All Things Work Together for Good

By Paul Markland

“All Things Work Together for Good” was my first novel. Initially, it started on Facebook. I posted the first chapter. Jokingly, I made the comment, “here is the first chapter to my first novel.” Several people responded and challenged me to finish it. I followed through only to write nine other novels since then. “

• Language: English
• Publisher: URLink Print & Media, LLC
• Release date: Nov 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9781643674315

Book preview

Chapter One

It was a beautiful Tuesday morning. Everything seemed right with the world. The sun gently casted its golden glow along the Manhattan skyline. Though there was a chill in the air, the air was crisp.

Jack arose from bed later than he was accustomed too. He and his wife Julie celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary the night before. She still laid fast asleep from their romantic evening that started off with a bouquet of 12 yellow roses, followed by a dinner at one of New York’s finest restaurants, concluded by an evening of champagne, a hot tub, and some pent-up passion.

Jack as he finished brewing his coffee, stood on his deck reminiscing the night before. He could not help but think of his lovely wife and the life’s they shared together. Life, he thought, would be meaningless without her. His heart was warmed just thinking of the glisten in her eyes and her smile that brightened the darkest of days. He was blessed and he knew it. He looked up into the blue sky of that particular morning and thanked the Lord for all that had been given to him. If he had known how the tides of time would soon change.

He quietly opened the door of the patio that led from their deck and into their bedroom. He showered, shaved, and put on his casual suit to begin his busy day in the city. Before leaving his bride in bed, Jack poetically touched her cheeked with his hand and brushed her lips with his. Softly he whispered, I love you.

Julie, replied with a whisper, I love you too.

With his brief case in hand, Jack got into his BMW and pulled out of their garage. Rush hour would probably be worse on this particular morning seeing that he was already an hour behind. Jack didn’t mind though. All he could do was think about the past five years. As he got onto the freeway the led to one of the largest cities the world had ever known, he looked into the sky only to see something quite disturbing.

An airliner was flying extremely low. Jack could not help but keep his eyes on this plane. Suddenly it did an about face and headed toward one of the Twin Towers. This couldn’t be, he thought. In as soon as Jack realized the reality of what was happening, the hands of time stopped. So too did the rest of the world. His yell to STOP! had no effect on the airliner. It continued its course crashing into one of the Twin Towers.

In as soon as the jet collided into the Tower, the fire that enveloped and engulfed the upper floors was beyond description. For a moment, a person would have thought he or she was witnessing firsthand the flames of hell. For Jack and those who bore witness to this atrocity, the sight seemed like a scene from a movie. Traffic came to a complete halt.

The last time the United States endured such a tragedy was on Sunday, December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor came under a surprise attack from the Japanese. Jack knew that day all so well as his grandfather Duffy recounted the day that still lived in infamy. He was in the galley having breakfast when he heard the first swarm of Japanese fighters fly overhead. At first, Duffy along with the other sailors thought it ironic for American fighters to do their maneuvers on a Sunday. How wrong they were.

The swarm that flew overhead unleashed its wrath upon the Pacific Fleet as well as those who were still on board their ships. Duffy who would be later deemed Duffy the DC (damage control) dashed from the galley and ran frantically to his ship: the Arizona. Of all the naval vessels in port that day, it was the Arizona that would be remembered the most. It would become not only a final resting place for many a sailor but would also soon become the icon that ignited the American spirit.

Duffy recalled how he along with the other sailors did everything they could to spare and save sailors still on-board. The screams of those young men entrapped haunted Duffy for the rest of his life. He never forgave himself for not saving more, but most importantly, for surviving. He was to be on watch that morning, but opted to switch his post with his best friend Biff! It was not until days later that Duffy was made aware of Biff’s death. Word had it Biff died trying to thwart off the enemy attack. His body was riddled with Japanese bullets and now laid with the ship he so valiantly protected.

O my gosh! Jack thought. His colleagues. What about his peers, the passengers, and the people within the Tower! As he surveyed the scene, Jack suddenly realized the impact was in the vicinity of his office. He was supposed to be there. They had an important meeting that morning, but Jack excused himself because of his anniversary. Jack did everything he could to get a grip on reality, but, even then, he still was not prepared for what was to come. Nowhere and in no time did Jack have to catch his breath, for his heart was soon to stop for a second or two.

After a quick prayer, Jack looked up only to discover another airliner flying extremely low. Bewildered and shocked, Jack screamed for a second time. Again, the hands of time stopped: for the second air-liner did an encore performance of the first one. Except this one flew into to the second Twin Tower.

Chapter Two

Julie, nestled in bed, smiled as she thought about her evening with Jack. In the other room, she could hear their three-year-old daughter Emily squirming in bed. Sweet Emily, she was the apple of her parents’ eyes. She is what most people define as a good mix between mother and father. She had her father’s looks; auburn hair coupled with the deepest of brown eyes, coupled with her mother’s no-nonsense attitude. Emily, like her mother, had a sense for adventure and adrenaline. For a three-year-old, there was no mountain too high to climb or sea too deep to swim.

In many ways, her name bore the same signature and her free-spirited attitude was a replicate of Julie’s younger sister who passed away at the age of three.

When Julie was eight, her father was away on business. She was asked to watch over her little sister while her mother went outside to take the clothes down from the line. Julie attempted to bake a cake for her father. Inadvertently and accidentally she left the oven on. Before she knew it, the kitchen was in flames, barricading and blocking the entrance to her sister’s room.

Afraid of her mother’s reaction, Julie made every attempt to extinguish the fire and to save her little sister, but to no avail. Julie’s mother dropped the day’s laundry and dashed inside when she smelled the smoke and saw the flames shooting outside the kitchen. She hurriedly grabbed Julie and wrapped her in a blanket she had brought from outside. In an effort to save Emily, the arms of Julie’s mother were severely burned.

Though the fire had only destroyed the kitchen, poor Emily, still holding and clinging to her Teddy Bear, was found in her room. She was laying so still as if nothing ever happened. The only difference is the fire had sucked the life out of her. There was an eerie feeling in the room. To see such a gift lying so peacefully, knowing the joy she once brought to the home would never be again. A feeling Julie never forgot.

Julie knew it was time to leave her cocoon and begin the day she had prepared. It was her day off and she had much to do. Then again, how does a person recover and uncover from the confines of their bed after such a romantic evening.

Something startled Julie. No, it was not the cry of her daughter Emily, but the message conveyed on her text. It was her station calling all firefighters to report for duty. Though Julie was unaware of the events that transpired, she knew something terribly gone wrong. She jumped out of bed, turned on the television and bore witness to what others had already borne.

The blood drained from her face. She stood white as a ghost. Her initial thought was: This must be a dream. She looked down at her text. It was not. She then thought of Jack. Was he in the Towers? If not, where was he? She was stunned,