"Absolution" - The Prologue

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So, as promised, here is the prologue for "Absolution", in it's entirety.  I'd love to hear any comments or feedback you have - either by leaving a comment here on my blog (below) or by popping back to my Facebook page and telling me there.

Absolution

By Amanda Dick

Prologue

“You cannot find peace by avoiding life.”

~ Virginia Woolf

“Eddie Vedder is a god.” Ally announced from the back seat.  “No doubt about it.”

Jack nodded at her in the rear-view mirror.  “No arguments from me.”

“I’d go along with that.” Callum agreed.

“And not only is he a god, but he has to be one of the sexiest men on the planet.” she continued.

“Good save.” Jack winked. 

“He’s the guy that chicks want, and guys want to be like.” Callum smirked.  “But I don’t blame you - if I was a chick, I’d do him.”

“Ugh.” Ally screwed up her face.  “Now I need bleach to scrub that mental image from my brain.”

“You’re welcome.”

Ally leaned forward between the seats.  “Okay – favorite song from the concert tonight.”

Jack pulled a face, thinking, his eyes on the road ahead. 

“’Jeremy’.” he decided finally.

“’Crown of Thorns’.” Callum said.  “I never got to see Mother Love Bone live so it’s the next best thing.  Although ‘Why Go’ was pretty freakin’ amazing.”

He broke into a frenzied air guitar session in the front seat, his expression rapturous.   

Jack chuckled as Callum turned back to Ally.  “Yours?”

“’Black’.” she said, without hesitation.  “With ‘Release’ a close second.”  She held up the camera, grinning.  “And I got it all on video.  Can’t wait to get home and upload it.”

Jack smiled as she screwed up her face and squealed happily, leaning back again.

“I cannot believe it’s taken so long to see them live, but tonight was worth the wait.”

“Definitely.”

“He has the sexiest voice – ever.” she sighed.

“Hello?” Callum turned around in the seat, throwing his hands up.  “Do we have to spend the entire trip home hearing about how sexy he is?  I’m sure that, given half a chance, he’d prefer to be known for his talent than his looks or his…general sexiness.”

“Jealous?” Ally asked cheekily.

“When I have all this at my fingertips?” he smirked, running his hand through his hair haughtily.  “Not a chance.  And come on - he may be sexy, and he may be a rock god, but I’m sure it’s not fun and games all the time.  I mean, he probably has those paparazzi bottom-feeders chasing him all over the world, splashing his visit to the pharmacy to buy haemorrhoid cream all over the front page – that’s gotta suck, for sure.”

Ally leaned forward from the back seat to swat him hard around the head.

“Don’t you dare drag him down to mortal level like that!” she laughed.  “I’m sure he has people to do all that stuff for him.”

“True.  He probably has people to apply the cream for him, too.”

Ally leaned forward to slap him again but he ducked out of the way at the last minute, catching a slight cuff to the ear instead.

“Quit it, you two.  Don’t make me the grown-up here.” Jack warned, grinning as he anticipated the approaching corner, taking his foot off the gas slightly. 

The road was still wet, even if the rain had stopped.  The country road had been lined with trees for the past half mile, trapping the light from the headlights, bouncing it off the undergrowth and back out onto the road again.  The effect was slightly eerie and he was grateful when the trees gave way to the open countryside again. 

“She’s vicious!” Callum insisted, rubbing his head vigorously.  “You oughtta put a leash on her.”

“Turn the music up will you?  Can’t hear it over the whiny bitching in here.”

Jack glanced at her in the rear-view mirror and she smiled back, winking wickedly.  She was in a playful mood tonight, still on a high from the concert.  He could relate - his ears were still buzzing and adrenaline hummed through his veins.  It had been worth the long drive there and back but he suddenly wished they were home already.  The ring that was tucked safely into the pocket of his jeans dug into him as a physical reminder of what lay ahead.  But first, they had to drop Callum off at his place. 

Distracting himself, he leaned over to turn the music up and Eddie Vedder’s sultry voice filled the car.  Ally swayed to the music in the back seat, eyes closed, satisfied smile on her face.  He turned his attention back to the road as they rounded the corner.  Headlights cut through the dark, directly into their path, and his heart leapt into his throat.  He knew instinctively what was about to happen mere seconds before the car hit them. 

Callum yelled something as he automatically wrenched the steering wheel away from the blinding light.  It all happened so fast, he didn’t even have time to slam on the brakes.  The impact was mind-blowing, sending a shuddering jolt throughout his entire body that seemed to shake his bones loose, turning his limbs to jelly.  Time stopped as they skidded across the road, the buzzing in his ears blocking everything else out momentarily.  Then they were upside down and plunged into darkness.  He squinted out through the windshield at a sea of dark green and black, his brain struggling to process what was happening, trying to prepare himself even though a part of him knew there was no preparing for any of this.  His fate was completely out of his hands.  He felt like he was moving simultaneously in slow-motion and fast-forward and it crossed his mind that this might be how he died.  A strange calmness washed over him as he waited for his life to flash before his eyes.

The car suddenly bounced as it left the road, ripping through a fence, the trees ahead rapidly filling the windscreen as he mentally braced himself for the impact.  He was being tossed around like a rag doll and the crazy rollercoaster ride ended as abruptly as it had begun, jolting him again, throwing a spear of pain through his shoulder and neck that momentarily left him breathless. 

And then there was silence.  Buzzing, humming, vibrating silence. 

Don't forget - "Absolution" comes out in ebook format via Amazon and Barnes & Noble in October 2013 - print run to follow.

  


~ Amanda