The Seven Seals and the Silver Locket: A Star, a Shield and One Smooth Stone

by Charlotte Taylor

Overview

I am a lover of books. I always have been. For me, books have been my journey to other lands, my joy for romance, or maybe just my escape for me time. I have a wonderful family and job. Im a Nurse and Im proud of the work and accomplishments my job has given me. With that job the Lord blessed me with many wonderful friends. I love the Lord and know He holds us safe in His Hands. He gave me the desire to write. He gave me a family, friends, a good job and a story. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for helping make my dreams come true.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781546235682
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	03/29/2018
Pages:	136
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.29(d)

About the Author

Imagine what could happen if you were to go back in time and actually see Biblical history with your own eyes. Would it make an unbeliever believe? What if you were looking for stolen objects and hunted by the Shadow of Evil? What if you couldnt remember your family or where you came from? That is what happened to Ashley and Paige. They thought they were alone but were helped by some of the most exciting Biblical characters in history. They find themselves on a mountain with the Shepherd Boy David and his sheep looking for the first lost Seal of Revelation, The Conqueror. Where is it? How can girls who cant find their way home, find Gods lost Seal? Its a journey filled with tears, loss and joy. Its a journey of self-discovery, friendship and love. Two girls learn who they are and what they are capable of.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

"My name is Ashley and I have a story to tell."

The black cat's green eyes peered at the young girl in between licking her fur clean.

"My sister says I tell great stories so I feel very confident that you will find this story to be if not entertaining then at least educational. Feel free to laugh and cry with me as I remind you what it's like to be a teenager. What it's like to be different and why, to a teenager, that's not cool.

For a seventeen- year old I guess you could say my life is good. I have a nice home, clothes, plenty to eat, money to spend, popular at school and about to graduate. So, you're wondering how I'm different? I'm getting there. On a more personal level my life is a bust. How you ask? Well that's the problem. People are always looking at the package, the wrapping if you will. No one ever looks closer. No one ever looks past the wrapper. If they did they would see that I am just a mirage, a fake. I laugh and joke with my friends when actually I just want to sit and cry. I know there are many kids who feel as I do but seriously? I have my hands full just dealing with my crap. You know, like when you can't eat all your vegetables and your Mother says 'Eat! There are starving people in other Countries who would love to have what you have.' Don't you want to just say 'Well they can have it?' Yes, well, I can't deal with the starving people any more than I can deal with the many other kids who are going through what I am going through. My hands are full just getting through each day acting 'normal'. It's tiring, exhausting really. Let me give you an example.

My Parents are divorced. My two brothers and sister and I see our Dad frequently but it's not the same, you know? My Mother is a Nurse so her schedule is weird to say the least. In order to make sure we have what she thinks we need she works a lot. When she is not working she is running around with some of her Nurse buddies. My Dad really hurt her with his affair which is what tore our family apart so she has kinda gone off the deep end herself so to speak. We have our Grandparents, Nana and Papaw, and we are grateful but it's not the same, is it? Our Grandparents make sure we are taken care of and they take us to Church too. My sister and I are Believers and were baptized when we were younger. My youngest brother made a profession of faith and was baptized but acts as if he didn't. My other brother has not taken that step as yet. My Nana says that my Mom is a Believer. She chooses to ignore what's right, in order to live the life she wants right now. That doesn't make what my Mom is doing okay, so we pray for her every day that she will make better choices and that God will heal her hurts. Believing in God is one thing but I'm finding that living and reflecting that belief is another. Now that's my problem. Don't laugh, this is serious. I am in the twelfth grade, two months away from graduation. I have been reasonably popular as I have attended the same school all twelve years. I look alright. I mean I'm not beautiful but neither do I look like one of Cinderella's sisters either. You know, guys say I'm cute. My hair is chestnut brown, long, down to my bottom and thick and healthy looking. Your hair looks healthy too Kitty Kat. I have good skin, so my Nana has said. Yes, I know how lucky I am. I have a good friend who never wakes up without a new pimple on her face. She just hates her skin. My Mom says I have good genes. 'Say thank you she says'. Oh, to continue. I'm kind and I speak to everyone. I say 'yes ma'am and sir to adults and try to do right as much as I can. I am not perfect, for where is the fun in that, but I honestly do try to be good. Everyone looks at me as the nice Christian girl and treats me as such. They think I wrote the Bible and have all the answers. Ha! Ridiculous, right? Right. But it is what it is. Ok, so back to my being a fake. People think I have it all together, life I mean. They think I am the real deal. If truth be known, I thought so too. Here is what happened to show me and the world around me how so untogether I actually am.

This year we got a new History Teacher. It was very obvious his beliefs were different from my own and he made it his business to point out that his belief was superior to mine at every opportunity. He decided to have a debate on wars as our last project in History. We were to write about a war in History. It could be a past, present, or future war. We would then read our paper in class and then debate the whys and wherefores of the event with the presenter defending their paper as presented. In case things go south and the paper would be given two chances. Being the authority of the Bible as everyone thought, I chose to write about the Battle of Armageddon. I know, right? How utterly stupid and naïve can a person actually be and still be breathing. Well that's me. Even my Nana tried to talk me out of it. She kept saying my teacher was setting me up and that everyone could see me coming for half a mile away. She was right. My class did everything but sell tickets and what a show it was.

