Life's Generations

By Amy Shannon

Dr. Raina Markum never in her worst moments could picture the tragedy and pain that would be inflicted on her daughter and grandchildren. When the worse possible pain becomes the reality, will the family be bound together or torn apart?

Survival of the children of Sars Springs is the goal for all when the adults become involved in their own private grief and guilt. Will they be able to overcome their grief or plummet off the tallest building in Sars Springs? As death enters the lives of several residents, is it the permanent resting place or will the soul continue to wander?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amy Shannon
• Release date: Nov 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215148839

Amy Shannon

Amy Shannon is an author, professional book reviewer and literary consultant. Amy is republishing and publishing some for the first time, her MOD Life Epic Saga, which has over 67 volumes, and 9 bonus books.

Book preview

Life’s Generations

Amy Shannon

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Essence Publishing

Ballston Spa, NY 12020

https://essenceenterpriseus.com/essence-publishing

2023 Edition

Copyright © 2023 by Amy C Shannon

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permissions of the author, except by a review who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a newspaper, magazine, or journal.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

Credits:

Cover Illustration Copyright © 2023

Cover design by Amy Shannon

The Entire MOD Life Epic Saga

1 Unwritten Life

2 Rewritten Life (Best Read after Unwritten Life)

3 Unwritten Life's Paths to Destiny (Best Read after Rewritten Life)

4 Written Life's Past Meets Present (Best Read after Rewritten Life)

5 Life's Written Past

6 Life's Unwritten Future

7 Another Written Life

8 Life … Rewritten

9 Unwritten Life & Death

10 Life's Healer

11 Life's Hindering Hope

12 Life's Binding Ties

13 Life's Resurrection

14 Life's Infiltration

15 Life's Revival

16 Life's Depths of Souls

17 Life's Explosion in Time

18 Life's Connections

19 Life's Collision

20 Life's Intersection

21 Life's Final Destination

22 Life's Generations

23 Return to Life

24 Life's Resolution

25 A New Unwritten Life

26 Life's Dissolution

27 Life's Linear Souls

28 Life's Choices

29 Life's Passions

30 Life's Awakening

31 Life's Vengeance

32 Life's Heartful Depths

33 Life's Quaking Souls

34 Fractured Life

35 Life's Drowning

36 Life's Exploration

37 Life's Curative

38 Thicker than Life's Blood

39 Life's Salvation

40 Capturing Life's Midnight

41 Life's ReEvolution

42 Life's Soulful Intentions

43 Life's Jagged Flames

44 Life's Rising Depths

45 Life's Doomed Immortality

46 Life's Raw Enforcement

47 Life's Deemed Corruption

48 Life's Inherent Immorality

49 Life's Retrospective Legacy

50 Life's Torturous Souls

51 Life's Passages

52 Life's Tribulations

53 Life's Spirituality

54 Life's Revitalizations

55 Life's Rapture

56 Life's Sacred Retaliation

57 Life's Fiery Resuscitation

58 Life's Experimentation

59 Life's Redemption

60 Life's Humanity

61 The District Life: Districtive

62 The District Life: Disarray

63 The District Life: Disassembled

64 The District Life: Disapparent

65 Life's Return: Home Sweet Sars Springs

66 Life's Return: The Practice

67 Sars Springs: The finale

Bonus Series:

B1 Life's Perspective: Matthew Garris (Best Read after Life's Binding Ties)

B2 Life's Perspective: Bill Wheeler (Best Read after Life's Binding Ties)

B3 Life's Perspective: Perspective: Mike Dix (Best Read after Life's Connections)

B4 Life's Alternate Path: Destiny ... Rewritten (Alternate Path Parallel to Unwritten Life & Death to Life's Binding Ties)

B5 Life's Alternate Path: Destiny ... Crossroads (Alternate Path Parallel to Life's Resurrection to Life's Depths of Souls)

B6 Life's Alternate Path: Destiny ... Intertwined (Alternate Path Parallel to Life's Explosion in Time to Life's Connections)

B7 Sars Springs Handbook (Best Read after Life's Torturous Souls)

B8 The Interview: Life's Revelations (Best Read after Life's Fiery Resuscitation)

B9 M.O.D Life Epic Saga Character Guide

Introduction

Dr. Raina Markum never in her worst moments could picture the tragedy and pain that would be inflicted on her daughter and grandchildren. When the worse possible pain becomes the reality, will the family be bound together or torn apart?

