HEROES by DESIGN

By D. A Irsik

            Sela has been best friends with Emily and Zach as long as she can remember. Losing her dog is the most traumatic thing Sela has ever dealt with and her first real test of faith. Then Emily's mother dies. The friendship is tes

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crosswing
• Release date: May 11, 2019
• ISBN: 9781732907812

D. A Irsik

Deb Irsik has worked in the beauty industry for over twenty-five years and is the owner of Makin' Waves Salon. She is a Kansas girl and shares her life with her husband, Mike, and children John and Emily. Deb is a member of The Kansas Authors Club and Emporia Writing Group. "It is my hope that my books will encourage young people to hold on to values and faith as they navigate their teen years." Deb can be found on Facebook,(D.A.IrsikAuthor); Twitter,(Writerwannabe1); and dairsik.wordpress.com.

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Praise For

Heroes by Design

Heroes by Design is a fast-paced piece of middle grade Christian fiction. Best friends Sela, Emily, and Zach are working through the struggles of middle school together, allowing their faith to guide them through hardship. But when tragedy strikes suddenly, Emily turs from her friends and her faith.

D.A. Irsik creates realistic characters readers can’t help but root for on their journey to becoming who they are meant to be.

-SLOTHHEAD PRESS

www.slothheadpress.com

HEROES by DESIGN

D.A. Irsik

HEROES BY DESIGN:

© 2019 Deb Irsik

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of the publisher.

Published by CrossWing

Emporia, KS

Hazel Hart, Editor

hazelhart.com

Curtis Becker, Layout

curtisbeckerbooks.com

ISBN: 978-1-7329078-0-5

Library of Congress Control Number: 

For my daughter Emily,

who inspired Me

to encourage young people

to dare to Be the Heroes

they are designed to be.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to my friends and family for their patience and encouragement. I’m sure you were beginning to think this wasn’t a book.

A huge thank you to the Emporia Writers Group for your encouragement and feedback, especially to my wonderful editor, Hazel Hart who taught me to look for plot holes and How did they get there? They were just at the coffee shop and are in Sela’s bedroom talking in the next paragraph. Thanks for showing and not just telling. Thanks to Curtis Becker for your layout skills and patience with my changes.

Also, to Marcia Lawrence, for giving Emporia, Ellen Plumb’s City Bookstore and your support of local and area authors!

Thank you to Liz Martell for her support in the beginning.

It takes a village is just not just for raising children. We all need mentors, betas, and friends.

1

Sela's Trial

A tiny flower lent not given, to bud on earth bloom in heaven —Unknown

Normally on Friday, after school, Sela would hurry home; but the bell had rung twenty minutes ago and she sat alone on the concrete retaining wall of Roosevelt Middle School, staring blankly at her phone.

Zach, Sela’s friend, was jogging by he slowed and sat beside her on the wall.

Hey Sela, what’s up?

She looked up, eyes wide and threatening to overflow.

Zach scooted off the wall facing Sela. He threw his arms up as he backed away. Whoa! You know I don’t do emotional stuff. Want me to get Emily?

No. Sela hiccupped. I’m okay. Mom just texted me. She had to take Thor to the vet. We may have to put him down.

Man, that’s tough. I’m sorry Sela. Let’s go find Emily. She’ll know what to do.

Zach Brown, Emily Monroe, and Sela Anderson were best friends. They had gone to preschool together and had helped each other through every crisis that had come up in their twelve years. Attending youth group and going to summer camp together had created a bond of faith and

friendship. They called themselves, Persistence, Power, and Praise.

Thor was Sela’s best friend of the canine variety All four adorable pounds of him. Thor, a Bichon Frisée, had been a part of her family for as long as she could remember. He was white with a couple of tan spots on his right side and one right between his ears; he always looked like he was listening to every conversation, tilting

his head one way then the other, as if to say, You don’t say. He had been sluggish and not eating well for the last week, and now it seemed Sela might lose him.

Okay. Sela slid off the wall and trudged beside Zach. She tasted the salty tears as they rolled down her face. Let’s go find her.

Zach walked slowly while nervously looking for Emily. So . . . maybe Thor will be okay. We’ll find Emily. We can pray together. I’ll even hold hands and pray with you, if you think it’ll help. C’mon, please don’t cry.

