Sample Excerpt From Broken
The alarm went off, its loud shriek grating within my ears. Groaning loudly, my hand sneaks out from under the duvet and slams down on the button in hopes of turning it off and promptly missed the mark.
The clock slides off of the night table, clattering to the floor and shattering into a million pieces. Peeking out from under the covers, I slowly crawl over to the edge of the bed and stare down at the mess I’ve inadvertently made.
Broken shards of plastic are scattered in every direction. Large, small, and even some minute pieces it would take forever to find them.
As I stare at the damaged clock, I come to the realization that it sort of resembles certain aspects of my life. There were so many pieces needing to be glued together that I’d never be able to put them back together again. A slight shiver crawls down my spine as I consider the significance of what I’m seeing.
Giving myself a mental shake, I shove the bed covers aside and slide out of bed, careful not to step on the splintered pieces. Walking towards the kitchen, I grab the broom and dustpan and trudge back to my room to clean up the debris.
Satisfied with my efforts, I hurry back to the scullery and toss the pieces into the trash can. I tuck the broom and pan into a corner of the pantry, grabbing a can of instant coffee, a bag of flavored oatmeal, and the bottle of Nutella.
The door swings closed behind me as I step up to the kitchen counter and deposit the lot onto its shiny surface. Whirling about, I yank open the refrigerator and rummage about until I find what I’m looking for. Dropping a new set of ingredients beside the rest, I take a moment to run down the hall and into the bathroom to brush my teeth clean.
As I stare at the reflection in the mirror, I mull over the thoughts that have been consuming me this cold and dreary Tuesday morning. Images of the broken clock keep rising to the surface. With each one, certain parts of my life spill forth in vivid detail. The miscarriage, my walking out on Ben, Mom’s ending battle with cancer, and Luli’s suicide.
The film of the life I’d lead tumbles forth, weaving and converging as I try to make sense of everything I’m feeling. The hurt, pain, betrayal, lies, and anger – I hate feeling this way. Deep inside, I have no wish to acknowledge what I’ve locked away for so long.
Synopsis: The past is hard to bear, but sometimes, we must face it, no matter the cost.
Displeased with the life she’d led, Ellie Morgan walked away from it all in hopes of finding happiness amidst all the turmoil. She knows it’s only a matter of time before she has to face the bitter reality of the repercussions caused by her past actions.
Broken and bereft, she tumbles head first into her despair. Yet there’s always a silver lining to every cloud, a certainty she knows is there if she’ll allow herself to see it. To do that, she must let go of the past and put her ghosts to rest, once and for all.
