A Farewell Treat for You

Last night, little ghosts and goblins were visiting my front porch, with the hope of walking away with their favorite treats. This is my last post on Blogger, because I have a new blog on my website at cheryldenton.com. So I’d like to give you a different kind of treat…a scary scene from my upcoming novel, Among the Ashes…

Sophie left, and Oona pulled up a chair in front of the records file cabinets. She was on the ninth drawer when she heard the back door open and bang shut. Who would be coming in at this hour?

Swiftly, she shoved the notebook into her purse and stepped into a gap between the filing cabinets and the wall. For once, she was glad that she was so small. She held her breath and listened. Her ear drums felt as if they were swelling with the effort.

She heard footsteps on the stairs, and then someone closed the filing cabinet drawer she had left open. From where she stood, it was impossible to see who was there, without giving herself away. She waited, praying for invisibility. And then, the footsteps retreated up the stairway, and the lights went off. She blinked in an effort to see in the dark.

Oona stood there with her heart pounding in her ears, wondering who had come in. Must have been the janitor, she finally decided. He lived next door, and he probably saw the light on in the basement. She heaved a sigh of relief. “Nothing to worry about,” she said to herself.

The light switch was at the top of the stairs, and there was no way she could continue working on the list without going back up and turning on the lights. The lights would alert the janitor again that someone was down there, and she preferred to let him think that he had simply forgotten to turn off the lights when he left. She decided it was best to just go home and resume in the morning.

She walked forward and bumped into something. She gasped and then reached forward with both hands. When she realized that it was just the janitor’s broom collection, she let her breath out in a whoosh. Slowly, she shuffled to the bottom of the stairs. When she had a firm grip on the handrail, she hurried up the steps and pushed open the back door.

In the next instant, a hand came over her mouth. A strong arm dragged her back inside. Oona struggled to free herself. The door banged shut.

A voice in her ear whispered, “You know, Oona, it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.”

***

What do you think will happen to Oona? Find out how she and other characters cope with the challenges of trauma, deceit, and betrayal. Among the Ashes will be available in paperback on November 19 at cheryldenton.com. An ebook version can be purchased now through Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and Smashwords.com.

Happy All Saints Day!