Saturday, February 16, 2013

Sweet Saturday Sample - February 16, 2013

 


Since Truth is releasing in 10 days, over the next week and a half I'm going to share some excerpts from Finding Anna books 1, 2, and 3. Enjoy! :)

A piercing scream tore me from sleep. Throwing the covers off, I ran to Brianna's room to find her huddled against the headboard of her bed, looking wild with fright. Her hands were twisted in her hair, tangling it. At first she didn't seem to notice me in the dim light from the window, but when she did, she closed her eyes, tilted her head down, and began to shake.

Slowly, I walked toward her. I didn't want to frighten her more, but I felt I needed to do something. Brianna was my responsibility. She was in a strange place, alone. Although I was a stranger, I was all she had at the moment.

By the time I reached the end of her bed, she was moving. I hesitated. She nearly tripped over herself as she scrambled to the floor kneeling in front of me. 

Her name was on the tip of my tongue when she started jerking. I bent down, concerned she was having another episode, and reached out to grasp her by the shoulders. Her eyes were closed tight, and she looked like she was in pain. Scooping her up, I carried her to the bathroom and set her down by the toilet. I lifted the toilet seat and pulled her hair back. She bent over and let loose, but nothing came out. Her stomach was empty. All she had were dry heaves.

Once she calmed, I got two washcloths from the rack. After running them under cold water, I took them to Brianna. She hadn't moved, not that I'd really expected her to. Her body was unnaturally still, her eyes cast to the floor as I washed her face.

When I was finished I tossed the dirty cloth into the sink and turned back to her. Again, she looked like she was about ready to cry. 

I carried her back to her bed. 

Placing her on the on the rumpled covers, I brushed her hair back and placed the fresh washcloth on her forehead. Her eyes flicked to my face, then closed as she tensed.

She acted as if she was waiting for me to molest her. The fact that she thought I would do so when she was obviously unwell made me wonder just what horrors she'd undergone living with Ian Pierce.

Without another word, I stepped away and settled into the chair in the corner of the room. I'd use the chair for various reasons in the past, but a bed had never been one of them before tonight.

As I leaned back, trying to get comfortable, I watched her still form on the bed, letting myself study her. Her delicate features were silhouetted against the lights of the city coming through the window. It gave the illusion of a peace that wasn't present. She was a mystery. I had no idea of her past. Beyond her time with Ian, and even that was sketchy. Who was she before? Was this a life she chose that went horribly wrong or something worse?
 
 
 

1 comment: