Chapter One of Sadie Survived

Sadie Survived is the sequel to Sadie's Mountain. These are the first two books in the Reclaiming Life Series. In this book, I will delve into Dillon's story, although Sadie will also have a few chapters--so it's a duel perspectives book.

I'm in the mood to share what I've written so far. However, as a WARNING, this excerpt contains major spoilers from Sadie's Mountain. If you haven't yet read the first book, I'd recommend you do that before reading this. It's available for sale on all major online retailers.

Also, this Work in Progress in intended for mature audiences, 18+, due to heavy topics, adult language, violence, and sexual situations. It is unedited, and subject to change.

Copyright, Shelby Rebecca. All rights reserved. 2013.


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Chapter One

Dillon—On The Mountain

 “Dillon!” Reverend Morris says through the speaker on my phone. “Where are you guys?” I ask, my voice giving away my nerves.

“We ran into a couple’a officers from Fayetteville waitin’ for us coming up the trail.”

Crap! I shake my head. Are we going to be alone?

“They sent us back down but we’re looking at the map so we can take another trail,” he says. “The coal company’s suspended demolition while all these people are protesting, and some of us are up here and they don’t know where we are.”

“Alright Reverend. We’ll be waiting for you. How many are still coming?” I yell into the phone, but my attention is tuned in elsewhere. Somewhere out there, I hear the rumbling sound of a four-wheeler coming up to our right.

“Did you hear that?” Sadie asks. When I look over to her she has this odd look on her face. My stomach aches to relieve the fear I see so evident in her eyes.

“There’s still ‘bout ten of us,” he says, out of the speakerphone. Could Donnie have found us up here? And it looks like we’re going to be here alone.

“Did someone make it past the cops?” I ask.

“Not that I know of,” he says.

“What were the cops riding? Motorcycles? Four-wheelers?”

“Four-wheelers,” he responds.

The sound of that four-wheeler is getting louder. From the corner of my eye I see Monty stop and fling his head up. It doesn’t feel right to me. Animals usually know when something’s wrong before we do. My horse is restless, too. We’ve got to move. Now.

 “Let’s get off this trail,” I say, trying to sound calm. I don’t want to scare Sadie worse than she already is. I pull the reins to the left and duck under a branch as Sadie follows. I’m so pissed at myself. I should have waited for the rest of the group first before I allowed her to come up here. We’re going to be alone. No. We are alone. Shit!

“Sadie,” I say, “we’re up here alone. We don’t have the group to protect us. I don’t want you yanking that gun out on cops, but just keep it in mind. I have mine, too, remember.”

Just then, the look on her face changes. Her eyes look like a wild animal, and I freeze. I realize that what’s odd is the buzzing sound of the four-wheeler had stopped. But I hear a shuffle and before I can process it, a four-wheeler carrying my brother barrels out of the forest.

 Both our horses bolt forward to get out of the way, when a loud sound bursts through the trees. I see his eyes, pure hatred and malice. Then I see the gun. I’m jerked backward—hard and fast. My shirt puffs up, like a bomb has exploded inside my chest, blocking out the sounds. My ears ringing.

What the…! I’m shot?  Instinctively I grab my chest as blood pumps onto my hand. My horse is jittery and hopping around.

My own brother shot me? Is Sadie okay? Is she shot, too? I look to my side toward her as she jumps down off her horse. Thump, thump. My heart beats in my eardrum.