new novel excerpt

Introduction
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The voices around me were carried away by the wind; silence replacing them.  I looked around the room at strangers, all of whom wore blank stares across their faces.  My heavy breathing seemed to keep a steady rhythm, holding the only sanity I had left in the knowledge that at least I could control my breathing.  In, out, inhale and exhale, yep I was in control.  Everything else was taken away from me though; I was strapped to a platform that held both of my wrists down in a fastened belt, my thighs and torso were strapped down by the same kind of material, but had a strange twist, they would give an electric shock to any sudden movement that escaped my body.  I was helpless, there was no way I could get out of here by myself, but there was nothing to return to anyhow.  All my family, my mother, father, and daughter had all been murdered.  My baby girl, Carrie, never had a chance in this world, she never got to take her first steps, say her first word, all because I couldn't protect her.  I could feel the aching in my left temple return, and the sobs in the back of my throat were contracting again.


Chapter 1
The air always feels thinner on the top of a mountain.  As I walk across the rickety bridge, the urge to look down consumes me; my eyes flicker and the rushing water under my feet stares back at me.  If I were to drop from this height, I would not die on impact, but the current would surely drown me.  I can't hesitate, I need to cross and as steadily as possible.  There is nothing else in this world that calms me the way that hiking does.  When I am on the trail, I am alone, and I am at peace, separated from anything that distracts me from my free thoughts.  I look forward to the journey ahead, a little risk here and there and ultimately, the serenity that fills me when I can look back at the progress I made, the hours that led to my destination.  It isn't that I hate being around people, quite the opposite, but being in my own place, where I can let myself wonder, mentally and physically, is something I would not trade for the world.  It is something that keeps me sane, to step away from the world and discover myself, the different parts that are shadowed by bills, and work and everything else that makes up everyday life.  As I inch closer to the safety of the end of the bridge, a weight lifts off of my chest, and I can breathe again.  I feel the shuffle of the dirt under my sneakers, and push off the bridge with the feeling that I conquered yet another fear, and am moving on with my life.

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The rest of the hike was uneventful, the sky transformed before my eyes, and the wind carried all noise away from me to other horizons.  I finished the trail with the satisfaction that always reaches me at the end, giving me motivation to come back next time, trying another path.  I find the parking lot and edge into my car, feeling the blazing heat emitting from the leather seats.  I begin driving down the street when it finally catches my attention; a bright pink sticky note is hanging from the dashboard.  I grab the note, feeling a sudden pang in my chest, realizing that someone had broken into my car.  The sticky note is blank, I don't understand why someone would just leave this here.  I flip the note over and I see a silhouette of a bird sketched on it, the bird was holding something in it's beak, maybe a scroll, I couldn't make out the faded object.  I ran my fingers over the sketch absentmindedly, tracing the carefully traced outline.  Then, it hit me.  I realized what was off about the sketch, it wasn't a sketch at all, it was a stamp, and not just any stamp, it looked like some sort of family crest.

The car ride home was almost a dream, everything was a blur and I could barely remember how I got home.  All my mind could focus on was that little pink note.  Why would someone break into my car, leave everything, and leave me this blurred picture.  It had to be some kind of prank, did I remember to lock the car when I started my hike?  Yes of course I did, but how did they get in, without setting the alarm off?  I certainly am not educated on the science of lock picking or car jacking, but I feel like there should be some evidence of damage.  What was even the point of leaving a note, was it to freak me out so I would be paranoid all day, because it was working.  When I finally pulled into the driveway, I was so distracted that I didn't even notice the front door was wide open until I walked up the porch steps and heard an earsplitting chirping noise.

A thousand splendid suns

This book changed my views on the Middle East and how women are treated.  Before I read this book, I had an idea of what life was like in middle east, but I did not have any sympathy for the people there.  Reading this novel about a two women who endure the oppression during the Taliban Regime opened my eyes to the true brutality that their society entailed.  Sharia law completely dehumanized these women and it is despicable how the women are not protected by the law from domestic violence.