Tolls the Bell

By Maxine Murphy

An inspirational story of self-discovery and giving all things over to God.

Forgiveness and repentance in a young woman on the brink is the theme of this short story..

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paper Gold Publishing OLD
• Release date: May 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386594468

Maxine Murphy

            Maxine Murphy is at heart a homebody but has a wild gypsy streak. She spent her childhood roaming a vast majority of Western and Central United States. During all these travels, she saw many things that touched her deeply. No matter how much she enjoyed these adventures, she loved being able to make a cozy little nest and curling up with a book. She never wrote for other people and still doesn’t to this day. Maxine tells the truth, no matter how tarnished it may be. She uses her writing to deal with all the dark emotions that the world presses in on her.

Book preview

Tolls the Bell

By Maxine Murphy

Copyright © 2017

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Copyright Notice:

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, events or locales is completely coincidental.

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Author's Note: Thank you for taking the time to read Tolls the Bell. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend. THANK YOU. Maxine Murphy

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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 are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Artwork: C. MacFarlane, Photo: Maxine Murphy

Chapter 1

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Pulling my coat tighter around me, I tried to stave off the biting wind. It seemed relentless as it blew through the trees around me. Shaking the boughs of the trees. I could hear muted thuds as clumps of snow fell from above.

It was like the bass to the soundtrack of my impromptu hike. The singing was the wind whistling through limbs and the skeletal remains of bushes. My shoes made strange noises, with each step, it was somewhere between a break and a crack.

Fighting my way through the snow, which in most places is only mid-calf deep, I keep pushing forward. Stopping for a moment, I listen, hoping to hear something that will indicate civilization.

Looking around me, I am grateful for the full moon. I can see where the snow drifted ahead of me. It looks to be at least knee deep. Waving my hand in front of my face, I try in vain to sweep away the steam cloud from my breathing.

It is bitter cold, and the only light is the silvery light from the moon. Clutching my hands around each other and holding them up to my lips, I blow warm air into them. My gloves feel soft and surprisingly chilly. I rub my hands over my cheeks, discovering they are rather numb by this point.

I know that I need to find some way to get out of the cold soon. If I don’t find shelter, I won’t make it through the night. I can picture in my mind how it all would play out. My family would report me missing after the holidays were over.

I could kick myself in the ass for leaving the way I did. My mind whirled with a million what-if’s. What if that was the last time I saw them all? What if that was the last thing I said to