[Faith-talk] Chapter 5 of my Novil

[Sheila Leigland]

great chapter. I'm looking forward to ore.
On 7/31/2014 11:48 AM, Poppa Bear via Faith-talk wrote:
> Here is the longest chapter so far. Now things start to get out of the back
> drop and start marching into the heart of things. If anybody is still
> reading I hope you enjoy. Chapter 5
>
> After the 3 oldest children headed out to school that morning Marvin took a
> ten pan off of the wood stove, grabbed a large mug of black coffee and sat
> it all down in front of where Luke was sitting. Luke gave a silent moment of
> thanks and then started to eat a large slice of reindeer sausage with a
> small mountain of canned hash. Just then, Janice, Marvin's cousin came
> bursting through the front door. "Marvin you need to hurry! Will is going
> crazy! He says he is going to kill Doreen and the baby!"
>
>      Luke was on his feet in a split second and out the door. He didn't even
> turn to see if Marvin followed. His mind was intent on nothing else but
> getting to Doreen's home as fast as possible. As he stepped out of the house
> he spotted Janis's four wheeler still running and leaped onto it. He kicked
> it into gear, thumbed the throttle and darted off like a shot. He covered
> the three miles in less than five minutes and whispered silent prayers for
> Doreen and her child every second of the trip. He knew that Will, Doreen's
> husband had a bad temper, and when the town was dry, without any bootleggers
> to smuggle in any liquor that he would often go into a rage.
>
>      When Luke came within 70 feet of the small house he slowed down the ATV.
> He turned it off, climbed off the machine and slowly walked towards the
> small house. He stopped about 40 feet from the door and positioned him self
> to the side of the door, which was slightly a jar.
>
>      There were no windows, so he was unable to see anything that was going
> on inside. With the sound of his thundering heart and heavy breathing
> slowing down from the quick ride, he started to make out the muffled sound
> of someone crying. This had to be Doreen. "Thank you Lord, she is alive," he
> thought to himself.
>
>      He spoke towards the direction of the house, "Hey Will, it's me Luke!
> What's going on, you feeling ok today?"
>
>      "No I'm not feeling ok! This woman won't stop steeling all my drink!" "I
> don't think she's steeling your drink Will! The town is dry! There hasn't
> been anything here for weeks!"
>
>      There was a moment of silence and then Will bellowed out, "Since you
> came here and started sticking your nose in everyone's business it's always
> dry now!" Luke didn't respond to this remark. It was true, since he had been
> there it had been one of his goals to stop the illegal bootlegging of
> alcohol into the village, but digressing into the reasoning of the goal with
> a person who was in a rage, and a mad alcoholic would not be the most
> prudent coarse to take right now.
>
>      "Will, how are Doreen and Lizzy doing?" "It doesn't matter, because all
> they want to do is hurt me, and I can't let them keep doing that!" "Well
> buddy, why don't you just let me take them somewhere else for a while so
> they don't bother you any more today?" "I can't let you do that! I am going
> to finish it today!"
>
>      Will's demons were working full time today and Luke knew that this was
> an extremely bad situation. A quick prayer rushed from his lips, "Oh, Lord,
> keep these girls safe, my hands are tied. Give me a little light here
> Father, because I sure don't know what to do next!
>
>      He remembered that Will liked to hunt almost as much as he liked to
> drink, so he was sure that Will had a fire arm at hand and judging by the
> last statement he made, he was ready to use it.
>
>      Luke heard the sound of a four wheeler in the distance, but didn't take
> his eyes off the door of the little house. The four wheeler approached with
> Marvin driving and stopped next to the ATV Luke had ridden. Marvin glanced
> down towards his own hunting rifle, but felt no compunction to grab it out
> of its case. Marvin slowly got off the ATV, but just stood there on the
> trail about 30 feet from Luke.
>
>      Luke heard the voice of Marvin speak, "What is it Luke? Are they ok?"
> Luke, believing that Will could hear them and was listening said, "Will aint
> feeling very good today. I think that he could use a break from Doreen and
> Lizzy."
>
>      Luke didn't want to intensify the situation; he just wanted to get
> Doreen and Lizzy out of the house. He didn't want Will to feel that the
> ordeal was becoming too big, because often people in these ordeals could get
> very nervous as the reality of there actions started to sink in, and they
> would often panic, and the panic only aggravated the situation. A man
> deprived of his drink, with an anger problem, and a collection of guns was
> already terrible enough without adding any more gas to the fire.
>
>      Marvin started towards Luke. With every step, his heavy boots seemed to
> echo 5 times over as they crunched into the hardened wind packed snow.
