Page 2 (1/2)

Chapter One

“So, what’ll it be for dinner? Chicken or beef ramen?” Sarah Robins considered both of the Styrofoam cups of noodles she held in her hands—her last two choices for a decent ht

Thank God tomorroas payday so she could make a trip to Walmart and stock up on her staples—ramen, oatmeal, bread, peanut butter and jelly, fruit, and bottled water Those were the basics she lived on After she paid her by-the-week motel bill, she was left with around fifty dollars for all her other expenses, including groceries and toiletries

She’d spent the past five weeks budgeting herto save whatever was left after purchasing only the necessities she needed to get by on Working twenty-five hours a week for as station wasn’t ideal Neither were her swing shift hours that ht But for now, it was a desperately needed job, and she’d do whatever it took to get back on her feet so she could finally leave the city that had brought her nothing but heartache

Exhaling a deep breath and refusing to dwell on the painful memories of the past, Sarah decided on the chicken ra and put it into the sht at a second-hand store A -hot water into the raetting ready for work She pulled on a pair of orn jeans, a plain T-shirt, and sneakers Makeup was a luxury she couldn’t afford, so she washed and moisturized her face, then put her hair into a ponytail

Her storily, and she picked up her soup and sat down on the bed to eat Her motel room was small, with just a queen-sized bed, dresser, closet, and bathroom, but it was all she needed for now And even if the Sleepy Time Motel catered to a less-than-savory clientele who tended to pay for a roohts she’d spent at the horateful she had a place to lay her head every night, with a door that securely locked and bolted, until she was ready to move on

Her end goal was to o She needed to leave here, and soon, because it was just a matter of time before her possessive ex-boyfriend, Dylan, found her And there was no doubt in Sarah’s et how he’d threatened to come after her if she ever left him or if she escaped the cult-like compound where they’d lived for nearly three weeks

A shiver stole through her when she thought about where, exactly, her life had been headed and what she’d been expected to do while living in the gated coet out with just the clothes on her back and a little over fifty dollars in her pocket But she was now considered a deserter—a punishable offense according to the rules of the Sacrosanct co everything she could to start over somewhere far away

This ti and independent, without relying on aher insecurities rule her euys ere only out for the her for their own purposes, like the situation with Dylan that she’d narrowly escaped The future was all about finally putting the past, and her bad choices, behind her, and she was looking forward to a clean slate

Finished with her lanced at the clock on the dresser The bus would be at her stop in twentydusk Thelot was already alive with activity for a Tuesday night, and Sarah did her best to hold her head up high withoutany eye contact with the sleazy s or a prostitute She was thankful the bus stop was less than a block down the road, but that didn’t stop her fro her compact-size mace in her hand

Once she was settled on the bus, she relaxed for a bit, though she was always keenly aware of her surroundings, especially in this area She honestly couldn’t wait until she could leave this town and her job at Circle K, and she reht her thatit all behind