There’s Emily! Waving wildly, Zach jogged across the empty parking lot toward a flame-haired girl. Emily! he shouted, motioning for her to come. Emily trotted over and Zach whispered in her ear for a moment

Emily looked inquisitively at Sela. You okay?

Sela burst into tears. Thor’s my baby, she mumbled between sobs. You know how much I love him. I don’t want to go home. I’m afraid mom will tell me they did it.

We’ll go with you, Emily said, shooting Zach a look.

He paled but nodded. They started toward Sela’s house.

Emily gave Sela an occasional sympathetic pat.

Wait! Zach looked at Emily. Can’t we do the prayer thing like your church did for your grandma? Zach looked excitedly at Emily. You know, when she almost died?

Well, uh, I guess we can try, Emily answered. Sela looked at her friends, first one and then the other. But don’t we have to lay hands on him or something?

Maybe we can just hold hands and pray for Thor. God knows we can’t lay hands on him, but we can picture him in our minds and pray. Emily waved the others into a circle. The three friends held hands and asked God to heal Thor.

They half-ran, half-skipped the rest of the way to Sela’s house, bursting breathlessly through the front door and into the kitchen where Sela’s mom was taking cookies out of the oven. They all began talking at once.

Wait. Putting her hand up her hand, her mother looked at Sela. I’m sorry, honey. The doctor said Thor was in pain and he had to put him to sleep. She pulled Sela into a hug.

Zach and Emily fidgeted exchanging looks. Sela, call me if you need to talk. We’re going to go, Emily said, pushing Zach toward the door.

Sela nodded through her tears, choking back muffled sobs.

Sela’s mother said, Thank you, and the friends left. After a few moments Sela backed away. Couldn’t you have waited? We were praying; God might have saved him.

"Honey, I’m sorry. I know it’s hard, but Thor was in

pain. It was a difficult decision, but it was best for him."

God might have listened to my prayer if you hadn’t been in such a hurry to take him to the vet. It’s your fault! Emily’s grandma was saved. Our prayers for Thor never had a chance.

I know it hurts, honey. Being angry with me right now is okay, but you know I prayed a lot before I took Thor in.

Sela ran to her room. Sela saw reminders everywhere of Thor. A Halloween picture with Thor dressed as a ballerina and another with her pushing him in a doll stroller. His favorite chew toys littered the floor. She picked up his squeaky frog and laid her head on her pillow and cried. Why did he have to die? I loved him and took care of him. He loved me. You said You would answer my prayer, and I have been praying for him to be all right! Her heart was breaking; soon she cried herself to sleep.

A couple of hours passed, and Sela woke up. Feeling a presence in the room, a quiet peace enveloped her. Sitting on her bed, looking at pictures, she remembered playing fetch in the backyard and crying into Thor’s fur when her feelings were hurt. I have so many great memories, and I was horrible to Mom. She resolutely made her way down the stairs and found her mom in the kitchen.

Hey.

Her mom looked up from the recipe she was reading and smiled. Hey.

I’m sorry for blaming you for taking Thor to the vet. I know you loved him. You had to do what you thought was best. I don’t think I could have done it.

"You would have if you had been here, Sela. He was so tired, he was panting and whimpering in pain. You

wouldn’t have let him suffer.

Pushing the chair away from the table she motioned for Sela to sit on her lap.

Sela curled up in her mother’s arms, burrowing her head into her shoulder. I remember falling asleep under my oak tree, and him licking my face until I woke up laughing. He really loved his kiddie pool and his squeaky frog and…you, Mom. Sela tipped her head up to meet her mother’s eyes.

Yes. Her mother nodded. Remember when that big dog attacked him at the dog park? I was so afraid for him.

Sela smiled. I do remember. You sat up all night with him. You took such good care of him.

Her mother squeezed Sela a little tighter. We will all miss him. Your father will be so lonely without his buddy to read the paper with him every night.

Sela sat up and kissed her mother on her cheek. I’ll be okay. I’m going upstairs to work on some homework. She walked a few steps and turned toward her mother. And…thanks, Mom, for understanding. Love you.

Her mother smiled wearily. Love you more.

2

Life Goes On

I have learned that my heart cannot really break; that no matter how much love I give, there is always more to share; that when shared, love will grow and strengthen. —Andrea Irsik