> Standing right next to Luke now, in a low tone he said, "What's up Luke, Is
> it one of his normal fits?" When Luke spoke, his voice was soft and his
> Virginian accent was full of worry and sadness. "No Marvin, I think it's
> really bad this time. I want you to be ready to ride home and call the
> troopers if anything happens."
>
>      Stebbins                   was a very small village and like many other
> villages, had no local law enforcement. In the event of a problem the
> troopers would be called, and fly into the town on a small twin engine
> plane. It usually took them a few hours at best, and that was dependent on
> the weather.
>
>      Without warning they heard the loud shatter of glass inside the house,
> then the shrill scream! The scream was that of the little girl Lizzy! Luke
> rushed forward towards the door and two ominous shots rang out!
>
> Anchorage Providence Hospital 2 days later. Marvin sat at the bed side of
> Luke. A portion of Luke's thick dark hair had been shaved off above his left
> ear in order to clean up and stitch the bullet wound that he had received in
> the encounter with Will. He had not gained consciousness since he had been
> shot 2 days earlier.
>
>      He now lay between two crisp snow white hospital sheets with a thin
> cotton blanket draped over his unconscious form.  His chest rose and fell
> with a slow, but even rhythm that reminded Marvin of soldiers marching home
> from a long battle. Luke was lost in a deep dream. The dream seemed very
> strange to him. One thing that made it so Strange was that it didn't seem
> like a dream, it felt like he was awake, conscious of everything taking
> place.
>
>      This was not the typical dream filled with short bursts of random
> images, incoherent voices and scattered confusing scenes. This dream felt
> somehow warm, like when he was a boy, and the warm lazy breeze use to sweep
> down from the mountains, plodding through their small farm every spring like
> an old familiar friend signaling the time for Luke's people to start
> planting, it was a warmth with a purpose. This dream also had a sweetness
> about it, if you could even describe a dream like that. It was teasingly
> sweet, and put a taste in Luke's mouth that reminded him of the hot steaming
> corn bread drenched in molasses that his mother faithfully sat before him
> every morning as a little boy.
>
>      In the dream, He was standing in the middle of a wide deep valley
> carpeted with grass. The grass was so green and so luscious that it seemed
> to hum with life. The walls of the valley were blanketed with countless
> varieties of wild flowers sending rich pungent waves of fragrances drifting
> through the air.
>
>      The azure blue sky proudly stretched out far and wide like a massive
> royal canopy that was as clear as a new born baby's eyes. The sun was
> conspicuously absent, but yet there was a beatific brightness, an amplified
> clarity encompassing everything. It was as if within the carnival of amazing
> colors, each hew dazzlingly jumped out, refusing to stand still, but
> brilliantly and laughingly demanded attention.
>
>      Luke couldn't see anyone else around him, but yet, it felt like he
> wasn't alone. He thought he could even hear voices, but the voices weren't
> distinct enough to make out any words. Then he didn't think he heard any
> voices at all. It was more like he felt the voices whispering, laughing and
> vibrating inside of him.
>
>      The feelings began swelling up inside of him like a giant rushing
> waterfall when he noticed two figures slowly descending from the high upper
> ridge of the broad valley. With every step that closed the gap between Luke
> and the two figures, the feeling of the voices became more delightful.
>
>      The next thing he knew, it seemed like his eyes were about to fill with
> tears, but instead of  tears spilling down his cheeks, the rushing waterfall
> inside of him gave way and broke forth spilling over in joyful laughter.
>
>    He began to be able to see the faces of the two figures. Something about
> them looked familiar, and then, as if by a holy revelation, he knew. He knew
> that he knew without a doubt who the two people were.  He stopped laughing
> and just fell on his knees and started to say, "Thank you Lord!" over and
> over.
>
>      The two people were his biological mother and father. Even though he was
> found as an orphan and had never seen his Parents he knew that these were
> them.
>
>      When he lifted his head up and looked into their faces he could tell
> that they recognized him as well. Just the longing, joyous looks in their
> eyes wiped away any fears, anger or doubts that he had ever had about them,
> and he was consumed with a feeling of love and joy that he had never known.
>
>      Though no sounds escaped their mouths, the loving looks that they
> exchanged held a fathomless communication that was beyond mere words. This
> unspoken language that was communicated without syllables, verbs or nouns,
> that flowed between the three was more meaningful and intimate than anything
> Luke had ever yet experienced.
>
>      While they stood Gazing upon one another with growing feelings of
> familiarity, love and affection, more and more people started to spill into
> the wide valley, and as they did, Luke felt a growing since of wonder and
> excitement pulsating threw his body and mind. It was if time had stood still
> and yet moved on for a thousand years and with every second that past he
> felt a perfect union, a oneness with not only his parents, but each soul in
> the growing multitude.
