m reliving my worst nightmare.
“Lenny,” I yell, panic clawing at me.
Jordan follows me, flustered. “She only went out to get some air, Roark. She couldn’t have gone far.”
“No, no you don’t understand. Lenny had a stalker or something. I can’t help but feel like this is deja vu right now. Where could she have gone? She was just talking to you, wasn’t she?” I rasp. My hands begin to shake and I fist them to hide it.
I feel out of control, and I only left Lenny to talk to Derek because I trusted him to watch out for her. He seemed to need privacy, but damn, I wish I had insisted on waiting with her.
I turn my head and Jordan looks uncomfortable. Possibly guilty?
Wanting to get to the bottom of whatever this is, I growl as I walk. “What did Derek want to talk about, Jordan? Do you know if he followed my girl out?”
I’m a possessive asshole right now, and I need eyes on her. I can’t go through what I did when she disappeared; drugged and alone in Seattle, again. This is our first time in this city, and I feel helpless.
