Time is Running Out

Chapter 2

Once in the car, Kara felt her hands start to shake and her mouth went dry. What had she done? She now had one week to write a whole book in a genre she forgot existed until two hours ago. She needed this to work. 4 years without a new book, she was running out of income from her bestsellers. She needed the money, not to mention a new laptop. Kara picked up her phone and dialed the one number she knew could calm her down.

"Hello KarBear" Kara smiled.

"Hey mum." She pulled out of the parking lot and headed home.

"How'd the meeting go with Sadie?" Kara sighed.

"Um, well, it went I guess. I might have just made a big mistake."

"I'm sure it's nothing you and I can't fix. Tell me what happened." Kara took a deep breath, before spilling all the details of the meeting. By the end, she was fully panicking, and debated calling Sadie and telling her to forget the whole thing.

"I don't think I can do this mum. I only have one week. What was I thinking? I've never even read a murder mystery book before, how am I supposed to write one?"

"Answer this for me. Why do you suddenly want to write something different?" Kara thought about it, staring at the red light, waiting for green. Why did she suddenly want to write something filled with fear and death instead of the romance she spent her life obsessed with?

"I just couldn't do it anymore. I stared at my screen and couldn't think of anything. All I could think of was how alone I felt."

"That makes sense."

"I just feel like I'm pretending. All these other romance writers are happily in love and I have no one. I just need a change."

"Then it sounds to me like you're making a good decision for yourself. Not everyone is going to like the change. But you have to remember it's not about them. It's about you and doing what makes you happy. And I'll support you no matter what." Kara smiled. Hearing that her mom was behind whatever decision she made was exactly what she needed.

"Thanks mum. I needed that."

"Anytime. Tell you what. Why don't you come take the keys and head up to the cabin for the week? Get some fresh air and a change of scenery to clear your head." Kara perked up as she pulled into her driveway.

"Really? Mum, you're the best! When is a good time for me to come? I want to get started right away."

"I'm headed to work in about two hours so anytime before then is good."

"Okay!" Kara hopped out of the car and ran to her door to go pack. "I just got home so I'll quickly pack up and head over. I'll let you know when I'm on my way."

"Okay sweetie, I'll see you then. I love you."

"I love you too momma."

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The drive to the cabin was always Kara's favorite. Watching all the houses turn to fields, and the fields turn to trees as she got closer and closer. In the winter after the first snowfall, the trees would sparkle like a little girl's christmas dress. Her memories of going up to the cabin every weekend her dad wasn't deployed. It was like their special getaway, where nothing could interrupt them. It had always been a safe place for her, but she hadn't been there in years, not since she released her first book. After a 3 hour drive, she finally saw the driveway her dad created. Not really a driveway, just a path created by the truck they used to take up there all the time. She pulled in and parked next to the wooden structure that was going to be her home for the next week. She got out and looked around, smelling the air, and allowing all the memories to soak in. After a while, she reached into her trunk and grabbed her suitcase. She unlocked the front door and stepped inside. It hadn't changed at all. She walked back to her old room and laid her stuff on the bed before pulling out her laptop and heading out to the kitchen. Her mom came up here all the time, so there was always food. Always coffee. She set her laptop on the counter and headed to make some. Opening up the cabinet, the smell of caramel espresso filled her nostrils and she set about making a cup of steaming energy. Satisfied, she sat down and opened a new document.