Blackness Takes Over & Blackness Awaits (35 page)

I can hear voices coming from the door Daddy went in. I sit politely and wait as their voices get closer. I can’t make out anything they’re saying, not that I really care. The door opens and Daddy comes out alone. He puts a hand on my shoulder.

“Let’s go, Shanny,” he coos at me in his gravelly voice. I hop up from my chair and hurry toward the door. He opens the door and takes my hand in his, pulling me behind him to our waiting town car. Mr. Mike our driver is outside in front of the fountain. Mommy’s always mean to Mr. Mike, but I like him. He gives me candy and wiggles his white whiskers at me. Mr. Mike reaches in his pocket and pulls out a shiny penny. He presses it into my hand and tells me to go make a wish. I look up at Daddy who smiles, nodding at the woman spilling her water. I walk over to the edge of the fountain, close my eyes, and make my wish: Please let the Cubs win today!

“Wrigley Field, sir?” Mr. Mike asks Daddy as he starts to drive. I look at the big building we just left. It looks more like a house than an office, but Daddy told me he was here for a meeting. Now he’s taking me to a Cubs game!! We go twice a month, at least, just him and me.

“Yes,” Daddy answers as he reads some papers in his lap. I look out the window as we drive, watching the trees and houses turning into row houses and buildings. I start to get excited and bounce up and down in my seat, like I’m going to explode in anticipation of reaching the ballpark. I love going to games with Daddy. He always buys me too much food and I always get a tummy ache, we sing songs together and chant for the Cubs, he keeps score and teaches me about the game; it’s the best day. Mommy says he spoils me, and Daddy says you can’t spoil a child with love. I’m on his side. He’s so busy working all the time, but game days are just about us. I look away from the window back at him. He looks so serious, not how he usually looks before a game.

“Daddy?”

Bang!!

My body jerks violently to the side. My head hits the window, cracking the glass. The car is sliding and screeching violently, side to side. I’m screaming for Daddy to make it stop, but the car keeps sliding and now it’s flipping. I hear metal scraping and pops like fireworks going off around me. I look to find Mr. Mike, but I can’t see him. It smells like gas, there’s smoke everywhere in the car, burning my eyes and throat. Now the car is standing still, but I’m hanging on my side dangling from my seatbelt. The car is tipped over on its side.

Daddy is under me, still in his seatbelt, his window is gone and the glass is everywhere around him. He’s just laying there in all the glass. I try to get my belt undone, but it’s stuck. I wiggle and wiggle when I hear the fireworks again. I scream and try to cover myself with my arms as glass and metal are flying around me. I can’t breathe. There’s a fire in the front of the car. I’m scared! I try to yell for Daddy again, but nothing comes out. He’s not moving. I see blood, a lot of blood. I’m crying but only tears come, no sounds. I hear a voice outside the car that I don’t know, a man. He’s talking to someone. I’m trying to yell for help, but nothing comes out when I open my mouth. I see a figure standing over the space where my window used to be. I smile; he’s going to save us.

Pop, pop.

I go limp…My chest hurts…I’m sleepy.

The fireworks have stopped and I hear sirens. The fire is getting bigger. I want my Daddy. I’m cold and my arms are moving slowly, but I try one more time on my belt. I push the button and pull on the belt as hard as I can, falling on top of him as it lets me go. I curl around him and say…

I snap open my eyes, coming out of my memory. Why can’t I remember what we said to each other that day? I see the delivery guy in the reflection of the mirror that hangs above the table approaching me from behind. His eyes are dark, and he moves quickly toward me raising his hand above my head, before I have the chance to do anything…blackness takes over.

Book two in the
Blackness Series
will be released in April 2014. Please follow me at one or all of the following for updates, competitions, and possible sneak peeks:

https://www.normajeannekarlsson.com

https://twitter.com/NormaJKarlsson

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https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaJeanneKarlsson

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a violent crime please contact your local authorities. Minority groups in particular are at higher risk for being silent victims, please don’t suffer in silence. If you are unsure who to contact, call one of the national hotlines listed below and they will get you in contact with the appropriate resources.

In the United States

The National Domestic
Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
http://www.thehotline.org/

The National Sexual
Assault Hotline
1-800-656-HOPE
https://ohl.rainn.org/online/

In the United Kingdom and Ireland

English National Domestic Violence Helpline
0808 2000 247
www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk

Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline
0808 80 10 800
http://www.allwaleshelpline.org.uk/

Women’s Aid Federation (Northern Ireland)
0800 917 1414
www.womensaidni.org

Women’s Aid
(Republic of Ireland)
1800 341 900
http://www.womensaid.ie/

Scottish Women’s Aid
0800 027 1234
www.scottishwomensaid.org.uk

Men’s Advice Line
0808 801 0327
www.mensadviceline.org.uk

Broken Rainbow
(for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people)
0300 999 5428
www.broken-rainbow.org.uk

In Australia

1800RESPECT
National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service
1800 737 732
https://www.1800respect.org.au/

MensLine Australia

1300 78 99 78

http://www.mensline.org.au

In New Zealand

Women’s Refuge
(Domestic Violence Helpline)
0800 REFUGE (733 843)
https://womensrefuge.org.nz

Rape Prevention Education
09 360 4001
http://www.rpe.org.nz/

OUTLineNZ
(Supporting the rainbow community)
0800 OUTLINE (6885463)
http://www.outline.org.nz/

To my remarkable husband who has supported and challenged me in everything I’ve ever done. I have the fairy tale most aspire to and I never take it for granted. To my children, you are the light and joy in my life, even when you are trying desperately to drive me insane. To Chris, the best friend a girl could dream up. You have been my rock through writing this book and I am forever indebted to you. Thank you for the lifetime of love and support. To my mother, the non-reader, for reading my book and loving it as much as you love me. To Ellie, for designing an amazing cover and art, all the while putting up with my inability to formulate anything artistically helpful. To Gary and Caroline at BubbleCow for offering great advice and comments during the editing process. And finally to the readers, thank you for taking the time to read my book. I hope you love these characters as much as I do!!

Blackness Awaits Copyright © 2014 Norma Jeanne Karlsson

Published by It’s Publishing

Edited by Progressive Edits

Cover Design and Layout by

Ellie Bockert Augsburger

Creative Digital Studios

CreativeDigitalStudios.com

Cover Image Copyright 
© George Mayer/Dollar Photo Club

“
Nude woman with silver make-up
”

ISBN e-book:
978-0-9911873-2-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book is available in print from most online retailers.

To those that continue to fight when all seems lost.