The Living Stone

By F.L. Carey

Charles Parker was a gentle man who had spent his life doing all the right things. He knew what he wanted out of his life and was sure he was headed in the right direction. Then, one day when he was digging in his back yard, he found something that would make him question everything he thought he knew about his life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: F.L. Carey
• Release date: Aug 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311699947

F.L. Carey

I am retired and have been working as a legal assistant for many years. My husband and I have two daughters who have given us five grandsons and three great grandsons, so far. Being a grandparent is quite different from being a parent, and I love it. In my spare time, which there is not much of, I enjoy reading and traveling. I also enjoy being a Christian and have been for many years. I have begun writing in my later years with a serious outlook and a desire to help and entertain others. I hope that you find some enjoyment from my efforts, and maybe some help.

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THE LIVING STONE

Published by F. L. Carey at Smashwords

Copyright 2015 F. L. Carey

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

CHAPTER ONE

Charles, I’m going to take these books down to the church for the garage and bake sale, said Michelle. I shouldn’t be too long. That is, if I don’t get recruited for extra help, she laughed.

That’s fine, said Charles. I’m going to plant this tree in the back yard before it dies. Is there any place special you would like it to be?

No. You pick, she said. You know better than I do where it might be best suited. See you later. Don’t hurt yourself! she told him.

I will do my best, he told her with a laugh.

Charles and Michelle Parker were born again Christians who were devoted to God and what he had for them to do. They lived in a small town in New York and had one son and one daughter. Charles had retired from his job with a defense contractor a couple years ago, and Michelle was a retired teacher. They both enjoyed being retired. They enjoyed going to their church and were very excited about the garage and bake sale that the church had been planning. Michelle had baked pies, cakes, cookies, candy and bread and had taken the opportunity to clean out some things they had been meaning to get rid of. Everything was in great shape. The books looked as though they had not even been read. They would be a real bargain for book hunters. They both spent a lot of time doing things for the church and helping young people at the church. It was hard being young during these times and they both wanted to give the young people every opportunity to know the Lord.

When Michelle walked into the building where they were holding the sale, she was greeted with pleasant surprise. Almost everything was in order and they had left a place for her books.

Oh, Michelle, I am so glad to see you! said Jane. Jane was the pastor’s wife and had been working so hard to bring everything together for the sale. Jane was such a hard worker and a perfect pastor’s wife. John, the Pastor, had become such an asset to the church. He wasn’t as young as many of the people originally wanted, but they were completely happy now that they were here.

I will help you with the books, but I need your opinion on the arrangements for the bake sale, Jane said with hurry and breathlessness. We weren’t sure if we wanted the cookies and candy last, or first. What do you think?

Well, Michelle said, I think I would put the cookies and candy on a separate table so that it won’t cause the line to slow up. You know how children can have trouble making up their minds, so it won’t slow up the line when people are in a hurry.

That is a wonderful idea, Jane said. Why didn’t I think of that? The children can contemplate what they want and other people can pay their bills and leave without any commotion. Great idea! she said.

Glad I could be of help. Michelle told her as she headed for the car.

She and Jane carried the books out of the trunk of Michelle’s car and put them in the designated space inside the building. Michelle looked around and was quite pleased with everything. I think the sale will be a smashing success! she told Jane. But, if you don’t need anything else, I will be leaving. Charles is planting a tree and I want to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself. We will be here bright and early in the morning, Michelle said.

That’s fine, Jane told her. Everything is pretty much in order. I will be leaving soon also. Don’t forget, we are serving coffee, juice and breakfast sandwiches. So, you don’t have to take time to fix anything.

Great! I will tell Charles so he doesn’t think he’s getting anything at home! she laughed.

Michelle got in her car and couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to be home with Charles. She didn’t think anything was wrong, but she just felt she better get there soon.

CHAPTER TWO

When Michelle got home, she got out of the car and went in the house, but she couldn’t find Charles. She looked all through the house, then decided he must still be in the back yard planting the tree. When she went outside, she found him sitting on the bench in the back yard.

Charles, she yelled, what are you doing? You haven’t finished the tree. Is everything alright?

Charles did not answer. He was just sitting on the bench, looking into the hole he had dug for the tree. She walked over to him and he looked as though he was so deep in thought that he couldn’t hear her. She touched him on the shoulder, Charles? Are you alright?

He looked up at her very strangely as though he didn’t know her, then said Yes. I think so.

What do you mean, you think so? Did something happen here? she asked. Do I need to get you to the doctor? You look awfully strange.

No. I’m fine. When I was digging the hole for the tree, I reached down into the hole to pull the last handful of dirt out so that I could put the tree in, and I got shocked, he told her. It went from my head to the tips of my toes. It felt like something or someone was grabbing me. I looked into the hole because I was sure there were no underground electrical cables, but all I found was a stone, he said.

A stone? What kind of stone? Michelle asked him. Where is it?

Charles pointed to an object lying on the ground. It was covered in dirt, but looked very strange. Michelle went over to pick it up, but Charles yelled at her, Don’t pick it up! It might shock you too! I couldn’t believe it shocked me! Charles said as he got up and walked toward her. Here, I will move it with this stick so you can see it. He turned it over with the stick and that’s when they saw the points.

It looks like it has points on it. They must be electrical in some way if it shocked you, she said.

Charles was now looking at it a little better, since he had gotten over the shock and disbelief. I wonder if I touch it if it will shock me again, he said out loud as he reached down to try again.

Charles, Michelle yelled at him, I’m not sure you should do that. It could cause your heart to stop if it shocks you again.

I don’t think it will shock me again, he said. I have a strange feeling about this stone. He reached down to touch it, but nothing happened this time, so he picked it up and cleaned the dirt off. He looked at it very closely. I have never seen anything like this! Look at it, Michelle.

We might be able to tell a little more if we washed it up a little.

Charles took it into the kitchen and ran water over it to clean off the dirt from the ground. When he cleaned all the dirt off, he could see the color of the stone. Michelle looked at it closely too. It was very shiny and it had seven points surrounding the center and one on each end. It was a beautiful emerald color that changed when you turned it over to clear white.

Where could it have come from and how did it get here? Michelle asked him rhetorically.

I don’t know. Charles continued to look at it in amazement and said out loud, I wonder how long it has been in the ground. Immediately the stone vibrated in his hand. Charles was so surprised that he dropped the stone on the ground.

Charles, I told you not to pick it up again, Michelle yelled. Are you alright?

Fine, he said, it vibrated in my hand. I was just surprised. I wonder why it did that. Charles leaned over, picked it up, and held it in his hand.

By now, Michelle was totally confused and said nothing. She just looked at Charles with an I don’t understand look.

Michelle, this is not a typical stone. I wonder how it got here. There is something strange about all this. I think it would be better if we didn’t mention this to anyone until it is clear to us what it is. It is totally stunning in brilliance and the way it is made -- I think we should put it in the safe. Maybe tomorrow I will do some research on this property to see if anyone buried anything here or maybe something was lost here.

Michelle agreed. It was so brilliant and looked as though it was very expensive.

I wonder if someone lost it in the ground and it has been there ever since, Charles said. This is quite puzzling.

They looked at it a few minutes and then went to put the stone in the safe. They then went back outside to finish planting the tree in the hole where he had found the stone. They didn’t talk about it because they didn’t know what to say or to make of it.

Neither Charles nor Michelle slept well that night. So many possibilities were running through their heads that it became so ridiculous they almost laughed out loud. All the same, there was something different about this and they made up their minds to find out.