Oh, The Fallen: Oh, The Brave, #0.5

By Abigail Kay Harris

In the cause of freedom, some will give their all.

When Matt Renicker joins the Army, he's determined to give his best for his country and his Lord, even if it means risking everything he loves most. But when tragedy strikes on a routine patrol, more than one heart is left shattered and lamenting.

In the wake of a terrible loss, will those left behind find the strength to go on? Or will the faith, family, and freedom Matt fought to preserve be broken beyond repair?

• Language: English
• Publisher: CDXC Aurora Lux Libri Publishing
• Release date: Feb 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215111048

Abigail Kay Harris

Abigail Kay Harris is a daughter of the King with a personal degree in book-nerdiness. A sister to seven, her passionate love of the written word and deeper meanings hidden in normal things leads her to spend her time reading, writing, using sarcasm, and defining obscure words. When she’s not chasing words, she enjoys watching shows, classic romance movies, tea, sunrises, and the outdoors, especially mountains, beaches, and forests.

Book preview

Matt’s hand shook slightly, his vision blurred from the unshed tears gathering in an unmanly way. But, he was not only a man, foremost he was a soldier, he was a soldier and servant of Christ Jesus. He was a soldier through and through, the saved son of God through Christ’s blood, and the son of an earthly old-school military man.

You’ve made me proud, Son. He heard as he turned to face the door, quickly realizing he wasn’t alone in his room. Behind him were the signs of a young man who was becoming a man and leaving behind his father’s house. His needed clothes were stacked with precise folds and laid in the duffel bag on his childhood bed. Not a thing stood out of place, each was in its correct place with a soldier’s cleanliness. His old man, Zane leaned against the frame of the door, a slight smile creasing his worn face, his salt and pepper hair shaved close in a high and tight cut, above a small beard.

"It ain’t me, Pop. It’s all on God and you raisin’ me up all right, and you showed me how to follow and rely on God’s truth and on Him alone. You taught me to love my neighbor and my enemies. He grinned, I wouldn’t be able to do this without the faith you’ve raised me to have.

His pop gave his own smile, You’re mom would be so proud.

He nodded until thoughts of another whose faith had helped him in following God brought a sudden nervousness and fear. What do I do ‘bout writin’ Danny? Pop, she said she’ll write to me. But, I haven’t asked her to marry me. Her daddy, he said ...  He asked me to wait ...  I can’t do it yet. Shrugging, he started over, Her daddy said I may ask her once I’m back from my first tour, if she still wants to marry me. But, what if she doesn’t wait for me?

Shaking his head, his old man picked up a picture frame from the dark wood dresser he had made with his own hands, it was topped with the old wood carved toys that Matt had once played with, and the worn edges of each was full of small scratches that showed the rough love they had received at Matt’s hands. Zane handed the picture of Danny and Matt to Matt himself. His pop gave his first full jolly smile of the day, Boy, that little girl? She loves you, she promised to pray for you, to wait until the day you walk back through that door again, He nodded toward the front of the small farmhouse. A hint of reproof entered his tone, It was the love and prayers of your mother and my parents that kept me on the right track, following the good Lord, don’t forget that. She’s not the kind of girl to send her man a dear John letter.

He stared at his son until the younger man looked away in shame. Yes, sir. He grinned suddenly, But if she sees she can have a guy that’s so much better than me, I guess I won’t blame her ...  Much. He joked, his pop rolled his eyes as Matt kept on with a sober air, Sir, I’ll be back ‘fore y’all even know it or expect me home.

The older man studied him for a moment before he nodded, something told Matt that his pop wanted to caution him, to tell him it wouldn’t be as easy as Matt expected but that his old man didn’t have the words ...  Or maybe it was the heart to tell his son one last time what war was like, for he left the room without saying another word. Used to his old man’s quiet ways, Matt shrugged off the discomfort he felt from his pop and he finished packing his duffel bag, ending with his Bible, which he carefully set on top. His pop’s limping footsteps returned to the hall outside of Matt’s room as the same time as the front door swung open, Matt heard the squeak of the hendges, and his pop called out a lively greeting, inviting Matt’s girlfriend, Danny, and her brother and Matt’s best friend, Phillip to wait in the family room for them. His pop told the visitors that he