In The Stillness of Grief

By Joseph Y. Roberts

Humans are social creatures, reying on each other for a sense of self and community. Jacob Vanderhoek is no different. So what happens when a man of few friends is left with none by time and ill fortune? When a strong man stumbles into a moment of weakness?

These are tales for those left behind.

"In The Stillness of Grief" is a two-story mini-omnibus containing the Echo Four Saga tales "For Absent Friends" and the reprint of Roberts' debut story, "Dis affection." Both tales revolve around an incident that occurred in response to Jacob Vanderhoek's loss of close friends and colleagues.

Every men can bear only so much heartache.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joseph Y. Roberts
• Release date: Mar 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370945221

Joseph Y. Roberts

Born in suburban Los Angeles, Joseph Y. Roberts describes himself as “a small town boy from a big city.” His interests are eclectic, like the subjects of his fiction, which reflect an ongoing fascination with the less-traveled places of the world and history. His goal is to bring the forgotten and ignored into the light with his tales, many being historic fiction with a literary spin. Joseph's favorite subjects include science fiction, military and ancient history, archeology, progressive rock, astronomy, and table-top role-playing games. His favorite bands are Hawkwind, U2, and Pink Floyd. Among his pursuits and occupations have been college radio DJ, actor, vacation resort sketch artist, and newspaper graphic artist. He still hopes to learn horseback riding, archery, and Kendo. Like a watermelon dropped from a great height, he's all over the map.

Book preview

In the Stillness of Grief

by

Joseph Y. Roberts

Copyright © 2017, 2015 by Joseph Y. Roberts

All rights reserved.

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This story is a work of fiction. All characters, situations, and locations are products of the author's imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or deceased, is purely coincidental. Historic locations and events are used fictionally and are not meant to represent academic dissertation.

First Edition: January 2017

Publication History: Disaffection first appeared in Anything Goes, Volume 2 published September, 2015 by the Fiction Writers Group. ISBN – 13:978-1517113582

For Absent Friends appears here for the first time.

Dedication:

To all who mourn

Table of Contents

For Absent Friends

Disaffection

About the Author

For Absent Friends

Excerpt from the personal journal of Jacob Vanderhoek, Head of the Archeology Department of the University of the Witwatersrand.

11 November 2002 – Johannesburg -

What can I say about my friends? They have never been great in number, but the quality and depth of those friendships more than make up for their scarcity. But time waits for no man and none of us gets out of here alive. Friend or enemy, neither are exempt from these truths.

In regard to friends, this has been a hard year for me. Last month I had to deliver the eulogy at the memorial service of my academic mentor, Dr. Gabriel Theron. Professionally, he was my predecessor in my office as department head. But he was much more than that to me. Yes, I was his hand-picked protege, but he was like a second, and better, father to me. He encouraged me.