RUN Ragged by Kari Aguila - Excerpt Tour & Giveaway

In a devastated country, those in charge rule by fear, inequality, and oppression. Rhia, a strong and independent sea captain, just wants to keep her head down and do her job, unitl she finds herself trapped in a re-education facility designed to help people fit into the rules of the New Way Forward. The warden claims to be guiding those in her care, but Rhia quickly sees the cracks in the system. As she is faced with torture and brainwashing, those cracks become gaping holes that threaten to pull her down into the depths of despair. Can Rhia resist the slow subversion of re-education and become the reluctant hero the new world needs?

RUN Ragged is the thrilling second story by the award-winning author of Women’s Work. This brilliantly imagined novel is both a scathing satire and a profoundly poignant look at the price we are willing to pay for peace and what we are willing to ignore to keep our conscience clear.

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Rhia sat beside Ruth in the back row. In the front of the room was a long rectangular table upon which stood glass beakers, sample jars, and small, stuffed canvas sacks. A wide chalkboard was mounted on the front wall, and a white canvas screen hung near it.

The door behind them continued to swing open and closed as women filed in. Rhia glanced at each of them as they passed, silently trying to gauge which would be zealous supporters of the Center like Charlotte and which would be as opposed to it as Ruth. Then she sat up straight in her chair. A tall man had entered the room, clothed in the same plainly styled T-shirt and pants as the women, but in faded red. He didn’t look up from the floor, but walked quickly and quietly to the seat on the other side of Ruth. Most of the women in the room ignored him, but she saw Ruth raise her elbow and nudge him subtly as he sat.

Ruth leaned over to Rhia. “Some of the men get to come to classes when they’re close to getting out of here. This is William.” And to the man, she added, “Rhia’s new. Just arrived yesterday.”

He leaned forward and ticked his chin upward for a second, barely glancing in Rhia’s direction.

“She’s with us,” Ruth continued. “She’s only been here a day and she can already see how fucked up this place is. Rhia, when you work in the Village, try to get in William’s group. He’s one of us.”

Rhia watched the man through the corners of her eyes, trying not to stare. He was ruggedly handsome, with dark eyes and full lips. His dark hair was shaved close to his scalp, and a thin scar cut across the back of his neck. It started just below his right ear and etched its way downward before disappearing below the back collar of his T-shirt. He sat tall, his straight spine held an inch or so away from the back of his chair; his muscular arms were tensed. She could see the tan line just below his sleeve, his skin a darker shade of brown where exposed to the summer sun. In his right hand he held the same small notebook and pencil the women carried.

Over the next several minutes, seven other men joined the class, each finding a seat among the women. Rhia watched each of them enter, but her eyes were drawn back to William, to the strong curve of his jaw and the way his chest rose and fell below his thin shirt as he breathed. His hands rested lightly on his thighs, and yet something in the tension of his legs made him look like he could jump up and run at a moment’s notice. He must have felt her watching him, and suddenly, for the first time since walking in, he turned his head and looked directly into her eyes. She felt a sudden flush in her cheeks and quickly looked away.

Kari Aguila was the recipient of an IndieReader Discovery Award for her first novel, Women’s Work. Her stories are gripping and thought-provoking looks at gender stereotypes and relationships set in a dystopic future. She is also an avid gardener, geologist, outdoor enthusiast and mother of three. Aguila lives in Seattle with her family. RUN Ragged is her second novel.

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