A Threat on the Prairie

Sophie pointed to a large, spreading cottonwood standing like a lonely sentinel atop a knoll in the vastness of the prairie. “Oh, let’s forget about it for now and not let that miserable Tom Mott spoil a perfectly nice day. There’s a spring over there by those trees and some flat rocks. It’s a good […]

A Feeling of Fear

What little sleep I got the rest of that fractured night came in snatches, punctuated by dreams of being chased by faceless intruders. By 5 a.m. I could no longer stand the nightmares. Dragging myself out of bed, I slipped into my jeans and a red T-shirt and staggered downstairs to plug in the old, […]

With Death in Pursuit

A drop of blood dripped from my nose and I flicked it away. I felt terrible and couldn’t imagine how I looked. If our lifeless bodies were ever found, would anybody recognize me?  “I’m in no condition to die,” I told Mom. “Just look at my hair. If Minda Stilley could see me now.” I […]

Within a Hair’s Breadth

Within a Hair’s Breadth

A man’s voice came clearly to my ears: “I tell you, there’s no use in tramping through these miserable woods looking for their bodies. Nobody could survive going down this hill at the speed they went over. Come on, let’s go.” The crashing in the underbrush grew louder. From my hiding place, all I could […]

Ancestry and Its Mysteries

Ancestors are fascinating people. You have them. I have them. Each ancestor has a story and, from their stories, we arrive and write our own stories to pass on. I’ve always been fascinated by past generations. Finding out more about how they lived, what they considered important, how they spent their days is an engrossing […]

As the Twig Is Bent

Sometimes, Ned, Pat and Jackie are philosophers. As my friend Jane once said, good friends are doctors and scientists and, well, I’m not quoting her correctly, but most of all, friends are there for each other. So, these three have their own thoughts about what causes a person to go bad. This is from Moonstruck […]