>
>   
>
>      Suddenly he felt a hazy cloud start to descend over his thoughts. His
> head started to swim and the delightful feelings quickly started to vanish
> until they had departed without a trace of ever having been. Consciousness
> returned like an unwelcomed robber, abruptly dragging away the blissful
> dream without hesitation or remorse.
>
>      His hearing became sharply aroused with the beeping and small clicking
> noises from the medical equipment monitoring him. He became aware of a dim
> light and attempted to open his eyes. The first thing he saw was a woman
> leaning down over him. He was finally waking up. He tried to sit up but the
> woman laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and laid him back.
>
>      In a soothing voice she said, "Take it easy Mr. Foster. I am Doctor
> Carry. You had an accident and were hospitalized. You seem to be ok, but you
> are still going to need to rest."
>
>      As she spoke, Luke's memory flashed back to the day of the incident and
> it all started to come back to him. With the recollection of the event he
> slowly asked, "What happened to Doreen and Lizzy?" "I do not know, but your
> friend Marvin is right here and perhaps he can tell you. Like I said though,
> you need to rest still and if you get upset or bothered I will have to ask
> him to leave. Your brain has been bruised and is still a little swollen."
>
>      She stepped away from his bedside a little, and started to write on her
> clip board, but did not leave the room. Luke focused his eyes on Marvin and
> quickly noticed how haggard he looked.
>
>      "Hey buddy how long have you been sitting there?" "Since they first
> brought you in. I flew in with the medics. Janis is taking care of the
> kids."
>
>   
>
>      At the mention of Janis and the kids Luke gave a questioning look to
> Marvin. Marvin grabbed Luke's hand and gave it a squeeze and said in a low
> but emotionally filled voice, "Prays God Luke, I don't know what I would of
> done if I would have lost her." Luke relaxed a little and then asked, "What
> exactly happen? I don't remember everything?"
>
>      Marvin's expression changed a little, revealing a shadow of pain. "There
> was a sound of breaking glass in the house and you ran in. Will had kicked
> over the dish tub and some of the broken glass cut Lizzy, so she screamed.
> As soon as will herd your foot steps he fired out the door. Luckily you
> weren't directly in front of the door or he would have shot you right
> between the eyes Luke, you would have been dead Luke, thank God for his
> mercy!"
>
>      Marvin stopped and cleared his throat, attempting to stifle some of the
> growing emotions as he recollected the incident. Marvin's thankfulness and
> concern was genuine and it touched Luke.  Luke understood that the loss of
> his wife was still a painful area for him and he struggled with it on a
> daily bases. Luke also understood that premature and often unforeseen death
> had taken much of Marvin's closest family over the years.
>
>      Marvin only paused for a brief second to gather his emotions and then
> continued. "Then after you were shot, Will turned the gun on himself and..."
> Marvin didn't finish the sentence; he just gave a slow nod that told Luke
> clearly enough what happened next.
>
>      Before anymore words were exchanged the Doctor stepped forward and said,
> "Ok, I need to check my patient out now, and I am sure that he will be
> asleep soon because his two days of unconsciousness can't take the place of
> a good rest. Mr. Wasuly, you may come back this evening to visit. Since our
> patient is conscious now you don't have to be stuck at his bedside and you
> can go get                   some sleep yourself. If he is up to it, you two
> can have dinner together this evening. Right now I am going to take some
> vitals and give him something to help him sleep."
>
>      Marvin shot a concerned glance towards Luke and Luke said in his slow
> Virginian draw, "I'm going to be ok partner. I think my marbles just got a
> little rattled." That brought a small smile to Marvin's grave features.
> Slowly standing up he said, Ok Doctor, I'll be back later tonight.
>
>      Gathering his coat he said to Luke, "Luke you can reach me at the Co
> buck Inn if you need anything. Janice sent up a few of your books and some
> of your clothes, they are in the hospital locker." "Thank you Marvin. I will
> see you tonight."
>
>      By the end of the short exam Luke's energy was slowly abating, but
> seeing the Doctor start to pick up some pills from a tray he said, "Doctor I
> would rather not take any thing to help me rest. If you wouldn't mind, would
> you please send somebody to bring my books from the lockers?
>
>      The Doctor looked up a little bit surprised. She was not accustomed to
> being told that she didn't need to give what she felt was necessary to bring
> about a swift recovery. On top of that most patients wanted as many pills as
> they could get. This was a growing problem in her mind as the hospitals
> inventory of narcotic pills had doubled in the last two years.
>
>      She thoughtfully assessed the situation, and concluded that she didn't
> see any harm in the request. She wasn't one of those people that attempt to
> suppress any type of opposition to her authority without any consideration
> for her patient's comfort or personal requests, so with a gracious smile she
> acquiesced.
>
>   
>
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