Waiting For You

By Howard Mills

Natalie is a young woman whose dreams are not her own. Since she was a child, distant visions of another past have haunted her, influencing decisions and ruining relationships. With the sound advice from a close friend Natalie takes the steps to uncover the hidden truth behind her cloudy past, and the mysterious ties to a slave named Nathaniel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Howard Mills
• Release date: May 31, 2015
• ISBN: 9781468960372

Howard Mills

Howard Mills was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1981 the only child to his mother Denise Mills. After relocating to Syracuse, New he attended Frazier Elementary and excelled at drawing and earned honorable mentor awards for illustration. Even though Howard was a natural athlete, playing numerous sports from football to basketball, his desire grew with writing. During the summers his mother Denise would assign him book reports, thus helping Howard achieve a greater mastery at his craft. While enrolling into Southern New Hampshire University his passion for fictional writing expanded with reading the work of Sandra Brown, Stephen King, Terry Good kind, Eric Jerome Dickey and James Patterson to need a few. Currently Howard resides in Raleigh North Carolina, earning his B.A in Creative Writing.

Book preview

Chapter One: Nathaniel

"Do you want to hear a story Nate?’ Tyrone asked, his body hidden away from the dimly lit candle light atop the bedside stand.

Tyrone whispered again across the cabin towards Nathaniel who lay quietly awake. Slowly Nathaniel sat up wiping his eyes, soft snores surrounding him.

Above Nathaniel, a woman groaned in her sleep for him to answer Tyrone’s calls, and then Tyrone waved a hand in Nathaniel direction for the young boy to come. Long drowned out snores flowed like music over the heavy downpour outside. . Again, Tyrone called from the room where he lay on the bottom of his bunk.

Do you want to hear a story Nate? he asked.

Nathaniel will you please go and see what that boy Tyrone wants, before he wakes up the whole house. The woman said softly and slowly shifted her head with a curse.

Nathaniel saw Tyrone bright smile flash underneath the blackness of the dark.

C’mon, Nate. I have a better story than yesterday. Tyrone said loudly.

Someone sleeping above Tyrone abruptly awoke cursing whomever awoken him. Tyrone lightly rapped a knuckle against the wooden frame board nearby.

Sorry. I will speak quieter. Tyrone said softly.

The man on the top bunk snored his approval and closed his eyes while Nathaniel rushed to put on his shirt, he was using as a blanket, over his bare chest. When the cabin gained its eerie silence, Nathaniel darted over to Tyrone.

The two young boys greeted one another with their secret handshake. A light tap of the fists over and under, followed by a quick slap of the hands.

Nathaniel could not help himself from laughing and Tyrone quickly raised a finger to his lips to quiet the young boy down.

Settle down. Tyrone said.

Another loud snore from the top bunk and Tyrone pointed a finger overhead. They both shared a silent laugh. Nathaniel had known Tyrone his entire stay on the plantation. For as long as Nathaniel could remember, Tyrone was always there. Some people even said they were brothers, always laughing, joking or poking fun about something or at each other.

Although Tyrone was older by years, Tyrone mimicked the same age as Nathaniel. Many would even say Tyrone was not right in the head. That is what some of the white men said. They would make fun gangly young boy, pushing him around or talking about how he spoke. Little did they know Tyrone was very smart and only acted like a fool.

Tyrone always told Nathaniel Be a fool for the fools. Nathaniel laughed the idea however, Tyrone would frown gently grabbing Nathaniel wrist, his eyes staring in the depths of his soul.

Nate. These white men will kill you if they thought you were smarter than they were. So, be a fool for the fools.

Since then Nathaniel never questioned Tyrone and knew the thoughts were for his own safety.

Every night, after work in the fields was complete; Tyrone would read stories to Nathaniel.

Tyrone’s stories took Nathaniel from the hot and humid plantation fields of North Carolina to lush tropical plains of Africa.

The journeys were endless. Within the far-fetched worlds, Nathaniel could drown his fears and allow a wondrous to unfold, a world where his own imagination took center stage. Nathaniel took delight in every syllable from Tyrone’s mouth. Tyrone had a unique way with words. His words were magical and colorful. Tyrone could talk someone out from giving him his or her shirt or shoes.

