Never Trust Home: An Exodus Novel

In the heart of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Charles Langley is a man adrift-haunted by a past stained with guilt and a present teetering on the edge of collapse. When his estranged father suffers a heart attack, Charles is thrust into a night of chaos at Ascension Saint John's emergency room, where the sterile walls and blaring monitors mirror his unraveling mind. Seeking refuge in routine-push-ups to failure, a factory job, and fleeting connections with childhood friend Abigail-he struggles to ground himself in a world that feels increasingly unreal. But a chance encounter with Walter Faucet of the Red Sea Initiative, a group fighting human trafficking, ignites a spark of purpose he can't ignore.

Across town, nine-year-old Olivia clings to her name-the last shred of identity she holds dear-as she endures unspeakable horrors at the hands of Joseph, the man she's forced to call "Daddy." Trapped in a cycle of abuse and exploitation, her fragile spirit battles to survive, her only solace is the mantra that she is still human. When Abigail, fueled by her own scars and a fierce resolve, uncovers Olivia's plight, she risks everything to free the girl, pulling Charles into a desperate mission that blurs the lines between savior and sinner.

As Charles grapples with his own demons-an addiction spiraling from late-night escapes to a dangerous fascination-he finds himself at a crossroads. The Red Sea Initiative offers redemption, but the cost is steep: confronting the evil he fears he might become. In a race against time, Charles, Abigail, and Walter converge on a house in Claremore, where a knife's edge separates life from death. Blood spills, choices fracture, and the echoes of lost loved ones-Emily, Abigail, and the innocence Olivia fights to reclaim-haunt every step.

Never Trust Home is a gripping tale of loss, resilience, and the search for meaning in a world where trust is a luxury few can afford. From the sterile glow of hospital corridors to the shadowed depths of human depravity, Jonathon Crum weaves a narrative that asks: Can you save others when you're still lost yourself? For Charles, the answer lies in the fight-not just for Olivia, but for the man he hopes to be.