Re-Runners - First Life: Re-Runners, #1

By Elli Buchanan

If you had the chance to go back and relive the last 25 years of your life, retaining all the knowledge and memories you have now; would you make different life choices?

Three very different people from different locations, die at the same moment in time and re-awaken at that moment, only it is 25 years earlier.

Two men and one woman are reborn in their young and healthy bodies, but their minds retain the memories of their previous lifetime.

Will the abused wife choose a different path?
Will the stockbroker choose a different wife?
Will the serial killer continue on his spree of murder?

Follow the journey of three Re-Runners; Kate, Dylan and Christian through this series of rediscovery, changing fates and finding each other.

Interview with the Author

Q - So, what makes the Re-Runners Series special?
A - They say that in the world of stories, there are no NEW ideas and maybe that's true. But I don't think there's been a series of books on this subject, done quite like this before.

I'm sure plenty of people have thought - 'If I knew what I know now and could go back and do it all over again - Wow, the things I could achieve. Righting wrongs, avoiding the mistakes of your 'first life'... So many possibilities.'

Q - It's an interesting concept, but what genre does the Re-Runner series come under?

A - That's a difficult one. It's a mix of the kind of books I like to read, and I like to read everything. First up it's a paranormal time travel book, in the sense that initially the story chronicles the lives of three people, their death and their rebirth. There's also the element of thriller horror with the grisly murders committed by the serial killer, suspense when the FBI and LA detectives are tracking the infamous murderer and of course the mystery of how and why this re-living of lives has happened to them.

These three people from different countries (Australia and the US... and later Italy) are thrown into repeating their lives, but retaining all of the knowledge of their previous existences; maybe for all eternity. Who knows?

What would you do if it happened to you? Would you change? Create a new life or keep the old one? Make different choices or stay the same? Leave a legacy for the human race? It poses some interesting questions.

Q - You've got every other genre in there, but you've forgotten the Romance junkies. What? No love story?

A - Hey, of course there's a love story. It builds slowly and comes in Book 2 – Re-Runners Second Life. What's a novel (or series of novellas) without a love story? Life is all about love/hate, life/death, mistakes made/lessons learned. We're human, so of course there's a love story. Need you ask?

Q - So, why should readers give these books a try?
A - Because Re-Runners is a little dark and a little science fiction but it also takes you on a ride of possibilities. You'll find yourself imagining re-living your life. Maybe you wouldn't be tracking down serial killers, but it certainly makes you think.

Ultimately, readers who enjoy a plot that twists and turns all the way to the end will get a kick out of this series. Thanks for reading!
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elli Buchanan
• Release date: Dec 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781502296108

Elli Buchanan

The ideas for several stories came about when my man and I were 'floating around on a boat' in the Mediterranean for 16 months. Plenty of time for the creative juices to flow and undoubtedly the experience of a lifetime, but before any of these ideas became fully fledged books; we returned to Australia and the 'real world' of jobs and in my case, opening a small business. Nearly 5 years later, the business sold (loved, but its time had passed) and now time to write again. 

Book preview

Re-Runners

First Life

By

Elli Buchanan

Re-Runners – First Life

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Elli Buchanan

PUBLISHED BY:

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Copyright © 2014

Revised 2015

www.booksbyellibuchanan.com

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All rights reserved.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.

Books by Elli Buchanan

Romance Novella

Love me, Love My Sister

Re-Runners Series

Re-Runners – First Life

Re-Runners – Second Life

Re-Runners – Third Life

Part 1

Re-Runners – Third Life

Part 2

Click here to view Re-Runners VIDEO BOOK TRAILER

Or www.booksbyellibuchanan.com/rerunners-video.html

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The Sky Kingdom Short Story Series

(Co-authored with Sierra Mullins)

Paranormal Shifter Romance

Forbidden Mortal

Story 1

Hawk’s Desire

Story 2

Where Loyalty Lies

Story 3

Final Flight

Story 4

The Sky Kingdom Box Set

Short Story

Paranormal Romance

The Cursed Arrow

CONTENTS

Prologue

Christian Age-17

Christian -Age 18

Christian - Age 26

Brodie & Rogers

Christian-Age 28

Kate - Age 18

Kate –Age 27

Kate- Age 28

Dylan Age 20

Dylan-Age 22

Dylan-Age 29

Dylan – Age 30

Christian

Christian – Age 36

Kate

Detectives Sutton and Perez

Christian

Dylan – Age 35

Kate – Age 35

LAPD

Christian

Kate-Age 40

Dylan

Christian

Kate – Age 41

LAPD

Sally

Second Life

Dylan-20yrs

Christian-24yrs

Kate

Dylan

Christian

Dylan-Age 20

Kate-Age 18

Christian-Age 26

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Prologue

Death Comes in Threes

Kate Majors

25 July 2007

Brisbane Australia

Even in sub-tropical Brisbane, an overcast night in the middle of winter could be cold. As Kate carefully drove through the inner city streets, she pushed ineffectually at the buttons of the failing car heater. Damn it.

She glanced in the rear vision mirror and quickly adjusted it so she could see her daughter Mia in the child’s safety seat behind her. Her baby was sleeping peacefully, her blonde ringlets trailing across round, soft cheeks and her mouth relaxed and open with a dribble of saliva glistening at one corner. At least she was warm and cozy in the padded pink jacket her grandmother had posted only a few days before.

