Tyler City Trail Adventures - the Haunted Woods

By Wanda Jones-Nelson

Northwest Illinois, 1885. Mitch and Andy Jensen's Adventure in the Haunted Woods will teach them lessons of God's unconditional love and His perspective about vampires and zombies. Do they really exist?

A violent storm causes school to close early, and Mitch and Andy find themselves taking a shortcut through the haunted woods to get home. Ignoring the legends that say the woods are filled with vampire zombies, they stumble upon an old miner's cabin deep in the woods. Thinking they found shelter from the storm, they are scared off when they see glowing red eyes staring at them from inside.

There is never a dull moment in this sequel to Mitch and Andy's Adventure on the Tyler City Trail. Readers get to visit Grandpa Joe's cattle ranch, learn about the final roundup from Uncle Stew, and meet Mitch and Andy's school friends including the new boy who arrives late every day and is the first to leave. Why won't he talk to anyone?

Mitch and Andy's Adventure in the Haunted Woods teaches all those involved, including the reader that God goes with us when we are afraid and that He loves us so much that he made a way for us to be at His final roundup feast.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781663246684

Wanda Jones-Nelson

Wanda Jones-Nelson was born in the Midwest, where she now resides with her husband, Danny. She served with her husband as a Sunday school teacher, children and adult choir director, and youth director as their children grew up. She is the mother of six sons. There was never a dull moment in the Nelson household. In addition, she was a piano teacher for over twenty years. Several of her students are playing piano and organ at their churches which brings a big smile to her face. Make sure that you check out all of her books, there are more to come.

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 Wanda Jones-Nelson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

iUniverse

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.iuniverse.com

844-349-9409

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6632-4669-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-4668-4 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 01/03/2023

CONTENTS

The Storm

Vampire Zombies

The Roundup Feast

Wymee And Squirrelly Jean

The 1885 Daimler

The Bronco Buster

Bubba’s Motorcycle Riding Course

A School Picnic

The Hostages

The Contest Winner!

Wyman

They Got Andy!

WWJD

The Barn Dance

THE STORM

P2%20IMAGE.jpg

Students! Ms. Yackley called to her class as she stood by the window near her desk. Her voice trembled a little as she looked outside. Students, it looks like we’re in for a terrible storm! I want you all to hurry and get your things. You’ll need to leave right now to make it home before the rain starts. Sometimes these fall rainstorms can be pretty severe around here. Quickly now, no dawdling. Run home as fast as you can.

The one-room schoolhouse emptied like it was the last day of school. Students of all sizes scattered into the school yard and off into the countryside. Several of the youngest students began screaming and crying as they ran. They had seen storms like this one before and knew they needed to hurry. Mitch and Andy Jensen lived the farthest away from school, so they rode their horses, Lightning and Bullet, every day. Ms. Yackley hurried to get her horse hitched up to her buckboard, then watched to make sure all her students were heading in the direction of home before getting in her wagon and racing for home herself.

Ms. Elizabeth Yackley lived alone in a cozy little cabin near town. Her pink cotton bonnet flew off her head, catching by the white ribbon that was tied around her neck. Her long blonde hair came loose from the pins that were holding it and blew in the wild wind that was now blowing violently. She tried not to step on her long blue skirt as she stepped up into her buckboard. She prayed that she and her students would all make it home safely.

Mitch and Andy mounted their horses and raced down the dirt road toward home. Suddenly a terrific bolt of lightning struck a tree right beside them. Both horses reared up in terror, sending their startled passengers tumbling to the ground and leaving them in their dust.

Are you okay, Andy? Mitch asked as he got up and dusted himself off.

P5%20IMAGE.jpg

Yes, I’m just swell, but Bullet and Lightning are probably halfway home by now at the rate they took off. Boy, this is not a good day to have to walk home. Andy ran to pick up his hat that was blowing down the road.

What do you mean ‘walk home’? Look at that sky, I’ll race you. Mitch laughed and took off running.

You and your races. You may have beaten me with Lightning’s help, but you’ll never beat me on foot. Andy raced to catch up with Mitch and then overtook him, tipping his hat as he passed.

It was a close race for about a mile. Then, as they approached a forest on their left, Andy suddenly stopped. I have a good idea, Mitch, he said, bending over and grabbing his waist as he tried to catch his breath, his blonde hair already dripping wet with sweat under his brown cowboy hat.

What’s that? Mitch stopped, glad for the break as he leaned on a wooden fence that lined the dusty dirt road. What’s your idea?

We would get home in half the time if we cut through the woods. He sat on a nearby log as he waited for Mitch’s response.

The woods were about a half mile ahead of them on their left. They weren’t the biggest woods in the area, but big enough to get lost in. Just past them were very big mountainous hills, not a huge mountain like the Rockies, but it seemed like mountains to them. They made their territory very beautiful, but also very dangerous.

"Are you crazy, Andy? You know those woods are supposed to be haunted! Mitch’s red hair was standing straight up on his head as the wind got stronger and stronger. Don’t you remember what happened the last time that you got a brilliant idea? We wound up getting kidnapped by cattle rustlers!"

I know, I know, but surely those woods can’t be haunted in daylight. Besides, it looks like the rain is going to start any second. I don’t want to get caught in the storm, do you? Besides, we know those mountains better than anyone around here. If it does start raining before we get home, we can hide in one of the caves until the storm is over.

No, Andy, I don’t want to get caught in the storm. I’ve got a bad feeling about this, but let’s go. Hurry up before I change my mind.

The two boys raced down the dirt road until they came to the woods. Mitch stopped cold in his tracks.

What is it, Mitch? Andy could see the fear in his brother’s eyes.

Andy, I really don’t like this. Look, the hairs on my arms are sticking straight up. That always means that something bad is going to happen. Please, let’s just go around.

Mitch, don’t be such a scaredy-cat. We really need to go this way. Look, it’s starting to sprinkle. Come on now.

Okay, okay, but I can’t help feeling that we’re going to be sorry.

The two boys cautiously hurried into the woods. The wind sent the autumn leaves swirling and dancing high into the air above their heads.

"Boy, if this keeps up there won’t be any leaves left on the trees by tomorrow." Mitch jumped over a vine-covered stump. His foot caught on a tiny branch that stuck out of the top, and then he toppled headfirst into a big pile of leaves. As he landed, a family of rabbits came scurrying out of the pile. They ran in all different directions, trying to escape. Both Mitch and Andy screamed at the top of their lungs.

Are you all right, Mitch? Andy helped his brother back to his feet.

Yes, I’m okay. I’ll be glad when we’re out of here, though. Mitch dusted himself off, and they continued on their way. Are you sure we are going the right way?

Sure, I’m sure. I’ve been through here dozens of times. Follow me. Andy led the way through the thick bushes and trees. It was raining harder now and getting darker.

"You’ve been through here dozens of time, my foot. When have you been through the haunted woods? Mitch listened intently for an answer. That’s what I thought."

Never mind that, Mitch. I can get us through here, you wait and see. Andy ignored Mitch’s questions and kept hurrying through the trees.

They ran faster and faster as the rain continued to fall harder and harder. To