War is not beautiful. The reality of true hopelessness, of true fear, of the way a man turns when he’s faced with his own mortality has almost no redeeming qualities. The way God only appears within His soldiers at the moment they die, the tan sandy color of dust and utter demolition, the white flakes that fall from chapped, shredded skin does not interest the eye. There is no love lost between the pure red crimson scarle...

It was a rainy Thursday. School was a drag, and I went through the motions of being a student--going to the different classes, sitting in the back row where I always sat, usually by the window, so I could see the trees and watch the birds scampering on the grass in front. But that day, it was dreary and pouring. I kept looking up at the clock, watching the hand moving slower than ever. I doodled in my notebook, making int...

He sat there, staring at the page, stunned by what he saw, thinking, “But … he’s been my best friend since college. This … This can’t be right.”Edward Miller had just gotten back from his latest trip, this time to Japan. The hired car had taken him from the airport to the office, so he could report in and then drive his own car back home. It was as he’d been checking his mail slot that he found the envelope — looking just...

He pulled into the driveway and saw that the realtor was already there, leaning against the door of her car, waiting for him. She smiled and walked over to his car as he parked, grabbed his jacket and stepped out. “Mr. Bradburn?” she said, holding out her hand. He nodded and shook her hand, starting to look around while she continued talking. “Amanda Williamson — Amanda.” “Please, call me Owen. I always feel weird when an...

In the kitchen, my dad put the book down on the old maple table, filled up the red kettle with water and turned on the flame. "You and Alice were so quiet in the car. Is something wrong?""Not really," I answered. "Not really? That means there is, but you don’t want to talk about it." "Nothing’s wrong ... really." "How about some hot chocolate?" I was anxious to get up to my room to call Alice, but I could tell he felt lik...

To any passer-by who saw him slowly walking along the shoreline, he was alone. With his hands in his pockets, and a downcast gaze, watching the water lap the beach, he was a solitary 37 year-old in a business suit, up to his ankles in water as he walked like the loneliest man on earth, the sea breeze ruffling his thinning hair and flapping his blazer. It was late evening, the time when the last person on a beach would be...

It’s kind of quiet and peaceful, but not a good quiet. Not like a tranquil, Japanese garden kind of quiet. This is the eye of the hurricane, the calm before the storm; like the calm before everything you know disintegrates into ash and vanishes before your eyes. I enter my house warily, footsteps as quiet as I can make them, my hand inside my jacket clutching my penknife. Just in case. The door bangs shut behind me, and I...

Chapter FifteenTraining day for EdHealingThe radio went off in the bedroom easy listening music from the local radio station began to play. It was morning, and although the sun would not rise for two more hours, it was time for Ed to begin his day. Billy's ears raised up when he heard the music. He laid on his side his eyes open.Billy was feeling a little better this morning, he had been eating his apatite grew a little m...

Having companionship can be the happiest thing in life, but saying goodbye to your companion can be extremely depressing. While you are having so much fun around him, suddenly, he is gone. Either migrated or death, you felt his presence has disappeared in your life. Everything changes. Different laughs, different smiles, different atmosphere, living in a different world. In the earlier stage, it will be the most painful p...

Billy Chapter Fourteen Easter Sunday Tom was once again on his feet trying to take things easy, as ordered by his Doctor. But to easy for Tom's liking, he was trying to behave himself with the understanding if he followed the Dr. instructions he could be released from the hospital the following day. Faye had arranged for her father-in-law when he ready moved to a room she had prepared for the old farmer on the first floor...

Chapter ThirteenChicken SoupWhen they arrived back on the farm, Ed carried Billy from the Jeep into the farm house in his arms, as Kaye held the kitchen door for him. Dodger and Benny were barking long before they had come through the door, they both stopped barking and started hopping up to have a better look at what Ed had in his arms. Benny began to growl then Dodger joined in.“Get down you two!” Ed snapped. The dogs b...

Chapter Twelve The NurseryAll dogs begin as pups, of course; Billy was no different except his arrival was harder than most puppies. His birth began on a cold day in January about five years ago. He was born on a neighboring farm near Old Tom Brennan's farm. Something very special took place on that day; that would change the old farmer's life and his."Mom!- Mom!" A ten-year-old girl her bouncing blonde braided pigtail tr...

Chapter 11 Jam Jams It was almost one pm by the time Ed and Kaye made their way into town. Kaye had used the free time to make good on part of her debt to Barb. The fruit of her efforts was placed in a large baggie on the Jeep's front seat between Ed and her . He made yet another attempt to open the plastic bag holding the newly baked cookies. He had been teasing Kaye about the two dozen jam jams all the way into town. Fo...

Chapter 10 The morning afterIt was morning, and Kaye had been awake for some time. Her normal drive to start her day early wasn't there. She wanted just to lie in bed a little longer. Sleep had evaded her during the night. The winter storm had passed, and the sun now shone through her bedroom window. Kaye rolled over in bed and pulled the quilts tightly up around her.She found the warm spot on the bed again and curled her...

Chapter 9 For Better or Worse  Ed was in the yard snow blowing out the driveway trying to stay ahead of the winter storm. He had been stewing over Kaye's sudden need to take care of yet another stray dog that didn't belong to them. He didn't want to see anything suffer either, but in his upbringing his parents were more practical in dealing with this kind of situation. He went over it in his mind and couldn't let it go. H...