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Dead West
Last Ride of the Carver
By Eric Borden, Melissa Dalton Abbott Press
Copyright © 2014 Eric Borden
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4582-1487-4
CHAPTER 1
Georgia 1865
WHO DO you suppose THAT IS?
HARD TO SAY.
PROBABLY MEANS WE'RE GOING TO GET TO PUT THAT TIMBER IN THE YARD TO GOOD USE.
GOOD THING TOO. THOSE BOYS ARE RIPE.
HEY OLD TIMER. BRING YOUR HORSE TO THE STABLES FOR YOU?
NO. YOU BOYS JUST STAY ON THE PORCH.
IF YOU'D HAVE GOTTEN OFF SOONER WE MIGHT HAVE WON THIS WAR. BESIDES HE LIKES THE RAIN.
IS THAT HIM? IS THAT THE CARVER?
YOU SEE HIS EYE JUST LIKE I DO.
THE CHICKAMALIGA CARVER IS HERE.
SURE AS SHIT SOMEONE GONNA DIE
HOW WAS YOUR TRIP, CAPTAIN?
PRETTY GOOD, SIR.
NOWHERE IS THERE MORE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY SIDE THAN THE BIG CYPRESS OF GEORGIA.
INDEED.
I TRUST IT WENT WITHOUT INCIDENT?
WE'VE BROLIGHT THE MAN OUT HERE FOR A REASON AND A PRESSING ONE.
SHALL WE ATTEND TO THE MATTER AT HAND?
OF COURSE. PLEASE.
THE LORD IS A REFLIGE FOR THE OPPRESSED, A STRONGHOLD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
HUH?
GRANDPA.
HOW YOU, BUG? YOU LOOK SKINNY? I SEE YOU'RE STILL READING THE BOOK.
I'M GOOD GRANDPA.
I READ IT EVERY DAY. HOW ABOUT YOU?
NO. I GAVE IT UP.
NOT HAD MUCH USE FOR IT IN ...
THE PAST YEARS ...
WHAT ARE THESE? WHAT'S THE REASON YOU GOT MY KIN IN CHAINS?
THE WAR IS OVER. LEE SURRENDERED. WE ALL GET TO GO HOME.
YES WE DO. AS SOON AS WE PROSECUTE THIS MAN FOR HIS CULPABILITY IN THE DEATH OF SO MANY SOUTHERN SONS.
HE IS A SOUTHERN SON. WHEN THE LINES WERE DRAWN HE WAS AWAY AT SCHOOL. BUT NOW HE'S HOME. NOT A SOUL GIVES A CARE HOW HE GOT HERE EXCEPT YOU?
WELL ... AND YOU CAPTAIN. YOU CARE.
THE COLONEL AND I EXPECT YOU TO DO YOUR DUTY.
YOUR INCLUSION IN THIS TRIBUNAL WAS MERELY A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE.
NO OTHER OFFICER WAS TO BE HAD GIVEN THE STATE OF DISARRAY OUR FORCES FIND THEMSELVES IN.
THIS ENEMY OFFICER WILL HANG AT DAYBREAK. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED.
IT'S A FINE WAY FOR ME GRANDPA. THEY'VE LOST. THEY'LL TAKE NO VICTORY FROM THIS.
JESUS CHRIST!
DOUBT YOU'LL SEE HIM
GRANDPA.
THE WINDOW.
KEEP BEHIND ME. WE'RE GOING OUT THE FRONT DOOR, ONTO THE PORCH, AND CATCHING A PONY OUT OF HERE.
SHOTS FIRED! TO ARMS!
WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!
KILL THE CARVER!!!
HUH?
MOUNT LIP, BLIG.
THEY ARE COMING FOR US. AREN'T THEY?
IMAGINE THEY ARE. GOING TO CATCH US TOO. JUST GOT TO MAKE THE BLACKWATER.
CALEB!
I CAN'T SEE. GRANDPA, I CAN'T SEE!
NOTHING CAN'T BE FIXED SON. ON YOUR FEET SOLDIER.
WE HAVE TO KEEP MOVING.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Dead West by Eric Borden, Melissa Dalton. Copyright © 2014 Eric Borden. Excerpted by permission of Abbott Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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