Well this was a long while coming but here you are finally!!!
Chapter 2 of Chad's Choices hope you like it! Chapter 2-What Can We Do? Lydia let out a contented sigh as she put the last dish in the cupboard. They hadn’t been able to find anything different than that watery soup, but it would do. She knew Mark had threatened her, but she also knew that she had until tomorrow evening, when he would be home. As she entered her bedroom, or whatever you could call the little curtained off part of the house, she smiled remembering how Chad had tried to comfort her after Mark had left. She knew her son really did love her she could see it in everything he did. But she also knew that she needed to somehow give the kids a better life. Sighing she turned back the covers, preparing to get in, but a voice stopped her. “Ma? Can I talk to you?” Lydia turned and smiled at the face of her eldest. “Sure Chad, come sit down,” she answered patting a spot on the bed beside her. Chad entered quickly and took a seat. “Okay Ma, I was thinking, I know we need more food and I wondered if maybe I could get a small job or something or I guess I could move out and fend for myself, but we really need to get the girls some food and improve their situation! Do you have any ideas? Or maybe we co-.” “Chad, Chad slow down! I know we need to help the girls, but not just them you need more too Chad, you are a growing boy. You’re getting older, filling out, I-I am so proud of you. You have borne all this so well.” Lydia choked to a stop. “Oh Ma, don’t cry, but do you have any thoughts?” Chad hugged his Ma to him and tried to comfort her. “Chad, I have thought over it many times, but it always ends up with a bad ending. At least as far as I can see.” “What do you mean?” “Oh, son don’t you see? Your pa would be so, so mad if he found out you had run away!” “I know Ma, and that is why I don’t want to leave you alone, he will take it out on you! But what else can we do?” Then he paused, “You know, Ma we could, well no I don’t think that would work.” Chad stopped disappointed. “What were you thinking?” Ma urged him on. “Well, I just thought maybe we could just all disappear, we could start out one night.... that way we could get a good start!” He pleaded. “Oh Chad, I couldn’t do that, I have to stay with Mark. He is my husband and I am still under his command, and well, love.” She choked on the last word, but soon smiled. “Don’t you see?” “No, No I don’t. How could you stay with pa! He beats you until you can’t see straight and yells and hollers at you all the time. Why stay with him!” He finished in an accusing tone. “Yes, I see what you are saying, but Chad God has commanded us that after we are married to love and submit to each other till death do us part. I must listen to Him, no matter how hard it is.” Lydia responded gently and patiently. “Well, I don’t think pa is loving and submitting to you so I don’t see why you should be.” Chad responded distastefully. “That’s part of the faith Chad, and I only hope that you and your sisters will follow Him also.” “Well whatever, I will think about some plans and talk later, goodnight Ma love ya.” Chad bent over and planted a kiss on Ma’s cheek and left the room. “Oh Lord show us your will...........and help Chad, he needs you. Please show him Yourself.” Was Lydia’s prayer as she slipped into a peaceful sleep. *********************************** Chad slowly shuffled to the curtained off part he called his bedroom. ‘Does Ma really believe all that stuff about God?’ he thought. ‘I mean who would want to serve a God like that? One that told you to stay with a bad person. Really!’ he thought angrily. ‘i don’t think Ma understands His commands, maybe she is not understanding something.’ But inside Chad knew that Ma knew what she was talking about. And she was right in what she was doing. “If only there was some way to help her get away from Pa, well, I guess ‘legally’.” He laughed under his breath. “Chad, is that you?” Chad looked down at the older of his two younger sisters, Sadie. “Yeah, it’s just me, go back to sleep, I’m right here. I will take care of you Sadie.” He said laying down beside her and wrapping his arm around her. Sadie smiled sleepily. “Thank, ya Chad, I love you.” And she drifted off to sleep. “I love you too Sadie,” was his whispered response as he dropped off into a restless sleep. “I love you.” And there you are! ~Elisheva Kauffman No promises when the next will be out ;)
0 Comments
Chad Choices
Chapter 1 15-year-old Chad walked the streets of his hometown. In the past year so much had changed. Instead of happy children playing in streets, clean and smiling. It was children skinny, unclothed, and ragged. A year ago, poverty had hit them all. A year ago, everyone or almost everyone lost their jobs and those who didn’t, did not share. Everyone tried to get food on the table. But no matter what they did it seemed all they ever ate was what they could grow or get for under a dollar. Chad walked on reaching his end of town. Opening the front door, he also opened it to his home life. “I should have stayed out.” He thought. He entered the house to see his little sisters age 5 and 6 huddled in the corner. His mother, with tears streaming down her face, quietly took a beating from her husband. Chad grimaced and turned his face away. This was the second time that Dad had went as