Moments for the Heart

Hey Weekend Writing Warriors. The craziness continues. I write this week from an airport terminal in Orlando, FL. I had stated that I may miss this week. Well, I found the time. I am in the middle of a 5hr layover here. I am on my way to my sisters celebration of life service in California. If you can do the math, yeah. Texas, Florida, California. Let’s just say that it all does add up. The sum allowed me to find a fare low enough to include our daughter on this trip.

This delay also gives me the time to catch up on everything I missed when I was speedily trying to get my work completed, this snippet included. Our day began at 5AM, Texas time, with getting up to be at the airport by 7. Our flight lands at 8PM this evening, California time. That’s 15 hours. But it is worth it.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Now let’s get to our snippet.


The Five Barred Gate is a Dystopian Suspense novel that takes place about 20 years after the events after the first novel. It surrounds the life of Michael, Jacob’s son. He faces the same, but different challenges his father faced. Times are much more difficult. I am excited to revisit this world. I love my characters and getting to revisit the Dystopian genre. You can catch up with past entries here.

SYNOPSIS:

Still working on a full synopsis:

Michael Andrews is Jacob’s son. He is now the main character. His wife has been arrested for talking to someone on her trip to the store about God. Now he must find a way to fight for her release and raise their twins. He has the help of Rachel’s grandfather Frank Dunham, his parents, and a supportive attorney that will do their best to protect Rachel. But they must fight Federal and local laws that are even more strict than what his father had to deal with. They must also struggle with a corrupt accuser and an old family adversary to ensure justice is served and Rachel is able to come home to her family.

>>>If you are curious about the first novels snippets, I have them archived: Here is a link to them if you want to read up on The Fiver Barred Gate <<<

SNIPPET:

Summary:
In last week’s snippet we left off with Michael dropping his kids with dad, and then Jacob, giving him four words most people dread to hear. That closed out Chapter Four. We now move into Chapter Five. You can catch up with last weeks snippet here.

—First, here is a the tail end of last week:

“Grandpa!!” two kids hollered in unison.

Jacob laughed as he knelt to grab both necks in a hug.

“So, how are my two little munchkins?” Jacob asked, kissing Angela on the cheek and giving Aiden a head rub.

Both kids gave him their life story of the past couple of nights of missing mommy in unison, with his dad’s head dancing back and forth, nodding in concern and chuckling over their concern at mommy’s inconvenient timed illness. His way of comforting the children was admirable. He was glad about it. His dad again took the kids in his arms when they seemed to get their stories told. He looked up at him, his smile vanishing, “Come on inside. We need to talk.”

We now move into the next chapter, but it picks up right were we left off.

“A Denali,” Michael said. “Are you sure?” Michael didn’t know what to think. Denali’s weren’t a common make of truck anymore. They practically didn’t exist. So, his dad’s defenses went into overdrive whenever he thought he saw one, even after twenty years. So, he wasn’t too concerned at this point.

“Positive. Two of them. Dark, brand new with tinted windows. They drove down the highway there,” Jacob pointed out the window from the office where they were sitting. “Not the normal tint you would see to keep the sun out of your eyes. The kind of tint keeps people from seeing inside. And these Denali’s or whatever they were, drove in formation. There was something off about them.”

::There is your ten (or so). Here is a bit more to complete the thought.::

“Dad,” Michael said.

“No,” Jacob snapped. “It is not my paranoia. This time it was real. I tell you, they are out there again.”

“Then why do you risk me bringing the kids here?”

Jacob shrugged. Michael could tell that even he had his doubts. Looking over your shoulder for so long had its way of playing with your mind. Even though nothing bad had happened, other than the laws getting stricter, his father would allow his past to take over sometimes. He knew Nathan Edwards was a ghost, a memory. And even though the Federal Speech Act remained intact, they didn’t monitor it as they used to. His dad had felt freer to preach the way Eric had entrusted him. But with the new laws, the comfort they once experienced had been shaken over the last couple of years. Now with the pickup sightings, he was starting to pull back. Even his sermons had been affected.

“They comfort me. Plus, I don’t think they would do anything with the kids around.”

“So, my children are your shield now?”

“That’s not what I meant, Michael.”

“Sure sounds like it, if they are as vicious as you make them out to be.”

Jacob exhaled, leaning back in his chair. “I just feel safer here, Mikey. And the kids keep my mind occupied.”

“Honestly, I think you are seeing things,” Michael said, leaning forward and placing his hand on his father’s arm. “It’s all in your head, dad. We’ve been through this before. All of that is in the past. They can’t hurt you anymore. He can’t hurt you anymore.” Whoever they were, Michael told himself. He had been trying to figure out his dad for a long time. But figured it was best to humor him on occasion, especially when he was on edge.

Sometimes it is bet to just let things be and let those who what to think what they want to think think what they want to think. Michael has had years of hearing it from his father. But now? Could there be more to what Jacob could be seeing?

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Monday is Memory Monday
We remember an important event that occurred on that Monday or sometime that week.

Tuesday is Two Twenty-Two Tuesday
A weekly vlog where I talk about writing or something that’s been on my heart, all in two minutes and twenty-two seconds. — I am way behind on this… sorry.
This is posted on my YouTube channel.

Wednesday is when I post my blog for the week.
I speak from my heart on various topics from writing to faith.

Thursday is This or That Thursday
A weekly two-option poll that raises the question, do you like this, or do you prefer that?
I host this on this on Twitter, IG, and Facebook.

Friday is Fun Fact Friday
I find and share interesting or obscure facts on my pages.

Saturday is for Weekend Writing Warriors
Saturday is for Snippets from a current piece or past work.

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THIS WEEK’S WRAP-UP

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT:
Thanks for reading this week. And for your continued support.

Sitting here in the airport seeing so many people traveling to and fro. So many lives with so many stories. All comingling in one location. The lady in the seat next to me on the first leg of our flight held an infant. It was the child’s first flight. The baby was no more than a year old. She mostly slept in her mom’s arms, but she spent the a little bit of the flight squirming. The mom apologized a couple of times. I told her there was no need to. That I too was a parent and understood. She had a beautiful daughter and that she could kick me all she wanted and to enjoy the flight.

There is far too much nitpicking and griping in this world. This lady probably knew that she was going to have issues with the person next to her. I was not going to be that person. I have have kids and I just pray God placed me there to help alleviate her concern for her flight.

Catch up with everything. My latest blog written, and a recent vlog. They are a bit outdated, but if you haven’t seen them, they are good to go for you.

Here’s to living the dream. God bless Writing Warriors!!

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In His Exciting Service,

Jeff S. Bray

Check out amazing established and emerging writers at Weekend Writing Warriors. Each week we post new snippets from either published works or works in progress for each other to comment on. Gain insight into how the mind of a writer works and a behind-the-scenes look at works before they hit bookstands everywhere.

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