Survival of the children of Sars Springs is the goal for all when the adults become involved in their own private grief and guilt. Will they be able to overcome their grief or plummet off the tallest building in Sars Springs? As death enters the lives of several residents, is it the permanent resting place or will the soul continue to wander?

1 Betrayal

DR. RAINA MARKUM walked out of the guestroom and into her bedroom. Her husband, Terry, looked up from his book. Are they asleep?

Yeah, I read them a book and they were out, she took off her robe and sat on the bed next to him. Baby, did you notice something different about Starr tonight?

She did seem a little different. Did she say anything to you?

She didn’t say anything, but I think there’s something wrong between her and Scott. I can’t place it, but it just reminds me of something.

Well, it was kind of sudden that she asked us to keep Sarah and CJ for the night, Terry said, as he closed his book and laid it on the nightstand. Not that I minded. I love watching our grandchildren.

I don’t mind either, but usually she doesn’t just show up, Raina said. I hope everything is all right.

So, do I, Terry put his arm around his wife. Why don’t we get some sleep? I know they get up pretty early, he reached over and turned off the light.

Starr Lawrence walked into her bedroom and sat on the bed. Oh, god, what do I do now? she cried, as her husband, Scott, walked in. Oh, you’re home.

"Yeah, I’m home. What about it?"

We need to talk.

I don’t think we have anything to talk about, he said, as he walked over to his side of the bed and sat down.

"Please, Scott, talk to me."

He turned around and smiled. I’m sorry. Come on, sweetheart. Let’s, well, he started to kiss her.

She gave in and kissed him back. She slowly ran her hands down his chest and to his thigh. Scott, you can take it off you know.

You don’t need half a man.

"You’re not half a man," she ran her hand down his thigh.

He pushed her off the bed. "Don’t ever touch it again!"

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. Scott? I’m sorry.

He put his hand in his pocket and took out a vial of pills. He popped three in his mouth and put the bottle back in his pocket. He stood up and looked down at her. "It’s your fault anyway."

She slowly stood up and looked in his eyes. "What’s my fault?"

"My leg! I lost it because of you, Scott raised his hand, but then put it down. I should’ve just let them take you,"his eyes turned cold.

What? she cried. We’ve been together since high school. We have two children. You’ve… you’ve been blaming me all these years? Why didn’t you ever say anything?

"Let’s just say, I’ve seen the light," he crossed his arms as he stood over her.

How could you? she cried, as she stood up.

Just get out of my way, he slapped her so hard that she fell to the floor again.

She stood up again. I don’t know what’s wrong with you, she started toward the bedroom door and turned around. "Who is she?"

"She?"

Your mistress.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Scott smirked.

"Liar," she turned around and walked out the door.

He hurried after her and grabbed her arm. "Don’t ever turn your back on me!"

She looked in his eyes. "Who are you? I don’t even know you, she cried. He let go of her arm and she watched as his blue eyes turned red with hate. She slowly backed away as she noticed the pill bottle sticking out of his pocket. What are those?" she asked, as she went to grab them out of his pocket.

He shoved her as she grabbed the bottle, sending her backwards and slamming her head against the wall. Starr’s body tumbled down the stairs until they reached the bottom. The pills shot up in the air and spilled all over the stairs and her body.

Scott stared down at her body. "Oh, god, my pills! What have I done? he cried. He ran to the phone and dialed 911. As he was on the phone, he hurried to pick up all the pills that had spilled, failing to miss a few under her body. This is Scott Lawrence. I found my wife at the bottom of the stairs. I think she fell. 789 Mulberry Road. He hung up. He then ran across the driveway and knocked on Kyle Garris’ door. KYLE!"

Kyle wearily opened the door. Scott? What’s wrong?

It’s Starr. She fell down the stairs. I don’t know what happened. I heard her scream and found her at the bottom of the stairs.

Did you call 911? he asked, as he put on his robe.

The ambulance is on its way, he said.

Kyle and Scott hurried across the driveway to the farmhouse. Kyle took her pulse. Starr, hold on, Kyle touched his niece’s forehead. Scott, get me a blanket or something to cover her.

Scott ran into the other room and Kyle noticed a few pills that had spilled behind Starr’s neck. He pulled out a tissue from his pocket, placed the pills in the tissue, and put it in his robe pocket. He felt around Starr’s neck and noticed a handprint bruise starting to form. He quickly closed her blouse as Scott walked in the room.

