COMING SOON-MY FIRST BOOK!

"THE COMEBACK AFTER THE FIRE"




Excerpt#1


I cautiously turned over in the bed and wiggled my way around the surface of the mattress. My olive brown toes could freely feel the sturdy white thread that was stitched around its edges. It tickled my skin as I gently brushed my flesh against it. It was morning, and I was 13, and confused. I had a million questions swelling inside of my emotions yet no real answers to relieve them.

The gut-wrenching emotions that were slowly being drained out of my being were due to unrelenting guilt. The sun-rays flooded my bedroom creating laser sharp beams above the ceiling. I would immediately catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. Sadly, to say, it no longer resembled the youthful energetic teen who thrived off living life to its fullest.

Instead it resembled a weary body that enslaved an ailing spirit. A hopeless one that was anxiously awaiting the day it would be no more in this life. I was extremely craving the elements of death because of my crippling quilt of losing Jonathan.


Excerpt #2


Around 4:00 A.M., as vast darkness stretched across the southern skies, malicious red-yellow flames quickly erupted from the hot water heater. The flames quickly climbed the walls and marched across the white ceiling. It was positioned in the kitchen's right-hand corner sandwiched between the stove and sank. Hours later the Georgetown Fire Department would announce faulty wires were to blame for the deadly blaze.


Excerpt #3


As I forced my energy down the long narrow path, I became startled by the sight that jumped out, at me, on the ground. My soul grieved as it attempted to cuddle my spirit with calm and ease. I was both horrified and shaken by the sight that stared back at me on the ground. The thick-tan 50-feet hose had somehow become entangled between the wheels of my grandfather's old Ford pick-up truck.

While attempting to retrieve the hose, that was jammed between the wheels of the truck, screams of horror could be heard echoing from beyond the burning walls. It was Jonathan!


Excerpt #4


By the time my busy feet had reached the entrance of the door, I immediately became aware that my mother had already rescued my five sisters and my small brother Keith. They were safely standing near the old grey barn out of harms way. Then, each step and each movement that I made became sporadic like turtles in slow motion.

As I forced my small slender body back through the crack in the door, raging hot flames and pure darkness enveloped my body. I could distinctively hear my mother's agonizing cry yelling at me to not go back inside. My mother was screaming from the depth of her soul "No don't go back inside because you won't be able to save him." The flames had already burned each electric cable wiring loose stealing the only means of light that i had to locate Jonathan.

Gagging from smoke I could sense his presence toiling with death in the bedroom. Hours later, Jonathan's body would be found wedged between the charred box spring and mattress.


Excerpt #5


After we had arrived at Georgetown Memorial, doctors quickly leaped through the doors to aid in my treatment. A wheelchair was thrust to my side for me to occupy. I could barely open my eyelids to see my angels in white. However, I could hear them yelling for an emergency call to be placed to the Medical University Hospital to alert them of my arrival. My injuries were too life-threatening for them to treat.

I was quickly placed on a moving gurney by two muscular men and strapped down for safety. I was not given any kind of medication to minimize the pain or stabilize my body. I wish I could have be given something to lessened the pain during the transfer, but the medical staff felt it would have posed a serious threat with the Demerol that would be given at the Medical University.


Excerpt #6


On that dreadful chilling night, my father was hundreds of miles away in Georgia. He had been working for a company that had resided in the peach state. However, every weekend, my father would return home to spend substantial time with his family.

After the media had broken the news about the tragic fire, it would quickly shatter our knit-tight community. The horrifying news would eventfully reached my father about Jonathan's death and me barely clinging to life. And the weight of it all would dissolve his emotions into a mountain of ashes.



CHAPTER 3


Excerpt #1

I can vividly recollect one hot sunny day, back in 1990, when I was walking across campus feeling sorry for myself. My body was slightly bent over with my head and neck facing the ground. I could see my footprints in the sand as I crept freely across campus like an exhausted turtle. I was extremely depressed that day and wanted NOTHING TO DO WITH LIVING. I felt like a dark shadow walking with no reflection of purpose.

Then, out of no where, came Dr. Lance with words that I will NEVER forget. I can still hear those words echoing from his lips into my being. He said "HOLD your head UP Doris, because you have nothing to feel ASHAMED of just KEEP THE FAITH!"