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From The Wreckage
Copyright © 2014 by Michele G Miller, Revised Aug 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1499621945
ISBN-10: 1499621949
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the author. Copyright infringement is against the law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner.
Cover design by: Designed by Starla
Edited by: Stacy Sanford and Samantha Eaton-Roberts
Titles by Author
From The Wreckage Series—Coming of Age Drama
FREE - From The Wreckage, book one
Out of Ruins, book two
All That Remains, book three
WEST: A From The Wreckage Novel
Into the Fire: A From The Wreckage Novel—Dani
After The Fall: A From The Wreckage Novel—Austin
The Prophecy of Tyalbrook Trilogy—YA Fantasy Romance
Never Let You Fall
Never Let You Go
Never Without You—Coming soon
The Paper Planes Series – Sweet Contemporary Romance
Co-written with Mindy Hayes
Paper Planes and Other Things We Lost (YA)
Subway Stops and the Places We Met (Adult)
Chasing Cars and the Lessons We Learned (Adult)
Individual titles
Last Call—New Adult Romance
Visit my website for updates: www.michelegmillerbooks.com
This book is dedicated to T-Town (Tuscaloosa, Alabama), Joplin, Missouri and all those who have suffered from the wrath of Mother Nature. The human spirit will always endure.
"Take away love, and our earth is a tomb"
-Robert Browning
One
"Is this on?"
Jules' eyes flick to the small television across the room as she takes her place in the faded velvet wingback chair. Her own face stares back at her from the screen, indicating the camera is indeed working. Out of habit, her hands run over her strawberry blonde hair. She twirls a curl around her finger and brushes her long bangs to the side. Satisfied with her appearance, she takes a deep breath.
"Okay, Hi," her hand lifts in a small wave. "I'm Jules Blacklin from Tyler, Texas. Oh, crap. No, I shouldn't wave."
Shimmying backward, she works to find a comfortable sitting position; her sundress catching against the velvet nap of the seat cushion. With a low sigh, she runs her hand between her skirt and the chair. Freeing the fabric, Jules adjusts the dress again and crosses her legs daintily, while stealing another glance at the television screen, checking her appearance.
She'd set up the small twenty-inch screen on a side table so she could see herself as a video camera recorded her story. Although now the camera makes her more uneasy. Sitting here, watching herself speak to nobody makes her question her sanity. It feels like something a crazy person would do.
With a thoughtful eye, she watches herself lean forward and rest her elbow on the armrest. She goes with the pose; it makes her look studious.
"Okay, yeah. . . That's good," she speaks aloud.
With a demure nod of her head, she begins again.
"Hi. My name is Jules Blacklin, Hillsdale High class of 2014. I'm making this video essay as my contribution to the class of 2014, time capsule. I . . ."
She pauses, her mind blanking out for a spell as she smiles into the lens recording her. She takes a moment, steadying her thoughts before continuing. "I want to tell you about myself. About what I've been through, and what the town of Tyler has been through. Winston Churchill once said, 'Sure I am of this, that you have only to endure to conquer.' Rest assured—I have endured. I have endured, and now I am ready to conquer."
Jules gives herself a mental high-five for remembering the quote and releases a deep breath. With her hands clasped, she leans forward in her seat. Her blue eyes stare directly into the red blinking light indicating the camera is recording.
"I'm inviting you on a journey. A journey through my senior year. Actually, if you're watching this, I'm going to ask you to be a bystander. See, I'm not making this for you. I'm recording this for the ones who didn't live, the ones I will forever be mindful of. For the ones I knew, the ones I didn't . . . and especially for the ones I loved. This is for you."
Uncrossing her legs, she leans back in the chair again; her eyes continuing to connect with the nameless faces that will someday watch this DVD. She settles back for her long story, her finger tracing the scrolling pattern across her skirt. She gathers herself, her thoughts and memories. It's a few moments—a flash of time—but for her, in her mind she sees everything. Once more, her pale gaze meets the lens and she decides where to start.
"Let's begin with your ending. The last night my life was normal. The last night we were all normal."
YOU ARE READING
From The Wreckage, book 1
Teen Fiction"In a matter of minutes on a Friday night, I lost my school, my identity, the security of my first love, the personality of my sweet fearless brother, my best friend, my town, everything as I knew it. Everything changed." "Minutes - that's all it t...
