A Song of Sin and Salvation:

A Song of Sin and Salvation by L.H. Blake Copyright © 2023 L.H. Blake All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. To request permission, contact the author at [email protected]. Ebook ISBN: 978-1-7386572-2-3 Paperback ISBN: 978-1-7386572-3-0 Cover Design by Sam Palencia (Ink and Laurel) Editing by Britt Taylor Proofreading by Rebecca Prokop Formatting by Letizia Lorini This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Contents Author’s Note: Also by L.H. Blake Playlist 1. Eyes of a Stranger 2. The Antichrist 3. Papa Don’t Preach 4. D.O.A. 5. Don’t You Want Me 6. I Wanna Be Somebody 7. Somebody’s Watching Me 8. California Dreamin’ 9. Livin’ On A Prayer 10. Damage, Inc. 11. Total Eclipse of the Heart 12. Take On Me 13. Mother Stands for Comfort 14. Owner of a Lonely Heart 15. Just Can’t Get Enough 16. Danger Zone 17. Smooth Operator 18. Let’s Make a Deal 19. Parental Guidance 20. Like a Virgin 21. Escape 22. You Give Love a Bad Name 23. Girls Just Want To Have Fun 24. Part-Time Lover 25. Beat It 26. Material Girl 27. Dream On 28. Break the Rules 29. Your Song 30. I Want to Break Free 31. Love is a Battlefield 32. The Evil That Men Do 33. Paranoid 34. Flight of Icarus 35. The Writing on the Wall 36. My Last Words 37. True Colors 38. Runaway 39. Sweet Dreams are Made of This 40. In Your Eyes 41. Somebody to Love 42. Walking on Sunshine 43. A Lesson in Violence 44. The Sound of Silence 45. For Whom the Bell Tolls 46. Don’t Stop Believin’ 47. Hallowed Be Thy Name 48. Tiny Dancer Epilogue Epilogue Want More? Where the Lights Lead Acknowledgments About the Author Author’s Note: This story contains mature subject matter including potentially triggering topics therefore this book is intended for mature audiences only. This book should not be used as a guide for dealing with real life issues surrounding disordered eating, abuse, etc. For more details on the content warnings for this novel, please visit: www.lhblake.com Also by L.H. Blake The Elements Series Where the Lights Lead - Book 1 To all the girls who were told they were to blame for the sins of boys, and to all the boys who showed them that’s bullshit. Playlist Eyes of a Stranger - The Payolas The Antichrist - Slayer Papa Don’t Preach - Madonna D.O.A. - Van Halen Don’t You Want Me - The Human League I Wanna Be Somebody - W.A.S.P. Somebody’s Watching Me - Rockwell California Dreamin - The Beach Boys Livin’ on a Prayer - Bon Jovi Damage, Inc. - Metallica Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler Take On Me - A-ha Mother Stands for Comfort - Kate Bush Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes Just Can’t Get Enough - Depeche Mode Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins Smooth Operator - Sade Let’s Make a Deal - Gloria Gaynor Parental Guidance - Judas Priest Like a Virgin - Madonna Escape - Rupert Holmes You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper Part-Time Lover - Stevie Wonder Beat It - Michael Jackson Material Girl - Madonna Dream On - Aerosmith Breaking the Rules - ACDC Your Song - Elton John I Want to Break Free - Queen Love is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden Paranoid - Black Sabbath Flight of Icarus - Iron Maiden The Writing on the Wall - Iron Maiden My Last Words - Megadeath True Colors - Cyndi Lauper Runaway - Bon Jovi Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel Somebody to Love - Queen Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves A Lesson in Violence - Exodus The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica Don’t Stop Believin - Journey Hallowed Be Thy Name - Iron Maiden Tiny Dancer CHAPTER 1 Eyes of a Stranger REBECCA Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. Hebrews 13:17 I’ve always wanted to be like the little ballerina inside the music box. Beautiful, graceful, delicate . . . everything I’ve ever been told I should aspire to be. So, it never made sense to me why the music she dances to is so sad. It wasn’t until I grew up that I realized it’s because she’s trapped, spinning endlessly in a perfect loop. Never experiencing anything outside of the pink paper walls. She’s the picture of perfection to everyone looking in, but she’s alone. Now, as I watch her pretty pink tulle tutu spin around and around, I wish I could set her free, because then at least one of us would be. Today is Saturday. And while it’s a wicked thing to think, it’s my favorite day of the week. The only day where I have some modicum of freedom to do what I want, go where I wish, and see who I like. And while I should meet Mary at the mega mall to see the new Pretty in Pink movie, or attempt rollerskating with Amy, I’m forced to wait by the front window at nine in the morning for Eric Corbley to pick me up. Okay . . . that sounds worse than I mean it to. Eric Corbley is my boyfriend. Has been since I turned sixteen two years ago and my parents deemed