Comicfan - Upcoming Story - Last Christmas

[comicfan]

I've been doing a number of stories for different Anthologies and not getting much else out this year. I apologize. Been a bad year. However I have gone to work on a story that has been rattling around in my head. I have the first two chapters of what will probably be a six chapter story done. I am hoping to post the first chapter on Christmas. Consider it my gift to those of you who still enjoy getting a tale out me.

 

Here is a part of the first chapter. Be warned not corrected, beta read, or edited. Just a sample of what you will be getting.

 

 

Last Christmas

They say that time is the great healer. It allows pains and regrets to fade away, for people to heal, and for life to move you forward. However, sometimes all time does is allow the wounds of life to fester, for time to stand still as heart freezes and turns cold. For Frank all the trouble began last year when his walls were broken down and life flowed in to overwhelm him.

Frank pulled the hat down low over his ears, slipped on his gloves, and marched out into the cold autumn wind. The wind picked up the leaves and swirled them into flowing masses of slick brown, orange, and red waves that eventually began to stick together as the freezing November rain came pouring down.

He moved slowly, his limp barely visible as he climbed into his battered old truck and started the engine. He sat letting the truck engine warm up before he turned the heat on, eased out of his driveway, and into the roadway. The silence of the cab was punctuated by the slap, slap, slap of the windshield wipers and the hiss of his car’s heater.  Here the roads were empty, but he knew it wouldn’t be long till the roads were packed as people would be rushing out to get to early Black Friday sales. As Frank pulled up to the traffic light at his corner, he noticed the house on his left had already decorated for Christmas with colored lights and yard figures.

“Damn idiots are just going to have a huge electric bill for all that,” he mumbled as he waited for the light to turn green and moved on into the main drag that would bring him to work.

The last year had changed a lot of things in his life and Frank just wanted to work and be left alone. Just ahead he spied the entrance to the parking lot behind his business. He signaled, turned and was surprised to see the large lot was nearly full. He found a parking spot in the back corner, locked his truck up and made his way slowly to the store. He knew he wouldn’t have a huge rush of people but he hoped to draw a few in with his stuff. The idea of running a store where everything was handmade was rare and hard to do anymore.

Frank made it to the back of the store and opened the door. The building was cold but he knew between the kiln and the lights the place would soon be toasty warm. He had a bunch of new plates ready to go, glazes done, and a pitcher as well. Now he would sit and carve out some new pieces out of wood. He had already carved two new crèches and a chess set. He hoped people would enjoy his take on the world of magic as he had created a chess board of good and evil, elves and ogres, castles and decrepit keeps, unicorns and Minotaurs. The stains and paints had done a lot to make the figures look spectacular.

 He hadn’t really been in the Christmas mood for a number of years. His parent’s health had taken a turn for the worst two years ago and he had lost them within weeks of each other. Then his brother, who had been in the Army for fifteen years, came home on leave to spend time with his wife and kids, only to be shot and killed by some twelve year old kid who wanted to get into a gang. His sister-in-law had fallen apart initially, but her desire to do right by her children forced her to pull herself together. That was great for the kids, however it meant she took a job that removed what little family he had left in his life and transferred them across the country. Then, of course, there was his accident.

[Aditus]

I'm always happy to read one of your stories. It was 'Accidents Happen' that brought me back here again and again. Just hope it will get better for Frank.

[Slytherin]

I am so looking forward to read this story  

[comicfan]

Just so you know I did finish it. Presently in the hands of my editor and beta reader. Once they are done it will be up.

[comicfan]

Okay just so people don't think I've lost it. The beta finished, I did major overhauls and it is now with the editor. Hopefully Chapter 1 begins to post sometime next week. Thanks for the patience.