Today, I thought I'd share the first chapter of Betwixt with you. Hopefully it will tickle your taste buds...
BETWIXT - CHAPTER ONE
My boots make a sharp tapping sound
as I clomp my way home. The loose gravel at the edge of the road jumps away
from my anger, skirting ahead of me then tumbling down the steep embankment.
I can't believe I'm in this
situation. How could my boyfriend be such a jerk? I cross my arms and shiver,
trying to block the last thirty minutes from my mind. What will people think? I
blink away tears as I imagine the gossip tree shaking with mirth. How am I
going to face everyone tomorrow?
I should have just given in and
done what he wanted me to. I have before.
I look up at the night sky. It is
clear and cold, the stars are brilliant with no streetlights to hinder their
glow. I'm guessing it's around midnight. I can't see my watch face in this dim
light. I can barely see two steps in front of me.
A cool wind whistles through my
clothing and I wish, yet again, that I hadn't chosen to wear a sleeveless shirt
with a plunging V-neck that left nothing to the imagination. Maybe Trent was
right. I had dressed for it.
I look down at my knee-high boots
and skinny jeans so tight they'd have to be peeled off. I suddenly feel like a
hooker. My lower lip wobbles. I can feel the melt down setting in. I struggle
to hold it together.
I'm stuck in the middle of who
knows where. I have no idea how long it's going to take me to walk home... I
don't even know which direction home is.
Trent said it would be romantic,
the best vista point he'd ever found, but it wasn't a scenic overlook. It was
just a clearing of darkness where mischief could never be discovered.
Bile swirls in my stomach.
The metal dog tags clink against my
sternum. I can feel them swinging back and forth in time with my march. I grab
them through my clothing and squeeze. I'm tempted to take them off and hurl
them into the trees beside me, but I can't. I blame them though... well not
them exactly, but the person who gave them to me.
Why had I put them on? They had
been hidden in my jewelry box for months. My fingers had brushed over them as I
was searching for my hoop earrings and I'd been compelled to slip them over my
head and stuff them beneath my shirt. If I hadn't put them on, I wouldn't have
thought of him and if he hadn’t been swimming around in the back of my brain, I
wouldn't be in this situation.
Dale Finnigan.
Dale Finnigan and his "you
should know better look" had a lot to answer for tonight. I hitch my bag
higher onto my shoulder. My march is getting faster and the need to be out of here
burns. I start the long descent down the winding road, my mind playing tricks
with me.
Maybe you should call, Dale.
I grimace.
You know he'd come and collect you.
"No he wouldn't," I say
to the air. "He hates me."
I frown.
Scarface.
The word sends a shudder through my
system and I slam the door on my brain. It can just shut up right now.
I won't be calling Dale.
I reach into my bag and fish around
for my phone. I stop in my tracks to have a better look, but with no light, the
endeavour is hopeless. It looks like I won't be calling anyone. I grit my teeth
and keep walking, picking up my pace as I round the corner. The wind whistles
through my clothing again and I shiver. I should stop and put my jacket on, but
I don't want to. If I just keep walking I won't have to stop and really analyze
the crap I'm in.
My brain doesn't play fair and I
analyze it anyway.
It's Tuesday night. Most normal
sixteen year olds would be home in their beds having done their homework,
watched a little TV, and said goodnight to their parents, but not me, right? I
always have to do things differently.
I can feel my mouth pinching into a
tight line as the simplicity and bliss of that kind of life feels a million
miles away.
I shake my head.
"What am I talking about? My
life rocks." I say the last word way too loud as I continue to convince
myself. "I have just been at study group."
I laugh. Why did we even call it
that? We never studied. It was basically Tuesday night party time. Matt's
parents were out of town, so we had blasted the music and stood down by the
lake goofing around and laughing until our bellies ached.
I grin as I picture the scene in my
head - friends surrounding me, Trent's arm around my shoulders making me feel
safe.
I wish his arms were around me now.
I cringe.
The second part of the night had
not been so great.
I wrap my arms around myself and
squeeze, trying to eradicate the memories, the look of annoyance scouring his
perfect features, the harsh words of disgust and the sound of gravel spray as
he drove away from me.
Stupid jerk!
Who needs him?
I ignore the "you do" in
the back of my mind and sniff. Lifting my head, I pick up my pace again as I
enter a dark patch of road. The trees loom overhead and I try really hard not
to think of ghosts and demons as my breath quickens.
The distant sound of an engine
distracts me. The faint glow of headlights appear behind me and I smile. Trent
feels guilty. Yes! Man, was I going to give him hell for this.
I glance behind me and
disappointment sears my insides. The headlights are sitting way too low on the
car to be Trent's. He drives a Jeep Cherokee, this car looked more like a
sedan? Or maybe a sports car?
I toy with the idea of sticking out
my thumb as it draws near. I'm sure it would be safe enough. I'd just ask for a
lift to Big Bear Village then walk from there. No big deal. Maybe I could even
ask for a ride to L.A.. The idea of running away skirts through my brain as I
squeeze my thumb inside my fist.
It fights to break free, but I
won't let it. I even start filling my mind with every hitch hiking horror story
I can think of. That works like a charm and my thumb relaxes into submission.
The car is cruising down the hill
towards me when a sudden fear rips up my spine. I can see it swerving out of
the corner of my eye and turn to watch its erratic movements. I move to the
very edge of the road, my boots pushing piles of dirt and stone off the edge of
the embankment. My legs hit the guardrail. With eyes the size of dinner plates
I watch the car swerve. Hasn't it seen me? Doesn't it know I'm vulnerable on
the side of the road here?
I turn to make an escape, but it's
too late.
The headlights illuminate my body
for a second, before the car violently swerves away, but not before clipping me.
Pain sears through my body and I scream as I'm thrown over the guardrail.
It's like being in a tumble drier
as I roll down the hill, scratching myself on pinecones and nature's debris. My
descent comes to an abrupt end as I crash into a tree trunk. A loud crack rings
like a gun shot inside my head, rattling my brain. I roll away from the tree
with a groan and reach for my temple then scream as pain radiates up my arm. My
stomach jerks and I feel its contents shifting north. I cover my mouth, but
it's pointless.
Out of breath, I try to shift away
from my puke, but moving hurts too much. I lay back on the bumpy earth and look
up at the sky. The stars are fuzzy and shifting wildly. I blink to bring them
into focus, but that just makes it worse. I feel as though the world is falling
on top of me. As the stars and treetops come crashing down I hear a young girl
scream my name.
"NICKY!"
If you'd like to add Betwixt to your reading list, here's the link: Betwixt on Goodreads.
Keep an eye out next week for an interview with Nicole and another excerpt from the book. Thanks again for partying with me :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
