I was so young and so naïve. I should have known better, I should have listened, but I didn't and now we have to run.
All because of me.
~~~
Everyone makes mistakes, it's normal. But for Ember Rose, one mistake leads to the destruction of her whole life.
At age 14, she breaks up with her abusive older boyfriend and he does not take it well. He kidnaps her and holds her hostage for weeks, beating and raping her in the process. When she's found, her and her family run with the help of the police and the witness protection program.
It's been years already, but lately they're being found more and more often which means someone is leaking their location. So they move again. This time, only their agent Derek knows where they are. This time, they're in the middle of nowhere, a small town in Georgia. Ember's mom and sister fall in love with the small town and their new gorgeous small house but she knows better. She won't rest or get attached until he's found.
Nevertheless, people grow on you, even places do and after a while all you want is to be a normal teenager without problems. But there is a problem: he's always watching and no one will ever be safe until he is caught.
When Jane Madarang's neighbor Natalie kills herself and leaves behind cryptic instructions, it's up to Jane and her classmates to unearth deadly secrets.
*****
Natalie Driscoll is dead.
She threw herself out a window and left her neighbor Jane to unravel their town's darkest secrets. Following Natalie's instructions leads Jane to three other high school students who all have something to hide. The four of them must carry out Natalie's final errand while solving the mysteries written in her diary. But the secrets they unearth may be far more dangerous than what they ever imagined.
Content and/or trigger warning: This story contains scenes of suicide, violence and murder that may be triggering for some readers.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]