How many times had she thought about this moment? Death came to everyone. This much, at least, she’d known. The last few months – now almost certainly the last of her life – had taught her the breathtaking speed with which a life could end unexpectedly. Even so, had she really ever contemplated how quickly she would lose her own? Maybe she had. But it wasn’t supposed to be like this.
It would be over soon. How, she wasn’t sure yet, and she wasn’t ready to dwell on it and let the fear consume her. She didn’t want to hear herself hope that it wouldn’t hurt. And she wouldn’t think of the other one, the one already gone. The one she feared, more than she feared anything else, had taken her place.
She shifted stiffly, her legs sliding on the polished floor. Even the tiniest movement took most of her strength. She barely noticed now the thick, damp warmth pooling around her cheek as it lay flat against the floor, or the sharp twist in her skin, pulled tight by the ropes that bound her wrists. At least she imagined ropes, wound around and knotted neatly, just like she saw in the movies. There was really no way to tell what had happened when she’d closed her eyes.
Her legs were free. They lay limp and heavy on the ground, dull weight that seemed to serve no more purpose now than to tether her to the earth, but they remained unbound. She heard a voice, telling her that was important, that it was something overlooked. The voice was telling her to get up. She didn’t.
This was how it was supposed to end.
And now, at last, it was clear to her where it had started.
She has always been the one telling the story, the one who decides which character lives and which character dies. For the first time in her life, she's caught in a story she can't control.
Amelia's story does have a title, and one that's likely to change more than once, which is the reason I haven't shared it. The process of writing this novel has taken almost as many twists and turns as the story itself, probably more, and it has suffered more than once from own crisis of faith in its merit.
There's a tiny part of me that wants to keep it hidden away from sight, with only me to worry how it all ends, but a book is meant to be read, isn't it? So amidst all the countdowns to Disney (7 weeks tomorrow, in case you're wondering) and complaints about movie remakes, I would also like to share more about Amelia and the characters that populate her world.
I hope you like it (and any feedback left in the comments section is both valued and appreciated!)
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