Crossing the Line

Mike Haszto

Description

This suspense thriller follows the recent life of Jimmy, a long time morning deejay in Saginaw, Michigan who has recently lost his wife, Ashley, to a gruesome death while vacationing with her circle of friends in Jamaica. With no information to utilize and as a Senior Citizen possessing a strong feeling that life has passed him by, he sets out to uncover the details of Ashley's death. His challenges are numerous, his perseverance strong...to a point. And what's the meaning of this white line that enters his life? Take the rollercoaster with Jimmy and uncover the results...maybe...maybe not.

Sujets

• Thrillers
• Suspenso
• Crossing the Line
• Novel
• Suspense
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse
• Date de parution: 18 avril 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9798823006446
• Langue: English

Extrait

CROSSING THE LINE
 
 
 
 
MIKE HASZTO
 
 
 

 
 
AuthorHouse™
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
Phone: [phone]
 
 
 
 
© 2023 Mike Haszto. All rights reserved.
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
 
Published by AuthorHouse 04/14/2023
 
ISBN: 979-8-8230-0645-3 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-0644-6 (e)
 
 
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Contents
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
About the Author
List of Books Published
Foreword
How the world has changed, how society has changed. The gaps between each generation continues to grow and expand, just as the gaps in many aspects of society has as well.
I remember the gaps when I was younger between myself and my grandparents, a much simpler time indeed. In fact, that was when the ‘generation gap’ phrase was invented, most definitely laughable in this day and age. Groups of people made fun of the late 1960’s and 70’s back then, saying how time passed them by…that they didn’t understand the ‘new generation’ and such. Technology and inventions and society etc etc.
Funny thing happened on the way to the 2020’s…the decade of excess in the 80’s and everything since…inventions and technologies that centered on luxury and not necessity in general. While computers can be argued a necessity, internet and cell phones and cable/satellite television yadda yadda are all nothing but luxuries…
Throw in the weeping willow culture changes of the 2020’s including the Covid period, and the gap between relations of kids and grandparents are light years different, not just canyons apart. Used to be asked what side of the fence one was on…
Now it’s what side of the canyon…
This is a story about such a difference, our cruel society and how Seniors can realistically feel that they no longer belong in the current world. Sad but true.
Ever get frustrated by technology? Politics? Culture? The weeping willow syndrome? Woke? Cancel? How education in school is vastly different? Humanity is failing life? Congrats on your realization.
I’m one of them.
Chapter 1
Life is awesome...until you cross the line...
Jimmy stood slouched, then staggered, as he found himself wiping away the drizzle that tickled his cheeks in the soft breeze. The sunshine was most definitely ironic for such a day and this particular occasion.
“God, I should have done more for her” he mumbled to himself. “All she ever wanted was acceptance and intimacy. I should have done more...”
His guilt pounded him like the veins in both of his temples. As he staggered, he felt himself...his physical strength...begin to wear him down.
Jimmy took this particularly hard. He knew what life was like for her for he knew what life was like for him. Though two entirely different people, they were so similar. They complemented each other like no one else could. To say that everyone has a partner somewhere in life, these two were so much more. And they were blessed with a lifetime...well at least...hers.
The hurt ran intense and consistent...from the terrible pounding in his head straight down through his heart. Somewhere between those two points were an overwhelming emptiness in his soul.
The drizzle continued.
Jimmy let time pass as he stared in front of him, fixated on a yellow flowery bush at the end of his stare.
Ashley loved flowery bushes. She loved the color yellow. Jimmy knew deep down she would have loved that bush. He felt her presence briefly as he stared at that plant. Then...
“I should have seen the signs” he mumbled, choking on his words, “Why didn’t I see the signs?”
He suddenly felt a rush of warmth on his face that gradually expanded throughout his body. Unusual for Clifford, Michigan at this time of the year, the sunshine was intense, and with that warmth came a feeling of satisfaction, of peace, and finally happiness. He managed a small smile during the rush of warmth, attaching it to Ashley, whom he had known since his childhood days. He could feel Ashley inside him, he could feel her touch onto him, he could see Ashley’s face and her smile brought on the peace and the happiness.
