Short-order Thrillers {Stories to Chew On}

By Darrel Day

She thinks she is a princess and her Daddy forbids her to love anything less than a prince. When a flight goes terribly wrong, Melanie will discover that her daddy... was wrong. With crocodiles and natives, all set on killing her, Melanie finds that her forbidden fruit is the only thing between her and certain death.
Atlantis has always fascinated the minds of men. Was it, did it, could it have been echo across oceans. This story will take you to a place where sacrifices and curses hide a truth. Only one woman knows how to find it. her doctor thinks she needs therapy until he too finds the truth. Just because you are an Imp, it doesn't make you a demon. it simply makes you the cost... of keeping a secret.
The desert is known for it's heat. What creature has the ability to change the one hundred and five degree desert sand into chilling snow? Marlene and her companion Dan, along with their best friends, are about to find out. Dragons that breathe snow instead of firs, relic vehicles and planes and a "something" named Sharu are stealing the Earth's desert to rekindle a life now covered in ice and Glaziers.
What can stop a powerful tribe, once known as the Amazon women, from enslaving the men of the world and making the Earth's people and land there own. The balance lies in the hands of a not yet born baby girl.
In the last but for certain, not the least in excitement and thrills, a family is torn apart after wife and mother, Sarah is nearly crushed to death by a Semi. The doctors gave her a clear go to walk again. Sarah thinks they were wrong. Walking only a few feet at a times, Sarah relies on her family and a wheelchair to get her around. Her children have pulled away from her and her husband is at a loss. A business trip and an accident leave him stranded in the mountains of snowy Colorado. Hungry wolves and a hermit who wants his where-bouts to remain a secret wait for Jake at the bottom of the ravine.
Sarah refuses to believe the police reports. Now, she and her two children will come together as a family to try and find Jake. Sarah needs her legs to work but she is afraid. Her kids will be with her for support but is it enough to save Jake?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Darrel Day
• Release date: Feb 11, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301975365

Darrel Day

Darrel Day is a 12 time published author of suspense thrillers, short story collections and biographies. His books are available in both print and on all e-readers.  Residing in a smalltown in Iowa, Darrel enjoys the outdoors where he gathers inspiration for his writing.

Book preview

Short-order Thrillers

(Stories to chew on)

By Darrel Day

Copyright 2013 Darrel Day

Smashwords Edition

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the following people for their help in making this book happen.

Heather, for your endless hours of editing my novels. Without you, I would not have time to do what it is I do best... Write.

To Susan, I say thank you for all of your hours and hours you have given to me. I could not have seen the end results nor had my novels to offer without your skills and time.

To all the readers; you daily encourage me and asked to see my short stories as a novel. There will be more to come.

Table of Contents

Story # 1: The River Princess

Story # 2: Not All Imps Are Demons

Story # 3: Desert Snow

Story # 4: A Christmas Walk

The River Princess... Part 1

Melanie wasn't the jealous type. Why would she be? She had it all. A father that owned half the town and a mother that owned the other half. She had hair that was perfectly colored. She had Auburn hair that was full enough to make Rapunzel jealous. Her emerald eyes danced when she was happy and turned a dark green when she was not. Not to ever forget legs and a butt that filled out a pair of Levi's like a sweet fitting glove. Hell, she said aloud to no one but herself, Mirrors follow you around lady, just so they can be the one to have your reflection. She laughed at herself and then frowned again. Jealous...hardly?! So why am I so upset that Shaun took that bimbo to the movies? Is he blind!? She waved her hand in front of her eyes.

Shaun Turner... the boy every girl wanted. He was 6'4", cold black hair, baby blues that looked right through you and that ohhh so adorable Elvis smile. The only thing he did not have that Melanie had was the knowing that he was gorgeous. He thought himself just an average guy. There was one other thing he did not have. He didn't have Melanie, though that sure wasn't her fault. Her father had disapproved of him from the time they were kids. Why? Simple. She was rich and elegant and he was... the son of a beach bum. Johnathon Kendall built businesses and men like Bobby Turner worked in them. It was just a fact, Melanie's father had taught her. But still, Melanie pursued him for 15 years, all through school and beyond. She didn't even know if she wanted to keep him. But she definitely wanted the chance to toss him when she was finished with him. She would make her move completely when the company his father worked for went overseas to start another factory. The company her father owned.

