JOURNEY INTO DARKNESS , livre ebook

Outskirts Press - Charles Ray Brady

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232 pages

English

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As Ben lay there in his semi-conscious state, his body racked with pain from head to toe, the intensely bright light that hung above him seemed to bore itself into his very soul. It happened so quickly and without warning causing him to catapult over the handlebars of his bicycle coming to a bone-crushing heap at the side of the road. He’d only caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of an object being thrown before it clocked him to the side of his head leaving him with clouded thoughts of WHY ME?! An angry familiar voice by the gurney where he lay in the emergency room muttered a vivid threat through gritted teeth, “When I get ahold of that kid, I’ll beat the living tar out of him!” “No you won’t son, you’re not that kind of boy.” For Ben Okura, being Japanese American took on a whole new meaning as he was to become one of the homeland’s first civilian casualties of World War II. Ben didn’t know it yet; but, at that moment, he’d already started down an unimaginable darkened road filled with intrigue, danger, and adventure to places he’d never been. He would have to settle up with fate and meet his destiny.

Sujets

Historical

World War II

Fiction

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Publié par	Outskirts Press
Date de parution	31 août 2021
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781977247384
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0500€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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JOURNEY INTO DARKNESS The Gathering Storm - BOOK ONE All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2021 Charles Ray Brady v5.0
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Outskirts Press, Inc. http://www.outskirtspress.com
ISBN: 978-1-9772-4738-4 Hardback ISBN: 978-1-9772-3352-3 -->
Cover Photo © 2021 www.gettyimages.com . All rights reserved - used with permission.
Outskirts Press and the "OP" logo are trademarks belonging to Outskirts Press, Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DEDICATION
To my wife, Carolyn Seals Brady, who is my main supporter and cheerleader for my hobbies which include landscape painting, music, and writing books. She is a terrific help with them.
For my mom, LaDora Mendenhall Brady, who really wanted a girl but got me instead! She expressed her gratitude for me many times and said I was just as good to her as a daughter would have been. To my dad, James Mitchell Brady, the unsung hero who worked hard to always provide for us even during difficult times.
To my children James, Margaret (Young), Robert, and Brent as well as their wonderful families; and, my son, Shaun, who has been a sounding board for my writing and has always encouraged me. I hope this book will provide insight to my children, their spouses, and my grandchildren as to who their Grandpa Brady is and how he thinks.
It is my hope that each person who reads this book will follow your dreams. Never let others define your character. Be the master of who you are and take your life down an honorable path.
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
To acknowledge something, in the way I use it here, is to say thank you. Yet, when I say thank you to my wife, Carolyn Seals Brady, for all her work in helping me bring this story to reality, it seems inadequate. In fact, she has spent her time with a laptop on three trips across America working on edits of this story as we have driven the highways and byways of our country as well as countless hours at home on our computer. As to my soul, this story has brought peace to me; and so, may whoever reads this, find something to brighten their day. We all need help in this life, with whatever we do, because it’s difficult to go it alone. Thankfully, Carolyn has been there for me and there’s no way to adequately express my gratitude.
CHAPTER 1
Sometimes the coming of fall is a pretender and sometimes it isn’t. Today, Ben felt like there was no pretending. The nip in the air was a precursor of things to come. The cooler air had more of a bite as it pierced through his light summer clothing while he peddled up and down the streets of the gently rolling hills of San Bruno, California. The sound of the clanking bicycle chain reminded him he needed to tighten it before it fell off at an inopportune time was there ever an opportune time? Life now seemed to capture every unused minute leaving little time for the mundane things in life such as some simple bicycle maintenance.
Ben enjoyed his late afternoon ride from school to his part time job at the Jamison store. It gave him time to think about things. It was rare when he was by himself long enough to think clearly without distractions. Lately, there was an over abundance of things to think about. Unless Ben had practice or a track meet after school, his best friend, Brent, usually bicycled with him part of the way. Today was one of his better school days because it had ended on a high note. He was particularly pleased because his coach said he was peaking at exactly the right time which would give him a boost in the finals. He’d done particularly well this afternoon in the track meet against their archrival, Champion High School. Ben’s coach gave him many accolades for his performance which made him happy and was a big boost to his ego. Brent would have stayed and watched him run at the track meet after school but today he wasn’t feeling well and went home early.
Darn it, I need to stop dawdling. Mr. Jamison is expecting me at the store as I promised but this old bike won’t respond to my wishful thinking if I don’t put in the effort to peddle faster. At this rate I’ll never be there on time.
The situation irked him because there was no excuse for it other than his mind was drifting to something else rather than the task at hand. Lately, his focus wasn’t on what it should be. More often than not, he caught himself thinking about Julianne way too much. She was a beautiful distraction and he found his adolescent mind daydreaming about her more and more often.
I wish I could compartmentalize my brain so I could hold my thoughts about her in a place where I will think about her only when it’s convenient.
Recently, things had begun to change from a friendship to something more at least in his mind. Julianne was Brent’s younger sister and she had been around for as long as he could remember. Brent was still his best friend and that would never change; but, recently and without warning, his feelings for Julianne had become a warm and comforting place he wanted to go in the recesses of his mind way too often.
However, these last several months he was becoming worried about Brent. Perhaps worried was overstating the matter and concerned was a better way of thinking about it. Anyway, he had a feeling there was something wrong with Brent’s health but his family never spoke about it. Brent would dodge Ben’s questions whenever he brought up the subject of his health. Today was another example, Brent became sick without warning and quickly went home and it wasn’t like this was the first time either.
As he rode his bicycle along, he was so entrenched in deep thought that he paid no attention to Mr. Holmes’s terrier running alongside him trying to bite his leg off. Probably, his characterization of the pooch’s intent was on the dramatic side but it was how he felt. It seemed like the dog waited in the same place every day listening for the clanking sound of his bicycle and lurking just behind a white picket fence to dart out and chase him. It had become a rather old ritual and there were times he wanted to just take his foot off the pedal and kick the pesky pooch in the snout. He gave it serious consideration; but, in the end, decided to ignore him once again.
Ben wasn’t sure if it was him but he was beginning to think Brent was changing. Most of his life Brent had not taken life so seriously. Ben on the other hand had the dubious honor of being known as "Mr. Serious". During his short ride this afternoon Ben was more prolific than usual in his daydreaming. He quickly realized he needed to stop this sort of reverie because he was nearing the Jamison store and his thoughts needed to be redirected to the here and now.
The rather recent death of his papa had caused a dramatic change in Ben’s life. His mama didn’t complain but he knew she was hurting emotionally and monetarily since his papa’s untimely passing. Mr. Jamison hired Ben to work in his store after school knowing it would help alleviate some financial concerns. As strange as it sounded, Brent worked harder when Ben was there. At least that was Mr. Jamison’s observation and one of the reasons he gave when he asked Ben to work after school at his store. As for Ben, he believed all the reasons Mr. Jamison gave for wanting his services around the store were valid but he thought it was the unspoken one which was the real reason. It was the compassion he had for Ben and his mama.
Working for Mr. Jamison after school was a natural fit. He couldn’t do better than to work for his best friend’s dad. Mr. Jamison once said he considered him to be a second son. Ben always thought it was the ultimate compliment. Knowing someone could love you like a member of their own family brought feelings of comfort especially after he’d lost his papa whom he idolized. Parking his bike in its usual place in the alley between Mr. Jamison’s store and another building, he gave himself the once over, checking to make sure he looked presentable before he opened the store’s back door and walked inside.
"So how was your day at school Ben?"
"Things went great today," he said as his mind snapped back to the present.
He closed the back door behind him and noticed Mr. Jamison precariously perched on a ladder neatly stacking cans of pork ’n’ beans on a shelf.
"Just my observation Mr. Jamison but that’s an awfully rickety ladder you’re standing on. That’s the kind of job you should have left for me."
"Did you have a track meet today?" Mr. Jamison inquired as he briefly stopped stocking cans to hear his response.
"Yes we did and I believe my performance was adequate. How is Brent doing this afternoon?" Ben asked hoping to change the subject and have his immediate concern about the more than occasional bouts of illness Brent was having addressed.
"He’s a little better. It helped for him to rest this afternoon," Mr. Jamison replied giving