A Flash of Blue

By Mark Swink

In a Flash of Blue. Story of the life of Ronnie Post. Born into a very dysfunctional, abusive family setting. In an attempt to escape from the reality of his life. He leaves home at a young age to pursue his dream life. Which is so real to him. As he grows into a young man his life becomes happy, and he has no need for his dream life, but he

finds himself there anyway. As he lives in his dream life it becomes very strange and horrifying. Now he is lost, and he must find his way back.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781635687439

Book preview

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A Flash of Blue 

A novel by 

 Mark Swink

Copyright © 2017 Mark Swink

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc. 2017

ISBN 978-1-63568-742-2 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63568-743-9 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Prologue

T

his story starts

in the year of 1960. About a five-year-old boy named Ronnie. Ronnie was a very unhappy boy because of his home life. He was the only child, born to Charlie and Mary Post. It was very common for a family to have five or more kids back then. Ronnie was an only child, and was very lonely.

Ronnie’s father wasn’t much of a father because he was a hopeless alcoholic. During the day, he worked as a ditch digger. When night came around and his father came home, that’s when the troubles began.

During the evening, Ronnie would go into his bedroom and lock the door to avoid the abuse from his father. Some nights he would sit and hear the sounds of his father beating his mother. Pounding, screams, and cries were his nightly lullabies. Eventually his father would pass out, and his mother would come to his room and tuck him in. She would kiss him and ask him if he said his prayers. Always making sure he was safe.

On really bad nights, Mary would hold her son tightly to calm both her shaking and his fears. She would tell him to imagine that he was in a different place and time. If he imagined hard enough, it was almost like he was there.

Ronnie would do this, imagining he was somewhere else, in his dreams. The somewhere else of his dreams always took place in the same place and time. He was a grown man, a good man—a perfect man. A man with a perfect wife named Pat. A son they called Tommy, who was five and a daughter, Jane, who was about to turn three.

The years had passed, and nothing changed in his Post household. The drinking and beatings continued, and so did Ronnie’s dreams. If anything changed, it was that the beatings became more frequent and violent.

Chapter 1

Play Ball

A

s Ronnie grew

older, his features began to look more like his fathers. Even his relatives commented on this, which was something he resented immensely. The resemblance between his father and him was uncanny; his father was tall at least six foot three. He had big strong arms and a thick torso that appeared to be made of granite. His hair was dark and shiny, enhanced by the hair cream he applied faithfully. His eyes were dark brown, so dark, and set so deeply in his face that they made you feel the need to escape to someplace safe. His lips were full and firmly planted into a smile when he was everywhere but home. There they remained tightly pressed together, as if he didn’t feel any emotion. Because of Ronnie’s father, he had no friends. All the neighbors knew what went on in their house at night. In an effort to have Ronnie around other boys his own age, Mary signed him up for Little League Baseball. Ronnie played a full season and did well at it. He loved the sport of baseball, and finally had friends.

Ronnie played for the Drakesville Dragons, even though he lived in the neighboring town of Swifton. No one on the team knew anything about the home life that Ronnie was so ashamed of. The team liked him just because he was a really nice kid. His father never came to see a game, taking no interest in Ronnie. He barely acknowledged he had a son. His life was spent working, drinking, beating his wife, and generally making Ronnie’s life lonely and miserable. His father never being around was fine with Ronnie. He didn’t want anyone to know what type of man his father was.

The fall and winter after his first season was rough on Ronnie. He had no friends outside of his teammates. Throughout the fall and winter months, life was miserable. He would escape into his dream life again.

The months eventually passed until it was spring again, and time for the next season of baseball. He was looking forward to the season of fun he would have with his friends. The first game was great. Ronnie was becoming quite a player. The second game was another story. The second game was in a little town seven miles from Ronnie’s hometown. He hoped that no one from his town would be there. His hopes were shattered when he looked up from his position as shortstop, and saw his father. He sat on the bleachers next to his mother, who had a nervous look on her face. Ronnie also was nervous. He played very poorly. Because of his father’s presence he could not concentrate on the game. Without his father there Ronnie was a different player. But in his presence, he was filled with fear. That game, he never had a hit. As they were leaving that game, he looked up into his father’s eyes, and he knew he was in trouble. When they got to the truck, his father looked at him. He raised his hand and slapped him to the ground with disappointment written all over his face. All Ronnie remembered was a flash of blue and the sting of his father’s hand on his face. Not a word was said by anyone during the drive home. When they pulled into the driveway and got out of the truck, Charlie grabbed Ronnie’s bat from the truck and told Ronnie to follow him into the backyard. Mary stood there for a moment and looked at her son. Then turned and went into the house. He was afraid of what his father might do to him, but he was more afraid to disobey him.

When they reached the backyard, his father led him over to an old oak tree. He handed Ronnie the bat and told him to swing it at the