Yet behind all of those strong surface emotions, there were others tugging at him. They were almost as strong as the feelings he possessed with Ashley right now, still, they were indeed almost as strong.
Emptiness, of heart and soul, tugged mightily...for she was no longer standing physically by his side, but freshly lying in a wooden coffin now buried six feet into the Clifford countryside.
The tug of war began...
The first such tug was thinking of her, reaching out and feeling her, and seeing that effervescent smile, eyes glistening like diamonds in snow. The reminisce was on...and positiveness abounded. The blanketed feeling lasted quite a few minutes, though it would never last long enough for him.
It wasn’t always this way with them, though in their minds, they would say otherwise.
Jimmy was always her reluctant hero. Timing is everything is how the cliché goes. And although Jim has managed to find himself in an unending cycle of controversial situations since childhood, his timing and persistence in using his common sense has always resulted in him moving forward with the best possible outcomes. We’re not talking financial windfalls for heaven’s sake, anything like that. We’re talking about life in general and affairs of the heart. One could classify it as always making something positive out of a negative. That Is his knack...that truly is his gift in life.
Though today, this could prove most challenging.
In an ever changing world that he no longer feels a part of, another thought disturbed his positive stream of life. This one gripped him and wouldn’t let go.
“What’s left for me?” he lamented with the sudden change of emotion. “Ashley, what’s left? Tell me. Show me. Please. Be with me.”
Of course, Ashley would not answer vocally. He felt no answer, physically, mentally, spiritually. The grip of emotion tightened more on him. The precipitation from his eyes became more heavy in volume and much more intense. He shuddered for a moment, losing control of his slouched body. That shuddering stunned him.
“Ashley, I just felt you inside me moments ago. Where did you go? Where are you? Ash, where are you? I need to feel you again...please, Ashley, please...”
That second tug of emotions was pathetically strong and wouldn’t let go.
The intense sunshine lightened as a cumulus cloud floated overhead looking like a puffed marshmallow. The temperature dropped at least five degrees as the chilling breeze cropped up again.
With the latest emotion gripping him to the near point of suffocation, he took the aura around him as a sign that Ashley had left him...for good.
His body shuddered again.
Sadness consumed him and as he stood there staring at the newly filled eternal home of his lifelong partner. He lost sight of the flowery bush, the shine and glow that once was became dulled underneath the marshmallow clouds. He then lost himself in that mound of fresh dirt and green carpet, Ashley’s new front door.
For once in his sixty some years, a white line materialized in front of him. He continued to stare into it, feeling helpless and empty. The line stared back at him, nary a move from it.
Enveloped in the prolonged moment, he could feel his breathing slow down to a crawl. The drizzle from his eyes became steady streams and he could sharply feel the streams at times leap from his cheeks, as well as decline down those cheeks to the collar of his shirt, which in turn spurred mysterious chills throughout his slouched body. The body shudders bothered him, though he could do nothing to halt them.
There were no thoughts. Ashley was not present, therefore there were no other manageable thoughts or surroundings. Simply, that white line was the only thing present in his recognizable sight.
The moment seemed to last forever to him.
There was another round of shudders. Jimmy was mesmerized by that white line...yet again, he could manage no thoughts or analysis about it. The white line made him powerless.
Then...
“Jim, how are you holding up my friend?” asked Mike as he approached. “Man, this was so unexpected. But then again, who would ever expect something like this? If you need anything...ANYTHING...please let me know.”
Mike reached out and took Jimmy’s hand. They then embraced.
Unfortunately for Jim, Mike’s approach didn’t break the deepness of his bleak mood, a mood that he wasn’t accustomed to.
“Thanks, Mike. Thanks for being here. We’ll definitely be spending time together...maybe come about seven o’clock tonight? Maybe get some dinner?” answered Jimmy.
“I’d like that” replie