Finding Peace by Rie McGaha




Where I live everyone carries a weapon. We don't lock our doors at night, we don't lock our vehicles and the keys are usually left in the ignition. There is something to be said when everyone is armed – our crime rate is practically non-existent. When you know if you break into someone's house the chances are you're coming out in a body bag is a great deterrent. Here people are friendly and children are raised with manners. It's a laid back lifestyle with hardworking people who take the time to know who you are and consider you their neighbor no matter where in the county you live.

I've always lived in out of the way places, in mountains and close to water, but it seems that as I grew older, I wanted to be even farther away from people and traffic and the sounds of humanity. I like my peace and quiet. I like to run around naked and not worry that I'm giving some young person nightmares, or years of therapy to get over the shock! I like living where my dogs can run with no need of fences, and I can have chickens and cows, and when I look out my window all I see is trees and fields of grass and wild flowers. I like the smell of water from the nearby creek, and I like leaving my windows open so fresh air can fill the house.

Of course I had my years when I was a teen and early twenties when I wanted to be in the mix of it all. I wanted to live around people and be a social butterfly. Thankfully that passed many years ago and even when I have to go into "town" here, (pop. 1,100) I can't wait to get back home and away from the traffic. Ever since they put in that second stop light, things have changed and it seems there are more cars filing through town each summer. Perhaps there are but at least I can stay on the ranch and not have to deal with them. I have found peace in my life and for that and everything else God has given me, I am very thankful.

                                                                     * * * *

Rie McGaha is an author, editor, and reviewer. She has more than a dozen books to her credit, with the other two books of the My Soul To Keep Trilogy being released later this year. You can join Rie, GA Hauser, & Stormy Glenn at Blog Talk Radio, for Blog Blast 2011 http://blogblast2011.blogspot.com/ on May 14th  at noon CST, with an all day group chat at Erotic Promo. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eroticpromo/


Excerpt:

CALEN by Rie McGaha
He had seen his father lying on the ground with blood running from his head. And he saw the men ripping his mother's clothes until her skirt hung in shreds, baring her from the waist down. They had tied her hands and threw her over the chopping block and fell on her one by one. The little boy didn't know what they were doing, as they slapped her, shouting and laughing all the while her cries and screams scared him, and he covered his ears. The men were strangers to the child, but one stuck in his memory. Tall, with long, dirty hair, he wore all black and had whiskers all over his face, and this man hurt his mother more than the others. The little boy cried as he watched the men and he saw the flash of a silver ring on the tall man's finger as the man's plunged through his mother's back. The blood ran down her body, down the chopping block onto the dirt.
The boy ran then. He ran back to the place where his mother had hidden him in the dark, secret corner of the hut and made himself as small as he could under the furs. He heard the men come inside, and heard their laughter as they tore up the place. They broke what could break, kicked over the table and stools, and cursed when they didn't find anything of value to steal.
"Burn it!" One of the men shouted.
"Nay," the man with ring said. "We don't want to attract attention. Leave it be and mount up. We have to find the boy!"

The little boy was so afraid, he stayed hidden under the furs all the rest of the day until it was nearly full dark. But as night fell, his full bladder drove him out of his hiding place. He had to climb under and over logs that once made up the walls of his home. That was when he found his parents lying on the ground. He stood there crying, and pee ran down his leg. He went to his mother first and shook her, patted her back and called to her over and over, but she wouldn't answer him. He then turned to his father and shook him harder, but he didn't answer either.
As the full moon rose over the forest, he sat down and wailed. After a while he fell asleep and when he awoke, it was still full dark. He shivered, and used the moon's light to his way back into the hut. Dragging the furs behind him, he went back out to his parents' side. He covered his mother first, laid between them and shared a fur with his father.
When he woke in the morning, he searched through the hut and found some bread and dried meat to eat. With no concept of time, the child slept, ate, played in the dirt, and waited for his parents to wake up.
The next morning, the child awoke to the sounds of men shouting. Fearing the mean men had returned, he ran into the remains of the hut and slid under the fallen logs to the secret corner hiding place. He heard the horses snorting and the men talking. Their voices sounded grim and low, not like the loud laughter of the ones who’d hurt his mother. Shaking with fear, he lay still and tried to make himself very small so they wouldn't notice him. He heard them as they walked around the hut, and the sound of  the fallen logs being moved around told him they were inside. A very big hand picked him up, but he was too afraid to open his eyes.
* * * *
Anyone who comments is eligible to be in the running for a prize from Rie.

Comments

I'm so glad to have you on my blog today, Rie, thanks for coming to visit. Loved the excerpt from your book.
Tanya1224 said…
Sounds really good. I couldn't imagine a little boy having to witness that. Thanks for introducing me to a new read and author. Count me in on some goodie winnings =)
Tanyaw1224(at)yahoo(dot)com
Tanya, thanks for visiting and commenting on Rie's post.
JoAnna said…
Congrats on your new release Rie!

I'm adding this trilogy to my TBB list!

beckerjo at verizon dot net
SiNn said…
sounds awesome as i been sayin in my stalkage and I couldnt imagine anyonehaving to witness that expecially a child
Marie McGaha said…
Hello everyone! Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting and thank you Marilyn for having me as your guest today.

I'm a little late and I apologize but I had an hour radio show to do, and now we are chatting live at Erotic Promo, so come by for even more chances to win!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eroticpromo/
loves to dive said…
I know what you mean about the peace and quiet, as you can tell by my name, the ocean is my place of peace. When I drop down to around 60 feet and it's just me, my dive buddy and the fish, it can't get any better.
lvs2dv@gmail.com
Ellis Vidler said…
Compelling excerpt! It sounds good.

Popular posts from this blog

Need to Catch Up With My Blog Tour?

Meet Morgen Bailey from the UK

The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries By Heather Haven