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For the last time, Melanie, please tell me why you would want to go to a place that is sub-standard!? I do not understand it at all!?

Daddy, I told you already. It will look good on my application for Miss U.S.A., remember?

Sweetheart, her father said in that tone she hated; the one that sounded like begging but was really demand. You don't need anything but your mother’s looks and my money to win that thing. Stay here and help some shelter or homeless person. That will work as well. I will even set it up for you.

No Daddy, I want to go on this trip! If I can't I will be stressed and then I'll break out and then your daughter will have zits from one side of her face too...

Oh, oh, good God... you don't have to be so nasty and graphic all the time! He waved his arms at her. Do what you want because you will anyways! But by God, Girl, this is the last time! Do you understand me!?!?

Yes Daddy she said in her best daddy's girl voice. She was packed and ready to go in less than an hour. The chauffer drove her to her daddy's private jet where Shaun and his father were taking off from. She walked to them and smiled at Shaun.

What are you doing here, Princess? That was the name Shaun had called her since grade school. She was never sure if it was a mock or term of endearment. She chose the latter one, of course.

Oh, daddy insisted I go along this time, you know, to get to know the business and over-see things. I can't fight City Hall, she said with a million dollar smile. You don't mind, do you Shaun? She pouted her lip out and swayed from side to side.

I don't care, Mel, just don't get in the way. Mel was the name he used when he really didn't want to talk to her.

Melanie’s eyes turned dark green as she looked at him. She turned with a huff and walked away, murmuring under her breath. By the end of this trip, Shaun Turner, you will be begging for me to be in your way!"

The flight was uneventful for the first few hours. Melanie sat as close to Shaun as she could and moved in every way she could to catch his eye. She saw him looking her way a few times when she was polishing her toenails. This wouldn't take long at all and he would be begging to be with her. Four hours into the flight, Melanie was woken from her sleep when the plane lunged to one side and then to the other side. She thought maybe they had landed. Looking out the window, all she could see was darkness. Darkness mixed with bright flashes of lightening. She screamed out and moved next to Shaun.

Are we going to crash!? What is going on outside, Shaun?

Shaun was gentle when he spoke. I don't know Princess. We are in the middle of a bad storm. Hopefully, your daddy didn't under-bid for the pilots like he did everything else in life.

It was cruel and harsh, but sadly, Melanie knew he was right. The plane took one more lunge to the right and then began falling. The nose went face down and they all fell forward into the tiny aisle. Melanie could hear the pilots yelling back to them.

Try and get into your seats and buckle. We are going to try to land this jet as softly as we can. Our instruments are out. We have no clue where we are going to land. Just hold on tight!

Melanie saw the treetops before she felt the impact. There was no time to do anything but pray and she realized she didn't even know how to do that.

You make your own way in this world, Melanie! Remember that! Don't give thanks to someone up in the sky when your hard work and smart thinking made it happen! She could hear her father's words yelling to her over and over, embedding it into her brain. Now, she didn't even have prayer. The last thing she remembered was a man covering her body as they hit the ground with full impact. She looked up into the face of Shaun's father, protecting her body from the crash with his own. And then... everything went dark.

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The River Princess... Part 2

Melanie felt the weight of something or someone on her body. She tried to focus on where she was. Her eyes opened and she wondered why the world looked tinted red. As she pulled herself up a little, a flash of light blinded her for a moment. The flash was long enough to bring it all back to her. The plane was falling from the sky. The storm had come out of no-where. And now... she remembered and knew what was on top of her. She looked down and screamed. She was looking into the open, dead eyes of Bobby Turner. Shaun's father, the man that her daddy said was little more than an Oliver, asking for more soup that would never be more than a peasant, had protected her with his body. He had died to save the life of the daughter of a man that saw him as nothing more than a worker.

You were wrong Daddy, very wrong. What else were you wrong about?

There was a stirring in front of her. She saw Shaun waking and her heart sped at the thought of him seeing his father lying dead on her. She tried to push his body off of her but the man was too heavy.

He won't hurt you! He never would have hurt you! Shaun leaned over and slowly lifted his father’s body from Melanie's. He carried him to the open cockpit where the pilots had been before the crash. Melanie watched him as he stepped out into the Jungle that surrounded them. Are you coming Princess or do you want to be carried out too? I think my family has done enough for you today.

His words pierced her heart and she saw the tears that