The ambulance attendants walked in, followed by homicide Captain Will Markum and his son, Dr. Ethan Markum. What happened? Ethan asked.

She fell down the stairs, Scott said.

Kyle stood up. Careful with her, he looked at Will. Call your mother and have her meet me at the hospital.

Is she going to be all right? Will asked.

I don’t know. I’m not a medical doctor, but I think she broke a few things and she’s unconscious. That’s not good, Kyle walked out to the porch as they loaded her into the ambulance.

I’m going with her, Scott said.

Um, no, let them work on her. You’ll only be in the way. Where are the kids?

I think they’re with Terry and Raina, Scott said.

"You think?" Kyle asked.

"Well, they ain’t here," he said, as he hurried to his car and left.

Kyle turned to Will and Ethan. "He’s lying."

"What?" Will said.

"I don’t know what happened here, but she just didn’t fall down the stairs."

"He hurt my sister?" Will asked.

I’m not sure what happened here. I just know that he’s lying about something. His eyes were wild, and he was sweating a lot. Starr needs to be examined. Actually, if I were you, I’d have someone from CSU check out this area. I found some strange pills under her body. I’m going to see what they are, Kyle said.

Ethan looked at his Uncle. What can I do?

"Meet Raina at the hospital. And, someone needs to keep an eye on Scott and make sure he doesn’t go near your sister."

I’m calling my brothers. We won’t give it away that we suspect him until there’s proof, but we’ll keep him away from her, Will said, as Terry’s car pulled in the driveway. I’ll have Laney come over and process.

Great. I better talk to Terry and then, I’ll meet you two at the hospital, Kyle said, as he walked over to Terry. Where’s Raina?

On her way to the hospital, Terry said. What happened to my daughter?

Do you want what I can prove or what I suspect?

"What do you suspect?" Terry said.

I think that Scott pushed her down the stairs. Now, I don’t know if it was an accident or on purpose. I found some pills under her body, he looked toward the house as Laney walked in with her CSU kit. Where are the kids?

Kaylee and Joshua came over and are sitting with them right now. Kyle, is she awake?

No. Ethan and Will are on their way to the hospital. Will and his brothers are keeping Scott away.

What are you going to do?

I’m going to test these pills and see what they are. They could just be aspirin, but usually aspirin is imprinted on it, unless they’re generic.

You don’t think that’s the case, do you?

No. I want Laney to bag all the meds in their medicine cabinet, too, just for comparison.

Go, do what you need to. I want to take a look around and I’ll tell her. I’ll be at the hospital, shortly, Terry took a deep breath.

Terry, don’t do anything you’ll regret.

"I won’t. I’ll let the law handle this. I’m just the Mayor, but I will get justice for my daughter. Oh, Kyle, where’s Morgan tonight?"

He’s with Dad and Mom. I’m glad. This would’ve scared him, Kyle said, as he got in the car.

Terry headed into the house. He looked down at Laney. Um, I’m going to take a look around.

Here, put these on your shoes and wear these gloves, Laney said.

I will. Oh, Kyle said to bag all the medicines and drugs in the medicine cabinets. I guess he found some pills or something.

I found a few hidden under the carpet on the stairs and one at the top of the stairs. I’ve already bagged them, Laney said.

Can you tell yet? Terry asked.

I can only guess. I’ve put in a call to Mike and Evan for their help on this. Mike is better at scene recreation.

Terry kneeled down. "If you could guess."

"She had to have been pushed."

Why would you guess that? Terry asked.

Well, when a person falls down the stairs, by themselves, they usually trip. Well, for one, there was nothing to trip over. The carpet is smooth. Even if she tripped over her own feet, which I doubt, she would’ve fell straight down and tried to block her fall, Laney said. She fell at an angle, from the top of the stairs. She had to have been pushed into the wall at the top of the stairs. She hit her head and then tumbled, in a zigzag format down the stairs, until she landed here.

Thanks, Laney. Since this started upstairs, I’m going to see if I can find out exactly where it started.

Terry, did you ever work in CSU?

No, but Doc did teach me a few things, he smiled.

She did?

Yeah, when she was in CSU and I was at her crime scenes, she always yelled at me for contaminating her evidence, he laughed. No, I just watched and learned, he slowly headed up the stairs.