Well, just so you'll know, my paper was excellent. My Nana helped me and my facts and details were unequaled. My presentation was smooth. Where I got lost was my defense. With the encouragement of our Teacher, the class ripped me to shreds. It was a disaster. My hold on Biblical truth was wrenched from my cold lifeless fingers and sent swirling down the proverbial drain so to speak. I was a laughing stock. I could have had six monkeys doing a juggling act on my shoulders and would not have gotten more laughs. I was so mad I could have waged the battle of Armageddon right then and there in the class room with my Teacher taking the first direct hit. I walked out of that room thinking that all I knew about Christianity was zip, zero. One point for the pagans, zero points for the little Christian girl. All their thoughts hit me square in the back. 'You are a fake, a phony, not at all what we thought you were'. That's what brought me here to this point. Utter humiliation. That called for a talk with the Big Guy and for that I had to climb Mount Oak. That's what brought me here to this point Kitty Kat."

The sleek, black cat with the green eyes gave Ashley a look that said.

'Sorry ... not interested', and she jumped from the tree into her back yard.

"Story of my life. I might as well be invisible."

CHAPTER 2

Ashley was out on a limb and she was as familiar with this position as she was with everything in her life. She ran her fingertips along the oak wood worn smooth by years of her sitting on this very branch.

Her Mother watched from the kitchen window and marveled at how easily she climbed the big old oak tree and laughed thinking about the poor trees on the college lawn that would be tested by her daughter in the coming fall.

"Mother, you should see Ashley sitting in her tree. It seems only yesterday she was six years old and climbing that big old tree for the first time. I was so scared she would fall out of the thing and break her neck that I begged her Dad to cut it down. Ashley threatened to run away from home if we cut her tree down. She says she talks to God from her limb. She says she feels she is in His face when she sits in her tree. Even then she knew how to get her way and still be so childish. She hasn't really changed. I'm not hurrying her or anything but she has to grow up some day. She's graduating in two months and then college. She seems so unsettled lately, more than usual, if you know what I mean, but she hasn't said anything. You know she doesn't talk to me. Has she said anything to you? I know she talks to you about everything."

Jana cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear to free her hands to peel potatoes, while she talked with her Mother.

"No, she hasn't said anything to me. Not lately anyway. You know they ripped her a new one in History class on her paper. That really bothered her."

"I told her not to write on Biblical stuff, people don't like that. She should have listened to me. You should have discouraged her."

"I tried to talk her out of it Jana but she is stubborn, just like you were at her age and now. She'll settle down. Graduation is a big event in her life. Oh, by the way, I got her graduation gift today. She's going to love it. I can't wait to tell you about it. It has the most amazing history and the man who sold it to me was amazing too."

Both women laughed because everyone knew Ande was crazy about her husband Chase. Ashley's Mother and Grandmother continued their conversation, comfortable with each other as mother and daughter should be.

Unaware of their conversation, Ashley was also thinking about graduation and college. She ran her fingers through her long brown ponytail, removing tree debris as she called it and allowed her thoughts to take an inward look.

"I'm scared Lord. I've lived at home surrounded by family and friends, gone to the same school and Church all my life. My whole existence has been right here. Once I start college all that will come to an end. How do I know that my beliefs are strong enough to carry me through college without my getting into trouble?"

Leaning her head back against the oak's trunk Ashley looked up unto the vast sky already growing dark with the coming storm. Her heart felt like a storm was growing there too.

"My Nana would say stand on the Bible and keep your eyes on Jesus."

Ashley rolled her eyes heavenward. Impatience guiding her movements she flung her left arm out.

"Easy to say but not always easy to do when keeping a low profile seems more prudent. Low profile you say?"

Ashley directs a laugh at herself.

"Yeah, right! After last week that no longer applies. Kinda like Leo from "Charmed" orbing himself out of a room full of people and hoping no one noticed."

Ashley frowned as she became serious.

"It seems part of me loves and believes in You and the other part questions so many things. Is that doubt? Is that being doubled minded? I hope not Lord. I need help. Will you help me Lord? You know what I'm talking about right? My grand about face in History class?

What happened last week in History class you ask? Well, let me tell you! I presented my paper on the Battle of Armageddon. I researched it, checked and double checked my time line, wrote it and studied it so that I knew all the facts. But something happened after I presented it. My brain went dead and Mr. Mercer and the class made mincemeat out of me. They trashed my paper and they trashed You. And the worst of it? I let them do it. I didn't defend my paper or You. Are You disappointed in me Lord? You should be. I'm disappointed in me. What does that mean? You said "If you deny Me before men, I will deny you before the Father". Please show me how to be strong. Please help me to know that I know that I am saved. I'm a little scared that if I can't stand up for you now for the little things, I won't stand a chance when the big things come along. What do You say Lord? Will you help me?"

