Cliff Hanger Saturday is a place where you can post your favorite "cliff hangers" of all time or just good writing at the end of the scene. (if not your own work, please give credit to the author and the book.) We all know, a scene should not end with anyone going to sleep. YAWN. But sometimes we see this. If the characters go to sleep, so do we.
So share favorites or write one here.
I have been posting excerpts for advertising and Rogue Phoenix Press. If you are writing an excerpt for something make sure that excerpt ends making the reader turn the page and read on. Do we want the reader up all night? Of course we do!
From Everlasting Love
Cliff Hanger
Driving Kevin’s truck reminded her
of learning to drive on her uncle’s farm. The old truck had more rust than
paint and rattled as she drove along the rutted dirt farm roads.
Kevin’s pickup ran a lot smoother
and looked newer than her family’s truck but like that pickup his didn’t have
power steering. She pulled on the wheel and turned the vehicle toward the
freeway ramp.
Picking up speed, she merged onto
highway 84 driving west. She drove the route for the last year and a half and
now she could drive it with her eyes closed. As usual traffic was heavy this
time of morning. Following an older model sedan moving slowly, she was forced
to press down on the brake pedal. Miranda pressed the pedal halfway down, on
the second pump the pedal dropped to the floor with no resistance. When she
realized how slow the car in front of her was traveling and how fast the truck
was going, she pressed on the brakes again. When the pickup didn’t react, she
quickly changed lanes barely missing the back bumper of the car.
Stay calm. Stay calm. Within a flash she tried to
remember all the driving tips everyone had ever given her. Slow down the
engine. She pushed down on the clutch and down shifted to a lower gear. The
pickup lurched forward, causing the seatbelt to pull tight across her chest.
Her bagged lunch and purse crashed to the floorboard. The engine revved really
loud as the vehicle started to slow down, as did the engine speed.
Again she pushed down the clutch and
shifted to a lower gear. This time the lurching was sharper than before. A
sharp pain shot through her neck. She wanted to rub the stabbing pain, but knew
she couldn’t take her hand off the wheel.
Moving the truck back to the slow
lane, Miranda down shifted until the truck slowed to a reasonable speed. She
prayed she could stop the truck with minimal damage to herself and Kevin’s
vehicle.
Everlasting
Love
Prologue
In a small town he had to be cautious.
Driving too close to his intended victim would be obvious. He’d lagged back
allowing more distance between his car and the one in front of him. When
several vehicles exited the highway, he hung back even farther. His prey was no
longer insight but he knew the Chevy was still there. He gripped the steering
wheel tighter and tried to be patient.
As the city gave way to the
mountainous forest, he saw his opportunity; pressing on the accelerator he
started to close the space between them. Now, in this isolated wildness, he
needed to move in for the kill.
No one would find a body or the
missing vehicle for some time. This was the perfect set up. No witnesses. No
surveillance cameras. For once and all, he could loosen the chain around his
neck and live a carefree life again.
He sped up and still no sign of the
other tail lights. The driver must have turned off to another road. He’d passed
countless side roads since entering the highway. Finding which road the other
vehicle used would be impossible.
He wiped his hand across the back of
his neck. Pulling over to the side of the road, gravel crunched beneath his
tires. He pounded his fist on the steering wheel. He’d quit his search for now.
He’d find his victim another time. Then he’d free himself from his burden.
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