Road to Nowhere

By Matthew Day

Sometimes it's the little things that make a difference. A game of Scrabble, an act of forgiveness, a rainbow.

Torn from everything she knew and loved, Emily Grace finds herself stuck in Nowhere, Texas. There she encounters broken people for the first time: twins shipped from foster home to foster home hoping never to be separated, a boy who has all but given up on trying to please his father, a girl abandoned by everyone except her mom.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matthew Day
• Release date: Oct 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311362469

Matthew Day

My name is Matthew Day and I'm a writer...and a pianist, meteorologist, math geek, computer graphics artist, Hebrew student, and explorer of parallel worlds. And I love questions. I suppose that's how I got starting writing--asking "What if?"

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Road to Nowhere

Copyright 2015 Matthew Day

Published by Matthew Day at Smashwords

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.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1—New Beginnings

Chapter 2—Ryan

Chapter 3—Troublemaker

Chapter 4—Life is Rainbows

Chapter 5—Bullies

Chapter 6—A Game of Scrabble

Chapter 7—Mission Possible

Chapter 8—Belfry: Part 1

Chapter 9—Grace

Chapter 10—Belfry: Part 2

Chapter 11—The Prodigal Daughter

Chapter 12—The Fall

Chapter 13—Family Gatherings

Chapter 14—Silence

Chapter 15—Flame

Epilogue

Letter from the Author

About the Author

Acknowledgements

Apparently, it is traditional to include a list of acknowledgements at the beginning of a book. To be sure, no story (this one no less) is really the work of just a single author. My writing reflects the values instilled in me by my parents. It is shaped by the conversations and interactions I’ve had through the years with my brothers and my friends. In telling stories, I seek to imitate my Creator, the original Storyteller. What follows is simply my meager attempt to take what He has given me and craft it into something beautiful and worthy of His Name. I hope that this story reflects the Hope He has given me.

This story began as the product of National Novel Writing Month, without which I could not have overcome my fear of failure. I cannot understate what the encouragement that I received from fellow NaNo writers and from friends and family following my journey meant to me. The story underwent several years of editing and procrastinating, during which I received extremely helpful feedback from beta readers (notably: Kelsey Bryant, Autumn Losey, and Jenni Magee). Finally, if it had not been for my wife, Brittany, I may have given up, but she encouraged me to the end.

CHAPTER ONE

New Beginnings

Emily Grace stared out the window watching the world race by. There were no trees, no hills, no buildings. The prairie ran on forever like a barren wasteland. Endless emptiness stretched out as far as the eye could see. From time to time a hawk could be seen circling overhead. Everything Emily knew, everything she loved was left miles behind. A storm thundered in the distance.

Kerthunk. The truck announced yet another pothole in the road to Nowhere, Texas. The last of their luggage rattled continuously in the bed. Gone were the smooth roads Emily had grown used to. The path ahead was broken.

Through streams of rain, Emily watched a herd of horses galloping in the distance. She loved to ride. Feeling the wind in her hair, the strength in the horses’ legs. Emily envisioned herself riding with the herd into the setting sun—side by side with her best friend Maggie.

"Race you to the top of the hill!" Maggie challenged.

"You’re on!" Emily retorted and set off into a gallop. Maggie followed close behind. Up the hill they ran, but Emily could not keep up—Maggie soon passed her. Emily watched as Maggie sped ahead. Her braids bobbed with the rhythm of the horse. Emily knew she could never learn to ride as well as Maggie, but it was enough to watch. Maggie knew each of her horses by name—their personalities, their quirks. Everything Emily knew about horses she learned from Maggie.

As Maggie came to the top of the hill, she slowed down and waited for Emily to catch up. I have a surprise for you. Maggie dismounted and reached into her saddle bag. Out of it she pulled a necklace with a pendant in the shape of a flame. For you to remember me by.

Emily clutched the necklace close to her chest. Would she ever see Maggie again?

The decision to move to the Texas panhandle was a job-related one. Dad had been laid off from his previous job, and Mom’s position as a nurse wasn’t enough to pay the bills. Dad went to the church for help, but all he got was sympathy and prayer. They felt like strangers in a church they had been going to and tithing to for years. Increasingly, they were getting the feeling that they didn’t belong in Montana anymore. This was to be a new beginning, a fresh start in life. Or so Dad kept saying as the Grace family packed up for the wilderness.

Dad pulled into a gas station to fill up the truck. Emily stared out the window at the car next to them. The man pumping the gas was wearing overalls stained with oil. His beard ran wild, his face looked rough. But there was happiness in his eyes. They were a light blue, like the sky. His wife ran back from the convenience store with drinks and snacks, trying not to get too wet in the rain. His face lit up as he took his wife’s hand and twirled her in the rain.

On the other side of the car was a man with short combed hair, suit and tie. His dress was far too formal for this small town. His eyes were brown and dark—distant and cloudy as if he had no one to call friend. If only someone would love him, Emily thought. Then maybe he could open his heart. Maybe he could smile.

Maggie’s eyes were gold—and fiery. She could tackle any challenge, stand up to any bully, and lead any charge. She had a boldness that overflowed to those around her. She was Emily’s rock. How will I make it without her?

The Grace family pulled out of the gas station and continued their journey. The sun was beginning to set and the clouds were set aflame. The sky turned a brilliant orange, the sun glistened through the rain. Mom once said there were few things more majestic than watching the sun shine through the rain.

Emily, look out the window! There’s a rainbow. Emily turned her head in the direction Dad was pointing and sure enough, a full rainbow had appeared in the sky.

What’s it mean, Mom? Emily asked. Mom always said rainbows mean things. Like a little note from God.

Mom closed her eyes. It means God is in control. Everything is going to be alright. Maybe this would be a good beginning after all.

* * *

Feelings quickly faded as Dad pulled up to the new apartment. By then, the sun had disappeared and the stars were beginning to come out. We’re here, Dad announced.

Emily looked at her new home for the first time. The apartments were arranged as fourplexes—the Grace family had 502, the center left apartment. There was a single shared porch running in front such that the front doors of the two end apartments faced each other across the length of the porch. A flower bed in front of the porch looked as if it had not been watered in ages. Paint peeled from the railing and the sides of the building.

Dad unlocked the trailer so that they could get their mattresses out. Dad had already brought most of the stuff that they could do without for a while to the apartment on his visits here. This was the last load—the daily essentials. Mattresses, pillows, toothbrushes, etc.

It is amazing how empty a place can look when you first move in. Even with all the boxes stacked against the walls. The walls were an off-white color, the carpet an ugly brown. The laminate tile in the kitchen was beginning to come up and a couple of the cabinet doors were loose. The stove was electric, something Mom would have to get used to.

There were four main rooms. Entering into the house, you came into the living room. The kitchen was off to the right. The bedrooms were in the back with a shared bathroom. It was a lot smaller than their old place. Their house in Montana was two stories with hardwood floors and a fireplace. Emily had the room upstairs. They even had a real backyard. Now they didn’t even have a lot.

Mom called Emily into the kitchen for a quick late dinner before bed. She cut some of Henry’s freshly baked bread and made sandwiches for everyone. If you’ve never had bread from Henry’s bakery, you’ve never had bread. It makes everything else taste like styrofoam in comparison. The smell brought back memories.

"Hey, how’s my favorite twelve-year-old girl doing?" Henry asked Emily.

Emily looked up from staring at the cakes behind the glass and blushed. I’m not twelve anymore, Henry. Today’s my birthday!

"Nah…it can’t be. You just had one