by Kim Karr
My lungs start screaming for air.
That’s not all.
The room is shaking.
The earth is tilting.
The walls are closing in on me.
I’m scared.
I’m alone.
But I’m not eight and this isn’t a dark closet.
Nor is it my dark room.
No one will be coming to let me out.
“Where is the key?” he yells.
He’ll kill me once I give it to him.
Instead of answering him, I turn my head to the side and bright blue flowers fade in and out of my vision. I try to hold on to the memory of them. To Jasper. But I can’t seem to hold on any longer.
His grip is tighter.
Stronger.
There is no air left for me take in.
There’s a knocking in the distance. I think I hear my name. “Charlotte!”
Hope blossoms somewhere deep within.
“Charlotte!” It’s Jake voice.
That hope quickly diminishes when I realize the lack of air is quickly draining the life from me.
I try to scream but I can’t.
“Charlotte, open the door. Tory Worth’s body was found and Jasper’s been arrested.”
I try to process what he’s saying but his words don’t make sense. It’s as if he’s speaking in a different language.
All I know is his voice sounds frantic. Desperate. Then it’s gone.
Don’t leave me alone.
From one heartbeat to the next, everything seems blacker. Darker. I never knew that was possible.
The grip around my neck loosens, but it’s too late.
All I can do is close my eyes and accept the darkness.
Forget me not.
The End
For the adrenaline-filled conclusion of Jasper and Charlotte’s story, don’t miss:
Turn It Up
Coming soon!
ALTHOUGH I TRIED to stay true to Detroit’s financial and socioeconomic situation, I did take some liberties with facts, locations, dates, and timing.
In December of 2013, the city of Detroit officially became the largest municipality in U.S. history to enter into Chapter 9 bankruptcy. They filed for bankruptcy because they were flat broke. The city was in duress.
Before filing:
The city of Detroit owed money to more than 100,000 creditors and was facing $20 billion in debt and unfunded liabilities.
Between December 2000 and December 2013, 48 percent of the manufacturing jobs in the state of Michigan were lost.
There were approximately 78,000 abandoned homes in the city.
About one-third of Detroit’s 140 square miles was either vacant or derelict.
Sixty percent of all children in the city of Detroit were living in poverty.
Forty percent of the streetlights did not work.
Only about one-third of the ambulances were running.
The size of the police force in Detroit had been cut by about 40 percent over the past decade.
When you called the police in Detroit, it took them an average of 58 minutes to respond.
Due to budget cutbacks, most police stations in Detroit were closed to the public for sixteen hours a day.
The violent crime rate in Detroit was five times higher than the national average.
The murder rate in Detroit was eleven times higher than it was in New York City.
Cited from: www.theeconomiccollapseblog.com
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
BLOW
CRUSH
TOXIC
THE 27 CLUB
FRAYED
BLURRED
MENDED
DAZED
TORN
CONNECTED
And watch for
TURN IT UP
REVOLVER
BENT
Coming soon!
Reader * Writer * Coffee-lover * Romantic
Kim is a daydreamer. So much so that if daydreaming could be a hobby it would be her favorite. It’s how her stories are born and how they take root. An imagination that runs wild is something to be thankful for, and she is very thankful. :)
She grew up in New York and now lives in Florida with her husband and four kids. She’s always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, she wanted to teach at the college level, but that was not to be. She went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise her family. Kim currently works part-time with her husband and with the rest of her time embraces one of her biggest passions—writing.
Kim wears a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer mom, taxi driver, and the all-around go-to person of her family. However, she always finds time to read.
She likes to believe in soul mates, kindred spirits, true friends, and happily-ever-afters. She loves to drink champagne and listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.
Connect with Kim Karr
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Sign up for my newsletter: Here