Tired beyond belief Ashley closed her eyes and concentrated on the familiar sounds around her. The meows and growls of Kitty Kat and Bubba her next-door neighbor's cat and dog teasing each other. The comforting sounds of kids running and shouting at each other all around the neighborhood. The not so distant sounds of thunder in the night sky competing with Mr. Cole's TV program Fox News and her Mom's singing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". Familiar and comforting sounds all of them but still the storm brewed in her heart. And then.

Several things happened at once.

Kitty Kat jumped into her lap.

"Kitty Kat!"

Her Mother called her from the kitchen door.

"Ashley, the storm is closer, you need to get out of the tree."

The lights went out all over the neighborhood.

There was a loud and close clap of thunder and the brightest light Ashley had ever seen all around her and then absolute and complete silence.

CHAPTER 3

It took one nanosecond to go from light to dark and I'm talking pitch black dark. Putting her hand in front of her face did not help her thundering heart one bit because she couldn't see her hand.

Several things occurred to Ashley all at once.

She was standing on her feet and not sitting on a branch in her oak tree or lying on the ground. The last thing she remembered was ... was what? A bright light, yes, the light and she was alright, feeling for her arms and legs. Yes, she was definitely ok.

She also remembered the silence. Then....

Her breath hitched in her throat when she felt a whisper of movement close to her. She felt a chilling presence and ... a voice.

"Hello, who's there?"

Ashley looked around but in absolute darkness she couldn't tell where the voice was coming from.

"Lord, where am I?" she whispered to herself as she replied in a slightly shaking voice.

"Who's there?"

"It must be an echo." The voice said sarcastically and close by.

"An echo?" Ashley looked everywhere with her arms outstretched.

"Now I know there's an echo." This time the whisper was louder and right in front of Ashley. Jumping back Ashley almost lost her balance.

"Are you a friend or an enemy?" She whispered between chattering teeth as she balanced herself.

"It depends." Came the amused reply.

"On what?" Ashley asked in astonishment.

"On whether or not you are friend or enemy, and why are you whispering?" This was said with laughter ringing around what sounded like an empty room.

"I am definitely a friend and I have no clue where I am or how I got here, and I don't know why I'm whispering. I was sitting in my oak tree one minute and the next I'm standing in the dark. Where are we and are we alone? I thought I felt another presence here before you spoke."

Ashley still couldn't see and believe me she was trying to see the girl she was talking to. At least she thought it was a girl, in the pitch dark even sounds were distorted.

"I don't know the answer to either of your questions. My memory is a little vague on details right now for some reason."

"Ohhhh" a whisper of movement and then.

Ashley screamed as someone touched her arm.

"Let me go!"

"Hey! Cool it Goldilocks. You made the hair stand up and salute on my arms with that scream. I didn't know you were so close or I would have warned you."

Suddenly Ashley felt another chill wash over her and she began to shake. Moving forward she bumped into the girl.

"Geeze Louise, are you a vampire, like from 'Twilight'? Your arm is cold as ice."

"A vampire? Hardly, I'm a senior at Patrick Valley High School. I'm scared to death. Aren't you scared? Hey! Did you feel that?" Ashley felt as if someone or something walked close to her. Just a whisper of movement with a touch of evil.

"What?"

"That....." Somehow knowing this girl would never understand, Ashley whispered "Never mind."

"A senior huh. What do ya know? Me too. That is, I'm a senior and I'm scared too."

"Really? Where?"

"Where? Oh, you mean school. I don't know. Like I said, I'm a little short of details right now. I'm not sure about anything. I guess finding myself here from where ever I was, has short circuited my brain."

"Well, there was an electrical storm. Do you know who you are? I'm Ashley."

"Ashley, that's pretty. I'm Paige. It's funny that I remember my name but nothing else huh?"

"Well Paige, your name sounds familiar. I'd shake your hand except I can't see your hand or mine for that matter; which brings me back to our problem. Where are we and how did we get here? I think the lights went out in my neighborhood. I don't remember you living there but there are new folks coming and going all the time. Neighborhoods are like that. This doesn't feel like my neighborhood, so where are we and how do we get back? That is if we are somewhere that is not home. Could this, be a dream? If it is, whose dream is it, yours or mine?"

"Ashley, would you be offended if I asked you if I could hold your hand? Just so we don't lose each other. I'm standing close to you but I can't see any part of you."

"Good idea. No offense taken. What is that?" Ashley's breath hitched up a notch as somewhere in the distance she could see a light.

"Is that a light?" Asked Ashley.

"Yep. That's a light alright."

"Should we go to it? It's a little frightening considering we don't know where we are and all."

"Maybe we're dead and just need Melinda."

"Melinda?"

"Girl don't you watch TV? Melinda Gordan??? 'The Ghost Whisperer'? Gee girl you need to loosen up a little." A laugh built into Paige's voice and it tumbled out loud and clear.

"The best I can do is.... 'Don't go into the light'. Ha ha. But still, Paige, where are we and what is that light?" Tears began to gather in Ashley's eyes and as the tears fell the light began to come closer.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "The Seven Seals and the Silver Locket"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Charlotte Taylor.
Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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