Seeing Red: A Houston Chronicle

She's ready to leave. The streets refuse to let go.

In a city where loyalty is currency and survival is a never-ending gamble, one woman dares to rewrite her future. Determined to break free from the grip of her past, she longs to step into a life beyond the chaos-a life where she is more than the choices forced upon her. But in a world where friendships carry unspoken debts and every favor comes with a price, walking away isn't just difficult - it's dangerous.

Bound by the weight of expectations, she is pulled back into a cycle of substance abuse, violence, and ruthless exploitation-trapped by the very people who claim to want the best for her. As the temptations of old habits intensify and the threats lurking in the shadows grow more menacing, her dream of escape quickly turns into a battle for survival. When betrayal turns lethal and secrets unravel with devastating consequences, she faces the most brutal truth of all: leaving isn't just about escape - it's about making it out alive.

Raw, gripping, and unrelenting, this urban fiction novella shines a stark light on the price of ambition, the burden of loyalty, and the unbreakable will of those who dare to fight for more. A haunting portrayal of resilience, sacrifice, and the razor-thin line between freedom and fate.

They say "life is what you make it," but in reality, life is what makes you.