Seven siblings were abandoned one cold, rainy Nebraska night in October 1936. Forced to separate in order to survive, each went their own way. Fourteen years later, they are still searching for one another. Book III of the Journey Home trilogy brings them back together again. See excerpt below from Love’s Amazing Grace: The Reunion.
The U.S.S.Yorktown, photographed from USS Pensacola – Official U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-414423, U.S. National Archives.Public Domain
Huddled in a secluded corner of the ship, Guy hugged his knees, shaking with fear and cold. The total darkness threatened to consume him. His eyes hurt from crying, his body ached from fighting. He jerked as another rat tried to seek refuge beneath his jacket. He was alone. Abandoned again. Left to die on a sinking ship.
***
He wrestled with the bedsheets that felt as if they would strangle him. Drenched in sweat, his body twitched as the vivid nightmare tormented his soul.
***
Planes flew in every direction. Flames, tracer bullets, and explosive bombs blew the enemy apart. The sky, black from anti-aircraft fire, stung the eyes and burned the nostrils. Plane fragments collided in the air. Firing continued. As shells careened past each other, it was difficult to distinguish incoming bullets from those being fired. Fear engulfed Guy Larue, an airplane mechanic on deck, but bravery and stamina overrode his fright. The sailors fought on, not knowing it would be their last battle at sea.
The U.S.S. Yorktown shuddered as the first bomb detonated on deck. The force of the blast flung Guy’s body through the air and bashed him against the water main so hard it smashed. Dazed and confused, he was unaware of his surroundings; his legs were tangled beneath his body, his clothes torn open. Three planes on the flight deck exploded and fires broke out everywhere.
“Donner, get your plane in the air and blast those bloody Japs,” Guy heard somewhere in the distance. Vaguely aware, he saw his friend Jack run toward his B26 bomber and take off.
“Larue, get up and douse those flames!” Captain Buck yelled.
Guy pulled himself up and joined the battle to put out the fires. He heard the roar of a plane. As he looked up, his eyes widened in fright as a Japanese bomber dove straight for the aircraft carrier. Jack shot the plane down and as it disintegrated, its bomb fell toward other bomber jets on deck. Guy froze in horror. If that bomb hits the Dauntless, we’re goners. He panicked. It was fully fueled and armed with a one-thousand-pound bomb.
“We’ll make it, Guy.” Tink’s voice rose above the din, as if in a dream. “Have faith, man.”
“Tink—you’re hit. You’re hit!” Tink sunk to the floor as shrapnel flew through the ship’s gaping wound. A blank look crossed Tink’s face as he tried to make sense of the searing pain in his chest.
________________________________________________
ORDER YOUR COPY OF Love’s Amazing Grace: The Reunion by clicking on the book in the right panel or at Amazon.com. Special Christmas pricing for all three in box set.
The Write-Design 