Followers by Christina Bergling
About Followers:
You never know who is on the other side of the screen.
Sidney, a single mother with a dull day job, has big dreams of becoming a full-time horror reviewer and risqué gore model. She’s determined to make her website a success, and if her growing pool of online followers is any indication, things are looking good for her Elvira-esque aspirations. In fact, Sidney has so many followers that chatting with them is getting to be a job in itself. More than a job, it might be getting a little risky….
When Sidney is attacked on a dark trail late one night, it becomes clear that the horror she loves is bleeding into her real life. She learns that real-life horror is not a game, and being stalked isn’t flattering—it’s terrifying, and it could get her killed.
Sidney—and her loved ones—are now in serious danger. This stalker isn’t just another online fan: he knows her movements, and he knows her routine. In fact, he’s right behind her… and when he gets close enough, he won’t take no for an answer.
Followers is a mystery and thriller with a strong female protagonist that blends women’s fiction with horror.
Excerpt:
Sidney seized. Despite her vigilance, her fear strangled her. Her steps ground to a stuttering halt as her eyes scraped through the darkness. The second plopping splash brought her awareness back to her flesh. By the time the branches whined and snapped, her legs had instinctively started to run toward the dim lights on her condo.
But not quick enough.
The sound moved through the darkness unimaginably fast: a second set of feet threw crunching slaps on the gravel. Small stones ricocheted out into the night. Sidney found herself clawing through the air, groping into the night, hoping it would propel her forward. Even over her own ragged gasps and banging nerves, she heard the footsteps gaining on her.
Two hands materialized out of the black behind her, seizing handfuls of her hoodie. Fingertips dug into her and yanked her from her run. Her hands splayed out into the impact as she tumbled violently to the dirt. She felt the gravel bite and scrape into her palms, felt the horrible burn as friction rubbed through layers of flesh to blood.
As she collided with the ground, a body fell on top of her. She felt the weight on her the same way she had just felt Adam on top of her. She kicked against the pressure and dug her nails in the dirt trying to scramble out from under it. Hands groped on her again, grabbing at her arms, hips, legs as she squirmed, her muscles and lungs burning painfully.
She gulped at the air but found it infected. The pungent aroma of disinfectant burned at her nostrils, practically manifesting artificial lemons on her tongue. The acidic bitterness made her choke. Tears welled in her eyes, from the panic and the burn.
She felt nothing. She only kept bringing her eyes back to her condo, her safety. Her attacker climbed her body, gripping and wriggling up her, working to pin her down. Sidney kicked her legs, thrashed wildly. Her mind was blank, primal, disconnected from her frantic flesh, detached from the attack. Distantly, she felt the rocks digging into her hip as her attacker pressed down harder on top of her.
Somewhere, beneath the flurry, her hand fought its way to her bag. Her fingertips groped through the contents until they wrapped around the handle of the empty vodka bottle. She permitted her attacker’s hands to roll her to her back. She swung her arm around with the movement to crack the bottle against them.
The heavy thunk of the collision echoed in the night. The sounds of their struggle faded into the muffled groans from the body on top of her. Her attacker’s hands released to cradle where the blow had landed. Without thought, Sidney capitalized. She heaved the bottle back up and slammed it into the form again.
Amazon
About Christina Bergling:
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