far as beating Ma. “Must have found that drink again. Must have had enough cash to get that evil stuff.” He though sarcastically. He wanted to cut in, but he was too scared. Instead he shoved his mother’s pleading eyes out of his mind and reached for his sister’s. He was surprised at how light they were. Taking the 6-year-old’s hand he picked up Antonia, the 5-year-old. “Come,” he whispered, “Let’s go get us some supper.” At this point they had entered the room they called the ‘kitchen’. Containing an old stove, table, 6 chairs, and a cupboard. “Momma don’t have no food.” Said Sadie quietly. “What was that?” Chad asked the 6-year-old sister. “Momma didn’t make no food.” Chad didn’t bother correcting her English this time. But immediately tried to cheer her up. “I’m sure this is something around here somewhere,” he said searching the cupboards. And then it hit him. “That is why Dad is beating Ma.” He muttered. “Yeah,” said Antonia, and only then did he realize he had said it out loud. He looked up at Antonia and seeing her serious face came like a punch in the gut. ‘Even Antonia understands the turmoil going on in this house. Something needs to be done for me and for them’. He thought to himself. “I need to talk to Ma tonight when Pa is gone maybe we can can figure something out.” ********************************************** Lydia Lewis curled herself in a ball, preparing for the next punch. Galen Lewis, her husband, gave a sickening laugh. “You really thought you could just let me come in and tell me that you have no food? Well you thought wrong!!” He yelled. Lydia grimaced giving him even more pleasure in his torture. “I will be back and you better have some food on that table!” HIs voice heightened in volume as he pointed his grimy finger in her direction. “And NO more of that watery soup!” He must have thought his mission was finished because he turned and stomped out of the room slamming the door behind him. Lydia slowly relaxed unsure if he would reappear or not. After about ten minutes she slowly stood up groaning in pain. She was sure there would be many bruises showing tomorrow. And she also knew that Galen would be mad about the marks he had made himself. Walking to the mirror she took a glance at herself. “Oh no!” she groaned. “Oh God I need your help, please Lord take care of me I need you!” *************************************** Galen Lewis strode toward the woods behind his house, smiling greedily to himself. Lydia was so innocent, so childish. “Oh, if only she knew,” he chuckled. The farther he got from his house the closer he got to contentment and forgetfulness. After walking for about twenty minutes he came to a road. “Hey, Harry get up! I need a ride!” He followed his command with a string of cursing. “Oh, sorry boss be ready in a minute.” Harry, the ‘taxi driver’ hurried around a shack and soon emerged with a rundown pickup. “Alright Harry get me to the place of paradise.” Galen laughed, Harry joined in and they were on their way, winding down the old bumpy ‘road’. “So boss what’s the plan for tonight?” asked Harry. “Oh, drink some, drink some more and maybe drink some more,” Galen responded nonchalontly. “You always say that, what are we really going to do?” Harry asked impatiently. “Well,” Galen rubbed his hands together greedily, “We have a new prospect!” “We do? Are you serious? Who? What?” Harry was almost too excited to drive straight. “Look, we are going to need a different approach on this one, so we will need to talk it all over with the guys, but we have to be able to get past some of those pesky sheriffs, but otherwise there is no hinderance.” There was a pause. “Well other than the family.” Harry let out a short huff, “You know you really should get rid of them somehow.” “I know but how? I can’t just kill them off one by one.” “It’s an idea,” joked Harry. “Be serious Harry, but I do have a little idea.” Hey there I know you are all impatient for the next post. SO here it is. I was planning to post this earlier but the cover took a little longer to finalize than I thought. Sorry about that. Alright prepare yourself. . . . . This cover.. . . . Was made.. . . . . By a friend... . . . . . Abby J.! . . . . Scroll . . . . . Keep Going! :) . . . . . And here you are!!! Actually I couldn't get the picture to load. Soooo... . . . Click on the button below for the image! Please comment below your vote of either the first or the second I would love to know your thoughts!
Hope you enjoyed the cover reveals and I will try to get you a sneak peek or first chapter in a week or so! God bless! ~A Daughter of Christ~ -{Elisheva Kauffman}- So I know lots of you are eager to hear about my next story. I thought I would start with cover reveal and have different parts as the the days go on so part one is cover reveal. Mind you this is a cover I {non-professional} designed. So it's a little busy and so on, but hope you enjoy! So start scrolling :) . . . . . . . . Don't stop here keep going! . . . . . . . . Wait are you sure you want to stop? :) . . . . . . Alright almost there... . . . . . And there you are Chad's Choices Revealed! What do you think? Please let me know in the comments. Have any suggestions? Mention them below also:)
And come back in a couple days for Part 2-Excerpt and Other cover option! Have a great week! God bless! ~A Daughter of Christ -Elisheva Kauffman |