THREE SHORT STORIES

MEMORIES

His mind stopped at the moment when the agent had mentioned wife.  Why had he reacted so sharply?  Even after two years the pain hadn't lessened one bit.  Every time he thought about Mary Beth it was the same.  That sharp stabbing pain.  Shouldn't it be better by now?  Time was supposed to heal.  Why hadn't it?

He got up and walked over to the mantle.  Adam stared at the picture.  Mary Beth, her dark hair draped over her shoulders.  Then he thought how much Elizabeth looked like her.  Perhaps that was why he couldn't get away from it.  Every time he looked at his daughter he saw his wife. 

Daily Elizabeth grew more like Mary Beth in every way.  He rested his head on the mantle, then shook himself out of this mood.  This was no way to get any work done.  Brooding about the past wasn't going to change it.  Perhaps moving to a new place would dispel some of the ghosts.  He fervently hoped so.

THE ONLY ONE I LOVE

Prologue

Simple country music and some gospel were the main stay of Amber's music.  She never expected to hear her music played on a lonely guitar while on vacation.  Only trying to get away for a short rest before a grueling tour, Amber had retreated to the cattle farm of a friend in rural southwest Georgia

Much to her surprise Amber heard the music drifting on the evening breeze.  Her encounter with the stranger who played it was anything but restful.  Never in her wildest dreams could she have anticipated how that encounter was to change her life.

SNOWBOUND

By early evening the sky had cleared more and now Jondi felt sure there would be no more snow.  There had been several more rumblings but nothing that sounded too close.  She curled up on the sofa with her book in front of the cozy fire.

Just as it was getting dark she was startled out of her wits.  There was a sudden loud thump, thump on her door.  Jondi jumped to her feet.  What could it be?  Robert couldn't have sent anyone up to her in all that snow.  Then she heard it again, thump, but not so loud this time.  Her heart pounded as she went cautiously to the door.

Jondi had never been afraid here before.  She had never seen any bears or other large animals to fear in this area, although that was still a possibility. And it certainly wasn't anywhere that man could easily get to.  She had no idea what to expect.

Slowly she opened the door and gasped.  There stood a rather large man fairly covered in snow. The Abominable Snow Man came to mind but quickly disappeared. He had one arm raised as if to strike then he gestured upward, "Saw your smoke," and his arm fell to his side.  "Avalanche," he said, barely above a whisper, and then he fell across her threshold unconscious.