The loud knock on the door would normally have startled her, but now it sent fresh agony tearing through her skull.
“Help,” she called as loud as she could manage, hoping it was enough. “I need help.”
The door wasn’t locked and Detective Scott Howland was in the house in a matter of seconds.
“Bess,” he cried. “What happened?” Before she could even think of an answer he was talking to someone else. “I need an ambulance at 1976 Glass Street. Blunt trauma to the head, single victim.”
“Amy,” Bess said, struggling to stay conscious. “Amy was here. She escaped or…” She trailed off, not knowing how to finish the thought.
“Shhhh. Don’t worry about that now. Help is on the way,” he told her. He crouched down next to her, careful to avoid the small puddle of vomit soaking into the carpet. A chill went through Bess’s body as she felt his arm slide around her shoulders.
“No, we have to find Amy.” Staying conscious was a struggle. Her thoughts were disjointed.
“Don’t worry about Amy. Just sit tight, help is on the way.”
“Could still be here…” Bess shook her head to clear the cobwebs, but a scorching wave of nausea made her stop.
“Bess, they already found Amy. Don’t think about that now.”
“Where was… ? Okay?” Bess asked.
Detective Howland was quiet for a few seconds then he muttered, “They found the head a couple blocks from here. No body yet.”
Amelia Earhart crashed into the Pacific Ocean and drowned.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A novel can be many things. This novel in particular is a love story to all the people who supported and helped me along the way. I could not have done this without the love, friendship, support, feedback, and reassurance of the following people: Jonathan Taylor, Jamie Parkest, Josh and Tara Moyes, all the writers who’ve genuinely become friends, all the friends who’ve genuinely cared about my writing, Amelia Earhart, Max Booth III and Lori Michelle of Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing for giving this strange little book a chance—I am forever grateful. And most of all, my husband Sean who has believed in me and held my hand through all the highs and lows. Sean has been my proofreader and partner through everything, and he has all my love—always. Thank you, reader, for going on this journey with me. I hope it was fun.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessica Leonard lives in western Kentucky with her husband, son, and two dogs. Antioch is her first novel.
PRAISE FOR ANTIOCH
“Antioch is full of twists, dread, and the unsettling fog of ambiguity. You'll willingly follow Bess around her increasingly Gothic small town during a bizarre murder spree. Just watch your unsteady feet. A promising debut.”
“A realistic rendering of small-town frustrations leading to crime-solving aspirations. A young woman’s dual obsessions with Amelia Earhart and shortwave radio draw her into a mystery surrounding a missing local woman and a sadistic serial killer. For anyone who enjoys films like Zodiac, true-crime books with shocking photos in the middle, and late-night conspiracy theorizing with friends, Antioch is a freaky fun dead-end town to visit.”
IF YOU ENJOYED ANTIOCH, DON’T MISS THESE OTHER TITLES FROM PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE…
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The guys following her home are bad enough, but when Jacalyn’s Poppa comes to the rescue, things only get worse. After all, he’s been dead for six years. There’s no time to be relieved, because when she ends up back at Poppa’s new apartment, nothing feels right. The food here doesn’t taste how food should taste. The doors don’t work how doors are supposed to work. And something’s not right with Poppa. Guilt and sickness spiral Jacalyn into a nightmarish new reality of Lynchian hallucinations and grotesque body horror.
TELL ME WHAT YOU LIKE.
After a teacher receives a weirdly arousing video, his life descends into paranoia and obsession. More videos follow—each containing information no stranger could possibly know. But who’s sending them? And what do they want? The answers may destroy everything and everyone he loves.
THE PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE CATALOG
Baby Powder and Other Terrifying Substances | John C. Foster | Story Collection
Bleed | Various Authors | Anthology
Bone Saw | Patrick Lacey | Novel
Born in Blood Vol. 1 | Geroge Daniel Lea | Story Collection
Crabtown, USA:Essays & Observations | Rafael Alvarez | Essays
Dead Men | John Foster | Novel
Destroying the Tangible Issue of Reality; or, Searching for Andy Kaufmann | T. Fox Dunham | Novel
The Detained | Kristopher Triana | Novella
Gods on the Lam | Christopher David Rosales | Novel
Gory Hole | Craig Wallwork | Story Collection
The Green Kangaroos | Jessica McHugh | Novel
Invasion of the Weirdos | Andrew Hilbert | Novel
Last Dance in Phoenix | Kurt Reichenbaugh | Novel
Like Jagged Teeth | Betty Rocksteady | Novella
Live On No Evil | Jeremiah Israel | Novel
Long Distance Drunks: a Tribute to Charles Bukowski | Various Authors | Anthology
Lost Films | Various Authors | Anthology
Lost Signals | Various Authors | Anthology
Mojo Rising | Bob Pastorella | Novella
Night Roads | John Foster | Novel
Quizzleboon | John Oliver Hodges | Novel
The Ritalin Orgy | Matthew Dexter | Novel