The holidays are over, and I’m glad to be staying home until the end of February when I’ll go to a book fest. We traveled a good bit from Thanksgiving until the end of December, and my suitcase needs a break! Yesterday was spent taking down Christmas decorations and buying a new microwave. The old one still worked, but was falling apart a piece at a time, and I’m pretty sure the radiation inside was escaping and eating away at my brain cells. That just can’t be good.
Upon the recommedation of several friends, and also because my book club was
going, hubby and I saw Knives Out over the weekend. It was fabulous! I was always a Miami Vice fan, so it was good to see Don Johnson again. And Daniel Craig with a southern accent? Doing comedy? Totally worth it. If you haven’t seen it, we highly recommend it.
Subject A36 releases February 13th, so every Monday and some Fridays until then, I’ll be promoting it with an excerpt, graphics, or maybe a giveaway. Today I’m featuring an excerpt from the first chapter. Paperback pre-orders are available HERE. Ebook pre-orders should be available soon. I’ll keep you updated.
“Asher!” Mom gripped the porch railing and called for me. Her voice cracked and was laced with tears. Dad vaulted over the porch railing, landed solidly on the grass, and frantically scanned our expansive yard.
My stomach clenched. Something was very wrong. “Over here!”
Dad’s gaze locked on mine. “Code Exodus! Now, Asher. Run!”
Was this another drill? We’d practiced twice a week, the times always unexpected, without fail for as long as I could remember. Drills were a regular part of our life, like eating, sleeping, and homework. Protocol was pounded into our brains. There could be no hesitation.
But this felt different. Dad’s expression was tight and urgent. Tears streamed down Mom’s face, and I knew. This was no drill. It was real this time. We’d been found. Code Tribe—we leave together. Code Exodus—we leave without our parents.
Code Exodus rules.
Find Cami and Elsa.
Grab the backpack.
Leave immediately.
Don’t stop for anything or anyone.
Run to the Wallaces.
When my sisters could no longer keep up, hide them and keep running.
A Ghost in the Kitchen by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene
