Bittersweet Serenity
by
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'Not too close, Dr. Reed.' Martin said. 'I'll be taking Krystyna's picture and it won't do to have you in the frame. She must appear alone.'
Logan Reed took a cautious step back, then another without taking his dark somber eyes from Martin.
Dr. Martin Braddock directed his attention solely on Krystyna, holding the remote control casually in his hand. 'Now, if you will, Krystyna, let's pretend you are a patient.'
Krystyna could barely hear the soft click of a camera. It made her increasingly nervous.
'Just be yourself. This is a perfectly painless procedure.'
Krystyna arched a brow, her expression relaying her doubt. 'Quite unlike the outcome!'
'Rumors, Krystyna, unfounded gossip.' Martin could see that Krystyna was unconvinced.
Martin took in a deep breath. 'Let's pretend you entertain a fear of . . .' He glanced at Logan. 'Heights, for example.'
At this, Logan's tall frame stiffened.
The soft click of a camera could be heard.
Conducting a lengthy series of questions, Martin continued to snap photographs of Krystyna as she responded. Soon, Krystyna found she had lost track of the soft clicks of the camera. Her awareness of this took a back seat to the actual questions, and more specifically her answers, and with each answer she formed, a vivid picture of Samuel pierced her heart. Without recognizing this fact, Krystyna became truly involved and animated.
After a time, Martin suggested that Krystyna stand, taking a few moments to stretch her legs; pace back and forth if that suited her. The camera clicked repeatedly, catching a full spectrum of emotions in her body language, in her facial expressions, and in her choice of words.
Martin caught a flash of her innocent smile. He clicked the camera as she became angry, capturing on film the fear riddled words when Martin referred to standing on a tall building, looking down, peering over the dangerous edge.
Feeling weakened and vulnerable, Krystyna sat back down opposite Martin.
He leaned very close, a wicked gleam in his emerald eyes. 'Now, let's see an expression of real fear.'
'I thought that's precisely what I've been doing.' Krystyna said.
'No Krystyna, you've given me only a subtle hint. I want to capture the real thing.' Martin paused, leaning closer still. 'Let's pretend something else entirely.'
'What?' Krystyna asked.
'You're traveling in a car, heading south on the interstate . . .'
Instantly, Krystyna became rigid, her heart pounded.
Logan watched Krystyna carefully. She gave no signal to intervene.
Martin continued. 'It's an ordinary day; California sunshine streaming in through the windshield, the car's engine is a steady drone . . .'
The first flush of panic seized Krystyna. The camera clicked.
'The oncoming traffic is drawing closer . . .'
'No!' Krystyna gripped the arms of the chair so tightly that her fingers grew numb.
'One car in particular is traveling at an excessive speed, crossing the line, swerving.'
'Stop it!' Krystyna screamed.
The camera clicked again.
Logan quickly stepped over to Martin. 'I don't like this!'
Ignoring Logan Reed, Martin pushed Krystyna to that necessary edge. 'Your father is driving, your mother is in the passenger seat; they're talking, unaware that in just moments . . .'
The camera clicked, seizing for all time the very essence of Krystyna's fear. In her thoughts she could visualize her mother and father riding in their car that last fateful day. She could imagine the other car, speeding, finally losing control, careening up and over the lane barrier, tires screeching, metal grinding. The impact of the head-on crash was a single breathless moment away.
'Please stop,' Krystyna cried, bringing her hands to cover her face.
'That's enough, Braddock!' Logan warned through clenched teeth.
Martin locked eyes with Logan. 'Yes, I believe it is. Just enough.'
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About the Book
There's a therapy clinic called SERENITY, yet it's anything but serene. SERENITY is the creation and obsession of Dr. Martin Braddock, a scientist who enlists unorthodox methods for treating phobias. He claims to be the 'Guardian of Hope' and the 'Messenger of Enlightenment' but in reality, Dr. Braddock has succeeded only in twisting the simple truths of innocent victims, and enforcing emotional terrorism.
Bittersweet Serenity, an 80,000 word mystery, commences with Krystyna Kramer-Braddock, desperate to erase her connection with the maverick scientist she once married. Nevertheless, Krystyna's demands for a divorce have resulted only in a volatile series of denials from her estranged husband. Then, quite unexpectedly, Dr. Martin Braddock is agreeable to the divorce and suspiciously eager to declare a truce. The ill-fated truce sends Krystyna traveling to a remote mountainside where she discovers sadistic experiments choreographed by the scientist, and aided by an evil cohort decidedly cut from the same ebony cloth.
It comes as no surprise that what Dr. Braddock cannot lure, finesse, or manipulate, he'll seize outright using the abundant resources available to him; family money that sometimes also serves as a backbone, and much worse, a soul.
The bottom line, Krystyna has good reason to be afraid. Regardless, Krystyna Kramer-Braddock is forced to confront the scientist as well as the shadowed side of SERENITY.
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Bittersweet Serenity was a winner in the North American Fiction Writers Awards of 1999.
About the Author
After working twenty years in the medical profession, Louetta Oney Jensen's pursuit of publication began in earnest. She has completed 4 mystery novels, and has also written two screenplays, co-authoring another screenplay adapted from the book, BITTERSWEET SERENITY, with famed Paul Lawrence, producer and writer.