Hey, Weekend Writing Warriors. It’s been an exciting week. I want to thank each of you who have kept Carolyn in prayer for a job. She finally got the call. She will be the new Market Manager for a local bank chain here. It is an amazing opportunity for her.
As for me, I am now an Ambassador for Kerusso Christian apparel and accessories. You can check out their amazing selection of T-shirts and other items through my personal link.
The Five Barred Gate parts One and Two are available on Amazon! Pick up your copies today!!
SYNOPSIS:
Michael Andrews thought he was far removed from the events his father experienced twenty years ago. He heard the bedtime stories so often, he had driven them out and was barely speaking to his dad. Religion was the last thing he wanted, until it became the only thing that mattered.
A new threat arises; his wife is arrested for talking about God to the wrong person. Now Jacob Andrews may be his only hope. He must lean on him, Rachel’s attorney, and those who understand what occurred twenty years ago and may be happening now when an old adversary returns to wreak havoc, using federal laws to exact revenge on the Andrews family.
Will he succeed, or will justice prevail to set Rachel free?
SNIPPET:
Summary:
This Five Barred Gate sequel, is a Dystopian Suspense about what would it be like if freedom of expression liberties were taken from us. In this installment laws have become more strict. One could be arrested for simply speaking their mind if another chose to press charges. This only multiplied within the Christian community. The laws were strict for Jacob in the first novel, now twenty four years later, his son Michael must face his own battles.
Last week Michael confronted his father about his past. Here is a bit as a reminder.
“What happened with your judge?”
“Heh. That is where you are lucky. I never saw a judge. I was arrested and immediately taken to jail. Where Rachel is now is part of the Nathan Edwards improvement of the Federal Speech Act. His actions caused the rewriting of it or, rather, additions to it. But with the additions, the rules also became stricter on the other end. The lines clarified what can and cannot be said and done.”
“So, Rachel seeing a judge protects her then?”
“If she sees the right judge.”
We are moving into Chapter 11. After a quick breakfast with his sister, Michael is on his way to the courthouse.
“Call Johnathan,” Michael told his Bluetooth, which obeyed his command. The ringing buzzed through the car speakers. Two rings later, he answers.
“Good morning, Michael. Are you on your way to the courthouse?”
“Yes, just left the house.”
“Take your time. Rachel is the final one on the docket. They’ve already posted it. Meet me in the lobby. There is a bagel shop around the corner. Park in the garage in the Justice Building. It was practically empty when I pulled in. That and we need all the mojo we could get.”
::There is your ten (or so), but let’s continue on for a moment.::
Michael chuckled, “I think you and my father would have a difference of opinion.”
“Yeah, well, I’m praying too, if that means anything.”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Michael disconnected and made a left onto the street that led to the highway. He noticed the vehicle behind him did the same. It pulled up closer to his bumper than he cared to. Its squared headlights lit up to their brightest luminance, causing Michael to squint. What is this guy doing? Michael thought.
High beams flashed and passed on his driver’s side—it was a Dodge Denali. Michael went numb as he watched it pass. Its windows were tinted from what he could tell. But he was immediately blinded by a second pair of high beam headlights shining through his rear-view mirror, causing his eyes to squint again, closing in on his truck. Returning his attention to the road, he had to slam on his brakes. The first Denali was now in front of him and slowing down. The second truck on his tail resembled the first. The three of them were driving in tandem down the highway, less than a vehicle’s length apart. Michael was trapped.
“Call Johnathan,” Michael hollered to the Bluetooth.
“I do not understand the command,” the vehicle responded. “Do you wish to make a call?”
Michael took a breath and enunciated his request, and the call went through. “That was fast. Are you here—”
“Shut up. Johnathan. I’m being chased by the Denali’s. Those trucks my dad and Frank described. They are real. They exist. I don’t know what to do.”
“Call the police,” Johnathan said.
“What if they ARE the police? Remember, we don’t know who we can trust.”
“Well, what do you want me to do then?”
“I don’t know. You’re the attorney. If anything, you are a witness if anything happens to me,” Michael said as they came up and drove through a red light. “Johnathan, these guys are getting dangerous. We just blew through a light. Luckily, there was no traffic.”
“Just stop. Pull over or something.”
“And then what?”
From the silence, Michael knew Johnathan didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know how these guys are getting away with this. Traffic is picking up.”
At those words, the second Denali behind him pulled onto a side street, allowing Michael to slow down, then the second switched lanes, made a U-turn, and headed back to meet up with the other.
“Johnathan. They are gone. I guess the traffic spooked them, or they felt they had made their statement.”
“You okay?”
“No. But yeah,” Michael said, hands sweating and digging into the wheel. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Michael disconnected the line and realized he was trembling. He wanted to pull over and recenter but didn’t want to give his visitors the opportunity to return. Finishing his trip and getting to the courthouse would be his best bet, where Johnathan and, better yet, witnesses would be.
Getting a bit tense here for Michael. We find out the ghosts are real. But what will it mean for everyone?
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Featured Titles
Other titles by Jeff S. Bray:
Little Reminders of Who I Am (2020)
The Transference (2022)
Jeff S. Bray’s Children’s Series:
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