EXCERPT: "When It All Goes Still" by Allison Mullinax
In June we will be presenting excerpts from our wonderful books and we begin with our latest release, "When It All Goes Still", a time travel romance by Allison Mullinax.
Enjoy reading and don't forget to get a copy.
WHEN IT ALL GOES STILL by Allison Mullinax
EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 1:
I exist in the hidden spaces of the world that when seen for a moment in time, it all goes still. Today, I impatiently exist in the stagnant room #127 in front of a dying man. His cheeks are sallow and sunken. His hair is no longer black and full. His frame is brittle and weakened. Once strong and meticulous hands are now replaced with curled fingers where there is marked evidence of IV needles. His breath is quantified. He is my Great Grandfather… six times removed.
This man is skeletal in comparison to the handsome photograph I discovered rotting in the Heritage Repository, along with countless other artifacts of past generations. I spent days combing through files and albums, and Randall James Berkley Sr. was far from my first choice. I’m pissed. This assignment is pointless, and I have every intention of finding Arden when I return and letting him know I’m done with these. Out of the hundreds of ancestors to choose from, I get this piece of shit. I look at the clock, only three minutes left.
The information on Randall Berkley Sr. was virtually nonexistent. The man was alone in the world, like one might expect a lifelong alcoholic would be. He worked his hours quarantined in a tin-roofed shop behind a beaten-down trailer repairing cars. His friends and family grew exasperated with his addiction long before his liver did. As a result, he now lies here expiring alone. Except for me, the asshole sent here to watch him die, on assignment.
This is my fifth assignment this semester: Shift to an Ancestor’s Passing. Before I left, Arden explained that this mission is designed to “enrich the understanding of our ancestry while sharpening our manifestation and blending skills.” Being the fastest in ranks as an Observer, no one would be surprised to hear that it was a textbook execution in Time Shifting. It’s the blending I take issue with. I was told early on that I did not possess the appearance nor the demeanor to be a Shifter. Though I never met her, I’ve read about my mother and her traits. I have her exotic brown skin and dark hair, her green eyes that don’t seem to match my complexion. “He has too much potential to catch the eye of those in the past,” the Diagnostic Division proclaimed. Unfortunately for them, speed and stubborn determination were qualities I did possess, and I made it my goal to prove them wrong. Well, mostly wrong. I surface with perfection, I execute the task at hand, and then somewhere between the task at hand and returning, my curiosity takes hold.
His heavy lids raise, and for a moment I think that he may speak. Instead, a mucousy bark escapes from his lips, and I cringe. His hacking is like a plague on my mood, and I’m two steps from my exit when I see the old man pawing for a lukewarm cup of water placed by his bed, just out of reach. Stay in the background. Two minutes of air left flowing through his lungs, and he’s spending it pining for stale water.
BOOK INFO:
When It All Goes Still by Allison Mullinax
Time Traveler Romance
Fiery Seas Everlasting
May 15, 2018
Traveler is arrogant, rebellious, and the most skillful Observation Agent within the division. His refusal to follow the agency rules finally catches up to him and a girl witnesses him time-travel.
Johanna Martin is a witty adventurous runner recovering from the tragic loss of her parents. Confused by the dark-faced stranger and what he was doing at the local state park, she is unable to ignore the effects it has had on her.
With his life and reputation at risk, Traveler must choose... Johanna or his life?
AMAZON ~ BARNES & NOBLE ~ KOBO ~ iBOOKS
North Alabama native, Allison Mullinax, grew up in the small lake town of Guntersville, AL.
She discovered the escapism and addiction of writing at an early age. Today she remains a lover of reading, all things outdoors, and spending time with her husband and three daughters.
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