Awaken

A Novel

Before the coma that imprisoned David Rush for fifteen years, a golden pathway to the future awaited him. Then, he was seventeen. Now at thirty-two, his dreams of youth dead, David struggles each day to cope in a world that has passed him by. Not only is Davids own reflection that of a stranger, but everyone he knew pre-coma is now grown, with spouses, kids, wrinkles and adult issues. Worst, is the fact that Shelly Tate, Davids high school sweetheart, is married to Jeff Clark, Davids best friend all through high school. Neither resembles the people David once loved. Wildly successful in the world of organized crime, Jeff lords over Shelly. A mere shadow of her former self, Shelly reaches out to David with the illusion of rekindling the fire of lost love. But the only thing rekindled is Jeffs bitter jealousy of David. Jeffs jealousy turns to rage when David starts making inquiries into a fifteen year unsolved murder. David is certain his old girlfriend is married to a cold blooded killer. As the paradox of Davids absence from the living unfolds, and the past and present collide with deadly force. David finds himself having to make decisions that will forever change the course of his life, and possibly destroy the course of those once dear to him. In the mist of chaos David finds a trusted friend in an unorthodox catholic priest whose insight and wisdom give David hope to face an uncertain future, and the courage to love as though life has no end.