CommonSense Act I: Engaged

By Corey Aaron Burkes

Mildred Common—college student and fourth-generation necro-new witch—one of the last of her kind with naturally-born magic—had finally found the happiness she was looking for the moment her long-time boyfriend, Nick Sense, asked her to marry him.

Just as she prepared to live a humble, normal life with the man she loved, her mother Genevieve Common; an aging third-generation witch-for-hire consultant, discovered that the Tree of Knowledge—the source of all universal magic before and ever will be—still existed, hidden from all men and beast. The only evidence was through a single, simple looking acorn—embedded with nuclear-level magic that could credibly grant regular humans' immeasurable power just by touching it.

Charged with keeping the seed protected, Mildred's desire for a life of peace with her fiancé will be disrupted by others hunting for the source; extremely powerful magic-users with zero conscience to the fate of the world should the Tree of Knowledge found and release more seeds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Corey Aaron Burkes
• Release date: Mar 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463598023

Corey Aaron Burkes

Author Corey Aaron Burkes is known for his intensive storytelling and emotionally connected, page-turning style of writing that builds suspense and thrills straight through to the end of the novel.As of 2019-2020, he prepares for a new chapter in his writing and producing career with a renewed focus on producing full cast audio theater podcasts with a host of new stories through his Atlanta-based 'Podcast Performances'! Pulling together new and extremely talented actors and actresses to ever voice a production to truly provide stories you can feel.

Book preview

CONTENTS

Book Credits

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Prologue – Keilee-Ann

Chapter One: Mother

Chapter Two: Nick

Chapter Three: Scratch

Chapter Four: The Apartment

Chapter Five: Timelines

Chapter Six: The Chase

Chapter Seven: Finale

Excerpt of Book II

About the Author

COMMONSENSE

ACT I: ENGAGED

Corey A. Burkes

eBook Edition PUBLISHED BY PODCAST PERFORMANCES

www.PODCASTPERFORMANCES.com

Copyright © 2019 Burkes World Enterprises LLC

Exclusively on

All the characters and events in this book are fictitious, and any likeness to actual persons, living, dead, undead or almost dead, are purely coincidental.

Cover and interior designed by Corey Aaron Burkes

*Excerpts and cover art are subject to change and edits before release.

All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America

First eBook Edition – April 2018

Second eBook Edition – March 2020

ISBN: 9780463598023

DEDICATION

For my children,

Andrew, Russell, Aaron, Sariya, Tiffany, and Anya.

Acknowledgments

My wife Donna made this

point in my life possible.

Thank you.

PROLOGUE

- KEILEE-ANN -

Twenty Years Ago – Atlanta, Georgia

It was another Monday morning and the weekend was gone before little four-year-old Keilee-Ann knew it.

The last thing she remembered was being picked up from daycare on Friday, came home, had pizza for diner, watched cartoons on Saturday, drew a picture of grandma with angel wings on Sunday and getting dressed this morning.

The only thing that stayed the same since Friday was that old grandfather clock her mommy bought that endlessly ticked-tocked.

Oh, yeah. And her parents fighting.

This morning was not any different.

Did you see the electric bill? Erica questioned her husband, throwing down more than just one envelope.

Keilee couldn’t read the big words yet. Some of them had huge words on the front written in her favorite color red; with big letters P A S T D U E and others in black. She wondered where the person who drew those letters had enough ink to write CUT OFF NOTICE. When she got older, she planned to read those words for her mommy one day.

Marvin, Keilee’s father, was in his shirt and tie, drinking a glass of orange juice without much of a response or care. Keilee loved her father and never missed a morning to say he looked very pretty—though she really meant handsome.

He was wearing the tie she picked for him for his birthday. Only when he finished downing his drink and giving a purposeful ‘aaah’ in that commercial refreshing kind of way—did he find the words to tell his wife: Of course I’ve seen the bills. Good morning, pumpkin.

Good morning, daddy. Keilee yawned, not really interested in eating that bowl of cereal she asked for. She let the frosted flakes sit in the milk too long and now she stared into a bowl of mush that big girls just didn’t eat anymore.

"No—have you seen them, Marvin?" Erica’s voice rose, waking Keilee up from her showdown with the cereal bowl.

I’m not blind, Erica. What do you want me to do?

This is the second final notice. The bank is threatening to foreclose any day now! What are we going to do?

Marvin laughed, walking up to Keilee, patting her on the head. She thought he was going to make her eat that mess in front of her. Instead, he walked past to the sink, rinsing out his glass. "That’s just nice. Aren’t we just the merry handicapped family! You think I’m blind—and I think you’re deaf! What in the hell do you want me to do?"

"They’re going to cut off everything. We’re going to be out on our ass!"

Outside and behind the kitchen was a deck that overlooked the backyard. The deck was wide, made from wood and gave Keilee a splinter last summer that her daddy had to take out with a needle.

He did it so quick, she didn’t even feel him take it out. Over the deck was a retractable awning that covered her friends when they played outside to keep the sun out of their eyes. Erica used a remote control hanging on the wall to roll it up, letting the Monday morning sun in to the kitchen.

Halfway up the awning stopped; making Erica even more annoyed than she already was. Damn remote. Keilee, where’s the other remote? The good one?

Upstairs, mommy. Keilee slid out of the chair, no intentions of eating the cereal that now looked like a layer of light brown cloth.

Marvin was not paying her any mind, continuing his verbal sparring match with his wife. I’m already pulling double shifts. You tell me where the money is going. Oh, and by the way, nice nails. How much did that set us back?

Oh please! You act like you’re the only one working around here?

I’m working all day and night at this damn job and you got that laid-back, low-paying office gig.

Laid back?!?

You heard me! Part-time, twice a week while I’m humpin’ the load around here.

You wanted me to stay home!

Keilee smiled because her mommy started making funny voices to sound just like her daddy. In her mind, she thought maybe they were not fighting after all.

"No, not my wife. Erica mocked him. I want you to stay home and raise our daughter. I’ll take care of you, baby. I’m lucky to even get the job! They don’t have anything full-time."

Then you’ll have to find another job.

"Oh, so it’s now I have to find another job. What happened to all the big willy style living you promised me!"

CRASH! Keilee and Erica jumped from the sudden noise. Marvin threw his glass, breaking it into many little pieces that scattered everywhere in and out of the sink.

Keilee looked at the floor where the pieces were; worried that her daddy was going to get in trouble like she did for breaking a glass a few months back.

Just that she did not throw hers on purpose.

What the hell you want from me?! I got you your goddamn house! Your damn gas-pissin’ truck! I’m bustin’ my ass for this house!

Erica shook her head at Marvin—walking around the mess for toward Keilee. I’m not doing this with you. Not here—not in front of Keilee. Come on, baby. You’re late for school.

Keilee already had her jacket on. She was a big girl that can zip her own coat and put her own shoes on—sometimes backwards.

When her parents were mad at each other like this, she always knew it was better to be ready when it was time to go somewhere. One time, when they yelled