Hunting Accident-At the hospital

When Jess got to the emergency room Rance was standing outside. Jess stopped and leaned on the wall next to him. "I thought you quit."

Rance put out his cigerette and then turned to face Jess. "I did until three hours ago. I just couldn't make it. My wife is in there in hystarics, you wife is a complete wreck and our sister-in-law looks like a piece of hamburger. I needed a smoke."

"How is she? They know anything yet?"

"Not much. At least not that they're telling us. They did come out to see what blood type Sam and Corri are but other then that we haven't heard much."

"You should've seen her Rance. I thought she was dead. And he was just laying there in bed, sleeping peacfully. If Anderson hadn't been there I might have shot him."

"I would've. No doubt in my mind."

"Have you heard how Brandon is doing? Are they gonna place him with one of us?"

"We don't know yet. The social worker came and talked to me and Corri about taking him but she said that they won't decide anything till moring. They don't think he's hurt but they want to keep him overnight for observation just incase." Rance subconciously lit another cigerette and took a long draw on it. "What if she doesn't make it Jess, then what do we do?"

"I don't know Rance. I just don't know."

"They'll put him in jail right? He's going away for this isn't he?"

Jess ran his fingers through his hair. "I hope so but its doubtable. You know he'll have some story about being asleep and waking up to her half dead, and I doubt she'll say he did it, if she can even talk. I just don't know if there is much of a case against him."

Rance threw down his cigerette in a fit of rage. "What the hell do you mean not much of a case. She's in there almost dead. Doesn't that count for anything?" Rance kicked the wall and then just stood staring at it.

"I wish it did but I'm not sure we can prove he did it. Judges want hard evidence, not just convinced cops and brother-in-laws. We'll just have to see."

Closing in

At first the sea calm, it soothes me to be in it.
The small waves make me happy, I forget my troubles.
As the storms build I try to get out but I can't,
And don't really want to.
The amber waves are over my head,
I'm drowning,
I can't get out,
I panic,
Then there is peace.
Drowning isn't so bad,
Even in turmoil the amber liquid is soothing.
I know I should get out,
I try to escape
but I'm in the bottom of the bottle now and the top is so far away.

Hunting Accident continued

Two weeks later Jess was working the night shift patrolling a remote speed trap. The radio shouted into his dark patrol car waking him from his late night stupor.

"We have a 10-23 in progress, report of domestic assault at 1224 W Hightop Road. Need two units to respond."

"Unit 12 responding to the 10-23. ETA three minutes." Jess could feel himself tensing as he drove. He hated going out on domestic violence calls. As he pulled up to the address a sadistic thought passed through his mind. Owning a green Ford must be a requirement for being a wife beater, Evan owned one too. He could see the other deputy coming up over the hill as he approached the door. The crying of a baby drifted from the house.

He knocked, there was no answer. "Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Ma'am I need you to open the door." Jess glanced at Deputy Anderson who had joined him on the porch.

"Knock one more time and then we're goin' in, that kid is an exigent circumstance."

Jess knocked again, harder this time, but there was still no answer. He eased the knob and Anderson stepped into the house. "Riverside County Sheriffs Department, anyone here?" There was no reply. "You find the kid Jess and I'll start clearing rooms."

Jess found a high-chair in the kitchen tipped on its side with the baby still strapped in. He rushed to the chair and then stopped. The baby was his nephew Brandon. Jess grabbed him and then hurried toward the back of the house. As he stepped into one of the bedrooms his stomach threatened to empty. Andi was lying on the floor motionless, covered in blood, and Evan was passed out on the bed.

"Go call an ambulance Jess."

"Is she ok Anderson?" Jess stood, unable to pull his eyes from Andi's body.

"I don't know, just go call the damn paramedics!"

Jess ran for his patrol car, Brandon still in his arms screaming. "This is Unit 12. Request paramedics to the 10-23, victim unconscious. Also request Child Protection be contacted, infant in the home also possibly injured."

"Ambulance en route, ETA fifteen minutes. I'll get a child protection worker as soon as I can."

Hunting Accident

Jess sat at the kitchen table lacing his boots while Sam fried him some eggs. He could tell there was something on her mind and he was sure it had something to do with Andi.

"How was work last night hun?"

"Not to bad, it was a fairly quiet night."

"Did you and Corri have a good visit yesterday?

Sam brought Jess's eggs to the table and sat down across from him. "Corri and Rance have an idea to save Andi but they need our help."

Jess finished half his breakfast before looking up. "What's the plan they have?"

