Stadler House - Book One - Anna (Revised): Stadler House, #1

By Roger Alderman Jr.

Stadler House: Book One: Anna (Revised)

After a near-death experience changes a young orphaned child's life forever. The benevolent Dr. Stadler uses his bleeding-edge therapy to help her and other children at his group home return to a life of normalcy. This short story brings to life the challenges faced by trying to help one small group of children survive their common pasts.

• Rodney: Nearly froze to death but watched as his sister was taken.
• Julie: Almost successful in her final attempt to end her life but was plucked from the moment of death.
• Tyler: A teen substance abuser was saved by emergency room doctors after overdosing. 
• Anna: A young orphan who narrowly survived her brush with death due to a house fire. 
• John: Felt the jaws of his uncles' feral dogs around his throat but was saved by from death by paramedics.
• Emily: The only child who has never had a brush with death.

What do all of the residence of The Stadler Group Home truly have in common? The answer will shock and terrify you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roger Alderman Jr.
• Release date: Nov 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781982980887

Book preview

Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction . Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Dedication

October 20, 2018,

Dear Reader,

The past few years I have struggled to create the volume you hold in your hands. Due to many personal issues I choose not to address here. Understand that great exhaustive emotions were examined and added throughout these tales.

I dedicate this book to my son Roger Alderman III, as I studied his reactions throughout the years to horror and suspense movies and books. All of the children’s emotional responses come from watching him.

At no time did I attempt any of the violent acts to any child, especially my son, Leeman.

~Roger L. Alderman Jr.

Acknowledgements:

Victoria Alderman, I would like to thank my wife Victoria for both her support and encouragement in writing this book.

Roger L. Alderman Sr, as he worked very hard to support both of our families over the years.

Alexis W. Alderman, my daughter for her encouragement and love. He energy and drive have always been an inspiration to me.

Roger l. Alderman III, my son for whom renews my hopes for humanity daily in his wide-eyed approach to each passing day.

Jeremy D. Alderman, my Brother for whom to understand him best you must understand his unwavering dedication to family and friends. He makes scarifies most would never understand.

Helen P. Alderman, my mother for teaching me to watch before acting, to plan rather than react, and ultimately to love.

CHAPTER ONE

Acool drizzle fell across Port St. John thanks to the passing of Hurricane David. The hurricane’s damaging high winds cause all manner of grief including, but not limiting itself to local power outages. The nearby Indian River overflows claiming parts of US1 resulting in forcing all, but the most determined of residents to remain inside the safety of their homes.

A new black 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL carefully navigates the debris-covered Kings Highway to avoid the mess made of US1. The car merges onto Grissom Parkway after traveling on the poorly maintained road. The car slows and turns onto an old dirt road across from the Tico Airport.

The reddish-brown leaves of ancient oak trees block a direct view of the Stadler Group Home from the roadside. The sedan drives through the rain along the long quiet country road towards the wooden two-tone Victorian style home. A home with a history all its own that has stood on this heavily wooded land for nearly a century.

Inside the sedan, Dr. Samuel Stadler struggles to see through the falling rain. He scratches at his bushy chestnut beard. A young twelve-year-old Anna in the passenger seat digs through her coat pockets and produces a pair of black-frame glasses. She stares out of the car windshield with a look of clear disappointment on her face.

Don’t like it. Anna shakes her head and huffs loudly.

Dr. Stadler reaches across the car seat and rubs her head playfully. We built this place to help kids just like you.

Anna recoils in offence at his remark. Kids like me?

Dr. Stadler cringes and attempts to disarm the situation. I mean kids who need help.

Dr. Stadler parks the car in front of the group home’s sign on the circular gravel driveway. He steps out of the vehicle and opens her door for Anna. She watches him open her door and rolls her eyes.

You think we will make friends this time? She asks point blank.

I don’t know. Can you give the therapy a chance, this time? Dr. Stadler shrugs at her comment.

Anna exits the car pushing her bag into Dr. Stadler’s chest. He bits his lip stopping himself from scolding her and gestures for her to follow him.  They walk onto the wooden porch that surrounds the lower floor of the group home. 

The earthen smell of the tropical rainfall and wet wood of the porch fill their senses. They stop at the heavy wooden double doors of the group home. Dr. Stadler shakes the water from his beige trench coat.

Anna pulls away not approving of the unexpected shower. Thanks, Doc.

Dr. Stadler cringes realizing his mistake. Sorry about that, Kiddo.

A heavy wood entryway door swings open, announcing Dr. Stadler and Anna with a loud groan. They enter the group home. He turns closing the door filling the air with a quick and crisp squeak.

I gotta get this door oiled. Dr. Stadler opens and then closes the thick wooden door a few times before finally closing it. They remove their dripping jackets and places them on the redwood coat rack standing next to the entryway door. The rack groans under the added weight of