The Secret of the Missing Well

By David Murray

David, a third grader with wild imagination is caught up in a mystery when his parents decide to stop at a roadside motel during a summer trip to his grandparents'. His excitement to visit them takes a backseat when he begins to unravel the odd characteristics of the place.

• Language: English
• Publisher: SelfPublisher
• Release date: Apr 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088066546

David Murray

David Murray (PhD, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) has pastored four churches in Scotland and the USA. He is also a counselor, a regular speaker at conferences, and the author of several books, including Reset and Exploring the Bible. David has taught Old Testament, counseling, and pastoral theology at various seminaries.

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The Secret of the Missing Well

David Murray

Copyright © 2022

All Rights Reserved

Dedication

This is dedicated to my wife Teri, whose passion and love of travel continue to inspire me.

I love you forever and ever.

Acknowledgment

My parents deserve acknowledgment for all of the road trips we took throughout my childhood.

I didn’t fly on a plane until I was 18 years old. Up till that time, my family hit the open road, stayed in roadside motels and enjoyed the swimming pools. I appreciate all of the struggles my parents made to keep their four kids happy, healthy and full of life.

My daughter is also my greatest prize, as she has given me the title of Dad. I would never have experienced this without her and her mother. I repeat some of the same things I learned while raising a good, caring daughter.

Sommer, I love you!

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgment

About the Author

Preface

Chapter 1 Start of Summer

Chapter 2 Journey North

Chapter 3 The Motel

Chapter 4 The Most Beautiful Girl

Chapter 5 The Secret

Chapter 6 The Woods

Chapter 7 Searching for a Miracle

Chapter 8 The Parting

Chapter 9 Grandparents’ House

Chapter 10 Indian Chief

Chapter 11 Fireworks

Chapter 12 Reunion

Chapter 13 The Future

Epilogue

About the Author

David Murray has a multitude of memories that can span several encyclopedias. His role as the family historian is full of stories and anecdotes that span his nearly 60 years of life.

This story is just one of many in his journeys.

Preface

Though my bones still hadn’t grown heavy and my hair hadn’t turned gray, I could feel my years reflected in my way of thinking. When I was younger, I often found myself amused by Grandpa’s stories.

I would think, ‘Why do people live in the past? Why can’t they recreate those golden memories?’

Though I treasured the good old times, I have always preferred living in the present just so I could have something worth looking back on.

After leading a life full of tears, laughter, and surprises, I could retrace the map of the memories in my mind to the place and time that changed my world forever. It was still enthralling to remember. Looking over the vast snow-capped mountain ranges reflected in the serene lake, I let myself drift into the memories of that fateful summer.

Hey, Pops! How long have you been standing there? My granddaughter joined me on the dock. Only yesterday, Rosie had celebrated her sweet sixteen. It warmed my heart that my granddaughter drove over all the way to Pacific Northwest just to celebrate her birthday with Teri and me every year, though this year, she didn’t seem quite as cheerful as she always did.

For quite a while. Why don’t you join me? I put my arm around her shoulder. Is something bothering you?

Yes, actually. Rosie opened up to me at once. Though she was a little guarded around everyone else, she had always been transparent with me. Remember the guy I told you about? Harris?

The guy next door? Of course! He’s the one you like, I replied seriously.

Right. Well, he’s moving to Georgia in a few months. Rosie’s voice sounded shaky. Honestly, it was a little uncharacteristic of her to get so attached in such a short span of time. Her feelings toward Harris were quite evident, as his move was clearly upsetting her a lot. I’m not ready to say goodbye to him, Pops.

Who said you have to? I tried to comfort her, but my words had no effect.

I know everyone thinks I’m young. What do I know? I’ll meet other guys, but I know that he’s the one for me, Rosie said passionately, in a torrent of emotion.

I don’t think so. In fact, when I found your grandma, I was even younger than you, but I always knew she was my soulmate. Quite honestly, I had never been so vulnerable in front of anyone in my life either. Besides Teri, of course.

Really? Rosie looked at me with astonished eyes. Younger than me? I’m only sixteen.

Yes, and I was only eight years old. I watched her react in amusement.

What? My granddaughter couldn’t believe her ears, and I couldn’t help chuckling. So, you fell in love with her right away? Did you stay with her throughout those years?

What does an eight-year-old understand about love? I just knew she made me happy.

Rosie perked up as I explained. Well, I actually feel the same way. When I’m with Harris, I feel like I can conquer the world. He builds up my confidence, my granddaughter admitted shyly.

I’ve always felt the same way about your grandma, and you know, Rosie looked up at me as I paused, distance doesn’t matter when you truly love someone.

Rosie looked away in doubt. She picked up a stone and threw it in the still water. Everyone tells me it wouldn’t work. That I’m too young to make it work.

As I watched the ripples, I decided it was time to let my granddaughter in on my secret. It can work. Want to know how? Let me tell you the story of how I met your grandma. It all started in the summer of….

Chapter 1

Start of Summer

Constructed in the summer of 1921, Bayview School had an aesthetically mediocre but robust structure. It had been standing for more than fifty-two years, but not for long now. Five months before our academic year ended, there came a report from the local county building agency, which declared the school building a hazard. The school was apparently constructed on a fault line.

I was never someone who looked forward to going to school, but this news made me sorrowful. I had spent a little more than four years at school, and the thought of not only being detached but the school itself being taken down was unsettling. I was utterly confused about what a fault line was.

Why don’t they just fix the fault in the line and let the school be? I asked my dad. He let out a laugh before explaining what a fault line was and how it could cause earthquakes. I still did not understand why the authorities couldn’t just fix the fault.

Bayview School had been enrolling students since its inception. Every student who had lived in a seven-mile radius in the past four decades had been to Bayview School at some point in their lives. This was also because there was no other school in the vicinity.

Before the announcement of the demolition, the school had offered classes from kindergarten to high school. The campus covered a vast area and contained a full-sized swimming pool, two tennis courts, a baseball diamond, a large grass field, and over twenty classrooms.

The teachers at Bayview School were exceptional. The school had gained a respectable reputation among the townsfolk, and people happily sent their kids there. You could spend twelve years of your life studying and still be in the same facility. And people did. My neighborhood friend Dean’s older brother studied at Bayview School for almost 12 years.

The school was situated just over five miles from my house, and I went by bus. It was a 20-minute ride. We always took a different route on the way back, and the road had quite an aesthetically pleasing view. Or at least, I thought so. The road was clear, and there were open fields on both sides. There were no houses or shops on the way. The muffled humming of the engine and the