2 Reminiscent

RAINA DRAPED HER stethoscope around her neck and walked into her daughter’s exam room. She sat on the bed and looked at her Uncle, Dr. Steven Welch. Steven, has she woken up yet?

No, but, Raina, the x-rays just came back, he said.

What is it?

She has a broken neck and a fracture in her skull, Steven said. I’ve sent for the stabilizer. There’s something else, though.

What? Raina cried, as she held her daughter’s hand.

He pulled down the front of Starr’s gown. Handprints. Across her face and on her chest.

Raina stared at the bruises on her daughter’s chest and wiped her eyes. Did you photograph them?

Yes.

I want them fingerprinted, she said.

What?

I want those bruises fingerprinted. Call Mike. Have him come in here and fingerprint them. I want to know who put their hands on my daughter, she said, as Terry walked in.

Doc?

Raina turned around. Baby, where were you?

At the farmhouse, he said. Steven, go ahead. Call Mike. I know who did it. I want the proof, though.

Steven quietly left the room.

"Baby, who did this to our daughter?"

Doc, what’s wrong with her?

She has a broken neck and fractured skull. Who hurt her? Why wasn’t Scott home?

Doc, he put his hands on her shoulder. "Doc, it was Scott."

"No, no, he wouldn’t hurt my baby. He wouldn’t do that."

I don’t know what happened. Only he or Starr can tell us that. Right now, we have to worry about our daughter, he held his wife tightly.

Mike Dix knocked on the door lightly. Raina?

Raina wiped her eyes. Mike, sorry to call you in this late, but her body needs to be printed. I want to make sure… she cried.

I’ll take care of it. We finished at the house. Evan is outside. He needs to talk to you and Terry. He said it’s important, Mike said.

Terry and Raina left the room as Mike opened his CSU kit and sat next to Starr’s bed. This is one of the traditions that should never be repeated, little lady, he kissed her cheek and then started to process her body.

Terry and Raina walked over to Evan Jones, who was standing at the nurses’ station. Evan? Terry asked.

Um, I thought you two should know something, Evan cleared his throat.

What’s that? Raina asked.

Starr called me earlier today.

What about? Terry asked.

She asked me to dissolve the law partnership but make it like it was my idea.

What do you mean? Raina asked.

When we went into the partnership, we created a stipulation that if any one of us wanted out of the partnership, that the entire partnership would be dissolved. If any of the partners wanted to continue to be partners, they would create a new partnership.

She wanted it to be your idea? Raina asked. "She was scared."

I knew something was wrong. Scott hasn’t been acting right. The last few months he’s been withdrawn, angry, and very moody.

That just doesn’t sound like him, Raina looked up as Police Chief James O’Roark entered the ER with another man, wearing a badge on his belt. She walked over to him. James?

Aunt Ray, we’re going to arrest Scott. Since we’re all family, I asked Captain Haskell if he’d do the arrest, so there isn’t any conflict.

Raina looked at the man. Captain Haskell? she looked in his eyes.

Captain Elliot Haskell, SVU. Just transferred here last month, he looked at her. Raina? Raina O’Roark?

Oh, my, Elliot? she smiled. How are you? Well, obviously you’re fine. I’m sorry. It’s been a long time, she hugged him.

Since Dad died. I’m sorry, he said.

Terry walked over to the group. "You know each other?"

Raina turned toward Terry. "This is Elliot Haskell, Andy’s son."

"Oh, right, I’m sorry. Nice to meet you or see you again. Terry. Terry Markum. Raina’s husband."

"Oh, nice to meet you, Mayor. Where is the suspect?"

In the waiting room, Raina said, as the men followed her. He attacked my daughter. He’s not usually like that. I don’t condone what he did. My daughter could die from what he did to her, but something is wrong here.

I’ll take care of this, he said. When they walked in the waiting room, Scott was pacing the floor. Scott Lawrence? Elliot said.

"Who the hell are you?" he spat.

Captain Haskell, SVU. You, sir, are under arrest.

"For what?"

Assaulting your wife.

He started pacing again. "It was her fault. She shouldn’t have done it. She shouldn’t have done it," he muttered.

Done what? Raina asked.

"She touched it. I told her not to. It’s her fault."

Elliot looked at the officers who walked into the room. "Take him and pat him down. Sir, you have the right to remain