Kate’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she took her attention back to the road and drove onto the Story Bridge. It had rained earlier that night and the wet streets reflected the lights of the surrounding high rise buildings and those that lit up the iconic six lane bridge that joined the city and spanned the Brisbane River. Gently touching the brake, Kate indicated to the left and pulled over before activating her hazard lights.

It was mid-week and traffic was relatively light. No one was walking on the pedestrian lane. The rain had kept everyone indoors. That suited Kate as she turned off the ignition and sat in silence, her hand absently reaching for the cell phone on the passenger seat. Her fingers trembled as she pressed the number to her sister’s home.

‘Cyn?’ Kate spoke softly so she wouldn’t wake Mia. ‘It’s me, Kate.’ She paused as her sister Cynthia responded. ‘Cyn, I have to tell you something and please don’t interrupt me until I’m finished. If you do, I’ll lose my courage.’

‘What is it Kate? What’s wrong?’ Kate could hear the edge of panic in her sister’s voice.

‘You and John, Mum and Dad have always been there for me, even though I didn’t let you in. I know you can never understand the hold Eric has over me. How can I explain it to you when I don’t understand it myself? I just want you to know, I finally see him for what he is and the danger he is to Mia.’

A sob burst from Kate as the tears she’d held back broke through and silently slid down her bruised face; then in a low fierce whisper, ‘He can never have her. Promise me Cyn, you will never let him have her.’

‘I promise,’ Cynthia assured her. ‘But what’s this all about? Tell me where you are. I’ll come and get you.’

Kate ignored her sister’s questions and continued with the speech she had carefully planned and rehearsed in her head many times.

‘I have evidence of his violence. I recorded him when he ... when he ...’ Kate halted and took a deep, ragged breath. ‘I want you and John to raise Mia ... Please Cyn, you promised to let me finish ... I want you and John to raise Mia and love her as I know you do.’ She glanced at the mini recorder and envelope containing photographs and her letter, resting on the seat beside her. ‘I know John is on duty tonight. I want you to call him now and send him to me. Mia and I are on the Story Bridge.’

‘Kate, NO. Stop. Talk to me,’ Cynthia begged.

Kate’s voice trembled and was thick with tears. ‘Tell Mum and Dad I love them and I’m sorry, but this is the only way for me. Just get John here as soon as possible and ... I love you, Sis.’ Kate pushed the end call button and cut off her sister’s anguished pleas.

She placed the cell phone on top of the envelope and alongside the mini recorder she had purchased three months ago. On it was a series of abusive rants from her angry and crazed husband Eric, as well as her own screams and pleas as she begged him to stop kicking and punching her. There were photos too; ugly, horrible photos she had taken of her bruises and injuries. It made her sick to look at them. How could I have allowed it?

Since Mia had been born, the beatings had become more brutal and frequent. Eric didn’t feel he was getting the attention he deserved and although throughout their fifteen-year history she had suffered at his hands, she still loved him ... or thought she did. It was her growing certainty he would soon turn his anger on her baby girl that had finally made her see her life for what it really was.

Her sister and her parents had been right all along, but she couldn’t see it then. It wasn’t love that held her to Eric, but a dependency as strong as any drug. Her self-esteem was destroyed, her will to resist him was destroyed and her ability to stand up for herself was destroyed. She was damaged and brainwashed to the point of no return for herself, but the one ray of shining light in her life, her daughter, had finally given her the strength to make a decision. She couldn’t save herself, but she could save her little girl. The recorded evidence and her letter detailing Eric’s abuse was Mia’s salvation.

Her sister Cynthia and police officer husband John had been unable to have children of their own and Kate knew they would be wonderful parents for Mia. She also knew they and her parents would use every means at their disposal to ensure their precious only granddaughter and niece would be kept from the violent man who had fathered her.

Kate pulled the sleeves of her cardigan down over her bruised arms. She gently opened the door and climbed out. Moving around the back and to the opposite side of the car, she quietly pulled at the handle and leaned in to give her sleeping daughter a kiss on her soft hair. Tears threatened again, but Kate drew a determined breath and straightened to the sound of police sirens.

When the cruiser sped onto the bridge, Kate clutched the steel girder, climbed over the barrier and dropped onto the pedestrian walkway. She waited until she was certain the flashing lights were intended for her, before speaking to the night, ‘Thank you John ... look after her for me,’ as she silently swung her legs over the rail and jumped to her death.

The time was 9.32pm.

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Dylan March

25 July 2007

McNelly’s Bistro & Bar

Sydney, Australia

‘Hey Dylan,’ came a shout from the corner of the bar. ‘Over here.’

As he entered McNelly’s, Dylan March paused briefly to cast his gaze around the room to see who else was present. It had become a habit to check out the movers and shakers in a room and to always gravitate towards them ... and he hated himself for it.

The barman placed a coaster in front of the stockbroker before asking, ‘The usual?’

Dylan nodded and turned his back on the crowd. Just another Friday night of drinking with work colleagues. I don’t enjoy it, so why do I bother? The thought was quickly replaced with the obvious answer. ‘Because it’s better than going home,’ he mumbled into the whiskey glass Barney had placed in front of him.

‘Did you say something?’

Dylan threw back the alcohol in a few large gulps before putting the empty glass down and signaling for a re-fill. ‘Do you ever wonder if it’s all worth it, Barney?’

‘Had a bad day Mr March? I hear you’re in line for one of the top jobs soon – a senior partner of Baker Townsend. Shouldn’t you be celebrating?’

Dylan looked over his shoulder at the group of suited men at the corner