-I wrote the following novel nearly two decades ago. In the years between then and now I've honed my craft, and my perception of this world; my thoughts and ideas; have changed dramatically. However, I still enjoy the premise and have decided to do an overhaul of revisions and rewrites, though likely not until sometime next year. (Though I'm sure I'll do a little as I post chapters)
For now I hope you will enjoy a glimpse into my book writing beginnings...
They are the closest of friends though they have never met in waking life.
Prologue-PT1 Prologue-PT2 Chapter 1
Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10
Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13
Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18 Chapter 19
Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22
Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Seven
She swung around just as someone grabbed her arm.
She didn’t scream, which she wasn’t sure was to her credit or not. She always hated how much girls screamed in movies, but at least it would bring help in case she was in trouble. Then again, she was the one trespassing.
The guy holding her was in his mid to late twenties, well dressed with a great haircut and nice handsome features.
“What are you doing?” He asked quietly.
“I’m sorry. I was just curious, I’m here visiting and I have never seen boats like this up close, I just wanted to see what it looked like,” she stammered.
“Is anyone else with you?”
“No, well my friends are over on the other pier crabbing. I decided to take a walk. I didn’t see any lights, so I thought I would just take a peek, I wasn’t going to touch anything or steal anything, I swear, I just wanted to look around.”
He let go of her arm and relaxed. “All right, no big deal. Well, if you really want to see, come with me,” he indicated the inside of the boat.
“I don’t know,” she glanced over to where Amy was, thinking that going into a boat with a strange man was not a very wise thing to do.
“I’m not going to hurt you, I just figure if you really want to see I’ll give you the tour. Your choice.” He held the door.
“Okay.”
She followed him down a hallway, where he opened doors indicating sleeping quarters, or cabins as they were called. At the end of the strip was another large door which he swung open and they entered a large den. It was awesome, better furnished then her parents home for sure, with a large screen T.V. on an enormous entertainment stand.
He turned away and she followed him downstairs into a game room, with a pool table, ping pong table, dart boards, and another inside bar, considerably larger than the one on deck with marble counters and tall mahogany stools. There was a chandelier hanging from the middle of the ceiling, and couches and chairs scattered around the edges of the games.
“Wow, do you live here?”
“Part of the time.”
“Otherwise you live in a mansion of some sort?”
“I guess you would probably call it that, yes.”
“You don’t look old enough to make so much money.”
He laughed without much humor. “I’m not. I inherited a fortune when my father died.”
“You mean you don’t work?”
“Oh, I work. I’m the president of his corporation.” He was silent again, and she began to feel uncomfortable with his short sentences.
“I’m really sorry I trespassed on your boat. I’m also sorry to have taken up your time, it was very nice of you.”
The guy sighed. “It’s really no big deal.”
She started to walk away, then turned around. “You seem so sad.”
He looked at her and smiled an empty smile. “More hollow than sad, I think.”
“Can I ask why?”
He shook his head and then told her anyway. “My whole life I have never went without anything I’ve ever wanted. I had the most expensive toys, the most extravagant holidays, the fastest cars. Everything I’ve ever wanted except freedom. I was born with my life already set and although I can have anything I want it is not without cost, and the price is my soul. You know what I really want to do? I want to disappear. I want to take off down the Appalachian trail, find a remote location, build a cabin and live there. Or perhaps just travel around the world without any destination in mind until I find the perfect place.”
He sighed and shook his head again. “I daydream about cutting my losses, perhaps leaving myself some money but trying to do things without it, to live without help for awhile. I’ve never even been fishing, or hunting, or even spent any real length of time outdoors. I’d probably die outside of three days.”
Aliyah felt sympathy for this lonely looking man. “Just because you have never done those things doesn’t mean that you couldn’t do them. I think moving to a cabin in the woods sounds magnificent,” and she did.
He glanced at her in surprise. “I didn’t expect that. Most people would ask why on earth I would give all this up.”
Aliyah shook her head. “Without struggle, without suffering and trials and going without how can a person grow? When everything comes easy, there’s nothing to look forward to. It’s in the struggle that we can see the grand design and purpose for our lives, it’s in the valleys not on the mountaintops that we learn the lessons that make us valuable as people.”
“My God, how old are you?”
“Fourteen.”
“You are far beyond your years little miss.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
“So you think I should do it? Just walk away from everything, start a new life with a new identity?”
“Absolutely.”
He nodded and started to smile, this time with some genuine feeling.
“Can I ask you your name?”
“Aliyah Schuyler,” she stuck out her hand.
He considered for a moment and then said, “Jack Aspen. I’ve always loved the name Jack, it sounds so manly and of the earth.”
She realized this was not his real name.
“I suppose I could set myself up a little bit by changing my name. Then I could close out most of my accounts, sell my stocks, and give a great deal of money to charity. That way I don’t have much to fall back on. I would hate to be out in the woods for a week and find myself running back to ease and comfort. I am a bit of a coward, so I probably would. No, I’d have to get rid of the bulk of it.” He looked far away for a second, then he laughed a little. “Well, it is a thought isn’t it? Would you like something to drink? Cola, Diet Cola…rum and coke?”
Aliyah snickered, “I’m fourteen.”
He shrugged.
“Thank you, but I better get back to Amy before she thinks I fell in the water and drowned.”
“Okay, I’ll show you out.”
They walked back upstairs and onto the deck. She turned back to him “If this is still yours tomorrow and the next day, could I bring Amy on board and show her?”
“If this is still mine...” he looked amused, “you believe I'll actually do it?”
“I believe you have to, or you may as well be dead.”
He coughed into his hand, “Amazing. Of course you can bring your friend up,” he fished around in his pocket and produced a key.
She looked at it then put it in her pocket. “Where do you want me to leave it?
“I’ll leave a note on the bar downstairs.”
“Okay, thank you so much. It was very nice meeting you Jack.”
“Oh, the pleasure was most definitely all mine.”
Aliyah climbed down the ladder which Jack must have put there as silently as a navy seal since she had heard nothing before he was right on top of her. She looked up and he was standing there staring out into the water. He glanced down at her and shook his head.
“I may owe you one, kid.”
“Nah, the universe brought me your way.” She jumped down onto the dock and grinned up at her new friend.
He nodded, tapped his hand twice on the railing and turned away.
Aliyah headed back down the dock smiling to herself. That was pretty awesome. She sure hoped she was right to give him that advice, but she felt that God had taken over her words so she had to be right.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a cry.
“Aliyah! Oh my God, I was freaking out, where were you? You’ve been gone like an hour!”
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