What do you want me to read tonight Nate? Wizards, knights or dragons.

Nathaniel thought heavily on the question. All the stories were good. Finally, he made his decision.

Wizards, Nathaniel replied.

Tyrone sat back against the cold wooden plank of the bed board pulling out a small pamphlet hidden between the dingy bed and wood board. The leather pamphlet had tiny gold lettering across the front. Tyrone flipped through the tiny pages. When Tyrone found a page to his liking, he hunched closer to the window nearby to see the words more clearly. Nathaniel sat silently on the edge of the bed full of anticipation while Tyrone softly cleared his throat to speak.

Ahem, okay. In the far off land, deep in the blacken forest there lived a great and powerful wizard named Nathaniel.

Nate could not help but chuckle at hearing his name.

Hey, he has the same name as me. he said softly to Tyrone.

Tyrone nodded lightly poking a finger to Nathaniel heart.

Yes, Nate, this is a story about you a very important story. Do not forget it.

Nathaniel straightened upright wiping his sleep heavy eyes. He wanted to hear the story especially if the story was about him. As Tyrone continued to read, Nathaniel noticed the scars on Tyrone’s arms and neck. They looked fresh to the eye, and some even bled a bit. Nate began to talk however, Tyrone held up a hand.

I want you to listen, Nate. I don’t want you to miss this story.

Willingly Nathaniel obliged and listened to the story of the Great wizard, he shared the same name after, who lived deep in the forest, far from home a slave to those surrounding him. With each word that escaped from Tyrone’s lips Nathaniel found himself drawn deeper into the enchanted world as he drifted asleep. Soon Nathaniel was resting on the far corner of Tyrone’s bed while the raindrops tapped against the windowpane. In the distance, thunder clapped bringing a new wave of rain that scattered about the tops of the wooden house. Somewhere dogs began barking and another sound of thunder rang loudly. Inside the wooden house a woman awoke, her foot falls treading across the creaking floor.

Ty? she whispered in the darkness.

Again, she called for Tyrone yet no answer. Just as Nathaniel awoke to look around a single gunshot sound erupted from outside. Everyone inside the wooden house awakened each person with his or her own questions that is when Nathaniel heard the most blood-chilling scream off his life. The woman stood nearby screaming as she peered out the window. Men yelled at what they saw while others covered his or mouth crying. The man on the top bunk quickly hopped off the bed making his way to the window close at his feet. He dropped his head slowly at what he saw sobbing softly. Nathaniel sat up wiping his heavy eyes. His eyes glanced over to Tyrone but he was gone. Nathaniel’s heart began to drum loudly inside his chest to his ears drowning out some of the cries from the wooden house. Someone moved to the door then thought wisely on the decision and held the doorknob sobbing to himself. Nathaniel stood to look out the window.

Where is Ty? he asked.

The man on the top bunk blocked Nathaniel’s, with his wide body, view of the events outside with his wide frame.

Hey don’t look. Don’t look. He said voice breaking.

Nathaniel yelled pushing the man away from the window. However, the man would not budge. He put his long arms around Nathaniel whispering to the young boy.

Don’t look. He’s gone. The man said softly.

Filled with rage, Nathaniel yelled for the man to move. He shouted to the top of his lungs to see what was outside the window.

Gently the strong fingers of the man slowly released Nathaniel as the young boy raced for the window to peer outside. First, his dark brown eyes looked skyward towards the moonlit clear night. The stars sparkled silently across the wide horizon. Nathaniel’s heart dreaded to glance down as slowly as bloodhound dog barking became louder with every tug of the leach around their necks.  One of the men cursed, his voice filled with anger from a sleepless night and not much rest.  He ordered the dog to quit biting and get back. Nathaniel’s heart twisted into small knots, and then warm tears rained down his cheeks. Soon, the night sky gave its own tears as rainfall slapped against the hollow ceiling boards. Nathaniel’s eyes continue to glide over the sky above.

Another shout from the man choking the blood hogs with its collar. The high pitch of