"A hunting accident, or at least that's what it will look like." Sam shifted in her seat and avoided Jess's gaze. She knew that what they were planning was wrong but she couldn't get passed the thought that Andi's black eyes and bruises would finally stop.

Jess sat, staring at the fridge. "That's a big risk Sam. Not to mention it's illegal and morally wrong. If we got caught Sage and Justin would grow up with out us. It's my job to stop things like this Sam."

"I told Corri it was a bad idea, but somehow, part of me really wanted to do it. My sister's life almost seemed worth taking someone else's."

"It's ok Sam, a part of me sees reason in it too. It's hard to watch Andi suffer. But it's not in me to actually kill, it's not in any of us." Jess stood up and put his hands on Sam's shoulders. "We'll figure something out. I love you hun." Jess put his coat and hat on and walked to the door. "Get some sleep. I'll see you tonight."

Sam walked slowly to the bedroom and slipped out of her scrubs. She laid on the bed staring at the ceiling. She was ashamed that she had even considered Corri's plan, and then again she wasn't.

Longer Story

When I said I wasn't going to have much time to post I had no idea that I was going to get mono and be stuck in my room. So since I have all of this time to sit and do nothing but homework I figured I would start posting one of the longer stories I have been working on. I'm not going to guarantee that it will progress at any certain speed but I'll do what I can. Let me know what you think of it because I'm always open to suggestions.

Hunting Accident

Corri sat at a corner booth in Martha's Cafe sipping her coffee. The last few days had been hard on her and this morning Rance had pointed out that it was starting to show. She wasn't the only one taking it hard though. The worry in Sam's voice had all but reached out and smacked Corri when she'd talked to her on the phone.

Sam walked in and sat down across from Corri. She ordered a cup of coffee and then just sat with her eyes closed warming her hands on the cup.

"You should have seen her Sam. Its never been this bad before. Next thing you know she's gonna end up in the hospital." Corri started to shake just thinking about her sister's bruised body.

"He has to be stopped. Since we can't get Andi to leave him he has to go." Sam knew that Corri agreed with her, she just didn't know how they'd get rid of him.

"I know. That's why I called you. Me and Rance have a plan but we're going to need you and Jess's help."

"Okay, what's the plan?"

small family farm

I stand in the kitchen doing dishes watching out the window as a dust devil meanders through the farmyard. Every ten minuets or so the tractor comes into view, clouds of dust billowing from the disc. It has been months since we've seen any serious rain and the canals went dry weeks ago. Last year was called the worst year ever but this one beats it by far. The big operation planted more wheat and stayed away from the water loving crops like potatoes but we can't afford to do that. The potatoes are small, the few that have even grown and the grain is only mediocre. The phone rings. It's my mother-in-law.
Have I seen Dad?
No I haven't. Not since yesterday night when he parked the tractor.
Do I know hwere he is?
No.
She hasn't seen him since breakfast and he isn't answering on the radio. Neither is my husband. Maybe her radio isn't working. Will I run out to the field and see if he has heard her or if he's seen Dad?
Yes of course I will.
I put on my jacket even though it is warm out and wander into the field. The next time he comes to my end my husband stops the tractor and lets me in. Has he heard his mom's calls on the radio?
No the radio has been quiet all day.
Well has he seen Dad?
Not since last night.
Does he know where he is today?
No, probably just making sure everthing is ready for winter. Just wait till lunch, Dad won't miss lunch.
My husband radios Dad but dosn't get a response. He lets me out and I walk back to the house. I sart washing the dishes again and the phone rings.
Have I gone out to the field?
Yes and the radio must not be working. My husband can't get anything either.
Does he know where Dad is?
No but he's sure that Dad will be in for lunch.
Am I still coming down after lunch to can apple sauce?
Yes of course. I finish washing the dishes and go out to bring in the laundry. I don't konw why I wash it. Just as soon as I hang it out it is full of dust again. I bring it in and start to fold it. My husband comes in for lunch and I make him tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. After we eat he goes back out to the field and I put on my jacket. I pick up the three bags full of apples that I gathered from our tree and walk the three quarters of a mile to my mother-in-laws house. I go in the back door and she is staring out the kitchen windo.
Dad didn't come in for lunch. Where could he be? Can I walk out to the field and ask my husband to go look for him?
Yes I can. I'll be back in a bit. As I pass the machine shop I see Dad's dirt bike. I can't believe I didn't notice it earlier. I open the door and Dad swings in the breeze. He's gone the way of the small family farm.

maybe someday

So I'm going through that phase where I really like to write and most of what I write is weird and not necissarily related to each other. At some point I might actually post a longer story I've been working on but for now it will just be my random ramblings and some little stories that I've come up with.