-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 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28
Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31
Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34
Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37
Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40
Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43
Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46
Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49
Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52
Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55
Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58
Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61
Chapter Sixty Two
Collin was having the most fantastic Christmas he had ever spent. John and Katherine’s brother, sister, in-laws and kids had all joined them the night before and would be staying until the following day. It was a houseful, and a merry one.
Collin had instantly hit it off with the seventeen year old-Mike-and they were currently playing a fighting game on Mike’s new system, opened a couple of hours ago.
He had spent a couple of Christmas Eve dinners with the Gothan’s by themselves in the past, but they usually went to one of their relatives for Christmas day. Of course they had always offered to take him, now he wished he’d gone. He didn’t even know Christmas could be like this.
He had been lavished with expensive clothes by John and Katherine, and their family had also brought him presents. He felt like part of the family, one he often wished he was born into.
He beat Mike for the second time in a row and Mike threw his paddle good-naturedly. “You’ve played this before,” he accused with a smile.
“Move over,” John said coming in, “let the master play.”
He and John played, Collin besting him two out of three.
“Anyone else care to get creamed?”
He played Mike’s brother Tim, then Ted, then Steve and beat them all.
“Reigning champion,” he called in an announcer voice holding his paddle in the air like a trophy.
“Okay Collin,” Mike resumed his place, “let’s see you beat me at racing.” He put in his new car racing game and the competitions started all over again.
They played head to head and ended up five games to five, then individually took on the rest of the guys.
Katherine came in holding eggnog. “I hate to break this up boys, but dinner is almost ready.”
Collin jumped up, “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Oh no honey, just come in and sit.”
The dinner was endless. Turkey, ham, three different kinds of stuffing, two different kinds of beans, corn souffle, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, Caesar salad, tossed salad, cream of potato soup, French onion soup, cranberry sauce, cinnamon apples, by the time Collin was finished his normally flat stomach was protruding. “I hope we’re not getting into the dessert until later, I think I would explode! That was absolutely delicious Katherine.”
“Oh, not just me, this was a joint effort.”
He thanked the other two gals who smiled at him sweetly. He figured that they had probably been gossiping about him in the kitchen for the last few days, but he knew everything that was said would be flattering so he didn’t mind.
They gathered in the living room to watch a movie while their stomach’s settled. A classic, It’s a Wonderful Life.
After the movie Katherine announced it was time for dessert. Coffee, tea, six different kinds of pie, brownies, cookies, fudge, and more was set out on the table. This time he thought he might have to be carried out of the dining room.
It had been a long couple of days, the good kind of long, so after he finished he found his eyes growing heavy and he found himself falling asleep on the couch. He blinked himself awake, said goodnight to the room and flopped down on his bed, he was asleep as soon as he hit the pillow.
That night he dreamed of the woods.
He grinned widely as he made his way to their usual meeting spot. He had actually went out and bought her a present which was kind of silly since he could have just imagined a gift to give her, but he wanted to do it. Of course he couldn’t physically bring it with him, but he wanted her to know that the real thing was in his room, under his bed.
Collin came across the stream holding his gift and waving.
“Merry Christmas!” He hugged her.
“Merry Christmas right back at ya!” She had had a similar idea as him about the physical, except her present had already been bought. Into the dream she'd lugged the enormous picture that hung on her wall. She had managed to bring a marker along in the dream as well, so at the bottom she wrote-For my dark-eyed dream, love, your bright eyes. She had also brought her mom’s homemade fudge. She went behind a tree and pulled her picture out. “This is for you.”
“Wow, this looks like our place! Is it real?”
“It’s hanging on the wall in my room.”
He read the inscription and smiled. “I wish I could take it with me.”
“I wish you could too.”
He handed her his own gift, it was a small, professionally wrapped box.
“I actually bought this, it’s under my bed in my room.”
“Really?” She opened it carefully and lifted the lid. It was a small silver pinky ring with emeralds going all the way around it.
“Your birth stone, right?”
She nodded, her eyes wide, "It’s so beautiful,” she murmured in awe as she stared at it. She picked it up gingerly, turning it around in her hand, then tried it on. A perfect fit. She looked up at him, her eyes misting slightly. “Wouldn’t it be great if I woke up with it still on?”
“You bet. You really like it?”
She threw her arms around him, making him laugh. “I love it! it’s exactly what I would pick out myself!”
He squeezed her tight for a second, before letting go. “I’m glad. So how was your holiday?”
She immediately launched into a comical tale of her Christmas, then he had his turn.
“It was really amazing,” he finished. “I kept thinking that it was a lot like the Christmas’s you have always described to me, how lucky to grow up with that!”
“I know. I am a deeply blessed person.”
“Well, I’m not so shabbily off myself these days. Do you want to try for the curve?”
“Nah, why don’t we go lay in the clearing?”
“Sounds good to me.”
On the way over he told her about the dream he’d had with the warehouse and the garden. He’d had it twice more since then. She pointed out that the garden might represent heaven.
“Well then, who do the other people represent?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know, people who have gone before you maybe?”
“Hmm. Maybe.”
They talked all night long, lying on their backs gazing at the sky as they had done so many times before. They both believed, particularly that night, that this was a dream that would not end.
They were blissfully unaware of the darkness headed in their direction.
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