Hello ladies and gentlemen, how’s everyone’s Saturday going? I am currently working on my debut novel, Resistance Rising, while jamming out to SiriusXM Octane on my Alexa device.
Here, though, is a bit a sneak peek into what I’ve been working on. This is a peek into Chapter 5. The hope is to finish up writing this chapter and maybe the next few over the weekend in between working on college coursework.
Here’s also to hoping you will enjoy this snippet into Chapter 5.
And I always like to say Peace, Love, and Rock&Roll
2015 – 8 years ago, Halloween @ approximately 12:08am, me and Tiffany were taking my baby brother Adrian home from celebrating his 18th birthday, when tragedy struck us. A drunk driver pulled out in front of us, failing to yield to the right of way on the rural highway that borders the eastern edge of my hometown of Tulare, causing me to slam on my brakes as hard as I could to no avail, hitting his vehicle dead center at roughly 50-60mph (according to police reports). For those who know the area and are familiar with my hometown, that is roughly about the speed limit on that stretch. When I came to from being knocked unconscious, at least 20 plus minutes had went by (I’m missing about that amount of memory of the night). What brought me to was my brother crying, my wife screaming and me hearing the dreaded words that would later be confirmed by doctors, “I can’t feel the baby. I can’t feel the baby.” The words that still ring soooo loud in my ears all these years later. My first instinct that night was to get out of the car and rush to the side that Tiff was sitting on to do what I could to comfort her and figure out what was wrong with the baby. With pure adrenaline, I pushed my door, which had been pinned closed by the drunk drivers metal bed cover, and ran around the car to check on my baby brother and my wife. As I am doing this, I witness a gentleman on the phone, apparently calling it in (I later learned he was an off-duty cop from Porterville passing through the area heading back to his jurisdiction from Visalia). As paramedics, firefighters and local law enforcement start arriving, I am screaming at anyone who would hear me to come to my wife’s aid but instead they went directly to the other vehicle (as is their protocol, apparently) and directed primary aid to the occupants of that vehicle. It took them almost an hour, after I asked multiple people (firefighters and police officers both) to take a look at my wife. Yelling at them that she was pregnant. But it took them calling in a third ambulance before that happened, which took an hour after the accident occurred to arrive and render aid to my pregnant wife. By then, even if she had been rushed immediately into surgery, there was no chance of the doctors saving our Kayden Michael. It wasn’t until hours later, while I was finally coming down from the adrenaline and my pain levels started to spike from the injury I had sustained, that a psychologist from Kaweah Delta took me into a room not far from where my wife was getting the news herself and being prepared for surgery to take place in a few hours. The gentleman who took me aside told me that my son didn’t make it and that there was no chance of the doctors to be able to revive him, even within the womb, because of the extent of the damage to his skull from the impact while within the womb. I broke down crying, balling my eyes out. This was our first child and we were so damn fucking excited to parents for the first time. After about 15 minutes of me trying not to lose my shit and go search for the bastard who stole my son, the psychologist helped me calm enough to go be by my wife’s side while we awaited the dreaded moment of her being taken in for the C-section to remove Kayden from the womb. Hours later, around 11am or so, the time is fuzzy to me because of everything, the nurse brought me to the room where they would have Tiff do her initial recovery and I got to hold my baby boy in my arms for the first time. Never getting to see if he was going to have my blue-ish grey eyes or his mothers brown/hazel eyes. Never getting to teach him how to throw a baseball, talk to girls, drive a car or graduate from high school. All because of one person’s decision to get behind the wheel while extremely intoxicated (I later learned that the driver had a Blood Alcohol Content/Level of .13 at the time of testing). About two hours later, Tiff came into the room and got to hold him for the first time, never being able to teach him how to dance, how to cook, how to treat people with kindness and respect. Family started showing up not to long after and they got to meet him for the first and final time. My sister Alexandria and my Aunt Linda were among the first to arrive to be there for us during this horrendous night. 8 years later it still hurts that I never get to teach him how to play sports, how to treat a lady with respect and how to play video games. His sister Abigail and his baby brother Jeremiah never get to learn from him, feel his protection, although he is here with us always in spirit. 8 years later, his ashes sit in an urn I purchased a few years after his death, resting upon the mantel over our fireplace in our apartment, watching over his family, making sure we are kept safe from harm along with his granny Pauline, his Papa Billy Yarbery, his Aunty Alisha, his Vava Darlene and all of the others who watch over me and my small family as we go through this life without him physically here with us. God Bless and Stay Safe out there. Happy Halloween.
In realms of tumult, scorched by life’s cruel plight, A vessel empty, lost in the darkest night. Reared in shadows, where innocence was slain, A soul in struggle, binded by the chains.
The echoes from yesteryears loom large, An advantage misused, a malicious discharge. The clamorous chaos of an unforgiving past, Haunts the corridors of a heart, so downcast.
Risen from the ashes of a tormented youth, Striving for truths, grown from falsehood’s root. A journey inward, to heal the deepest scars, Against the dark, a man learns to count stars.
Against the tide of bitterness that looms, From this shattered heart, a new resolve blooms Bearing the weight of pain, from years in decay, He yearns for the dawn, breaks from the gray.
The strength within, a beacon in the night Naming his fears, readying for the fight. Unlocking shackles that held him in disdain, She is freeing his essence from its rusted chain.
He, a wounded healer, walked the winding path, Against the winds of dread, bracing life’s wrath. Now, a man, where once stood a scared child, Born again from fire—tamed, yet wild.
In search of himself, lost in life’s grueling maze, Gazing at reflections of his battered days. A man in the mirror, his past, he must brave, To find his true self and the future, he will pave.
Beneath the weight of the past, he shan’t crumble, Resilient heart beats, in rhythm humbles. In the ruins of his past, he finds his might, Lighting the darkness, with his inner light.
An emblem of courage, of an arduous fight won, Plucked from abyss, under the same azure sun. Wounded yet healed, muted yet voiced, An emblem of resilience, a tale of a life rejoiced.
Thus, he journeys through shadows into the day, From his past, he emerges—branded, yet unswayed. A testament to survival, of courage not surrendered, In a world that once broke him, today he’s remembered.
Against all odds, he has found his way, A beacon of resilience amidst the gloom, Life’s Stray. Unyielding in his spirit, in the face of tempest’s blow, A man once lost, now found, in his Light’s soft glow.
Fighting for your life, it’s hard, to say the least Giving up can be seen as the easiest way But don’t give up hope that one day Someone will come into your life Just when you need them the most For those are your guardian angels Sent to you from above To protect you when your mind ain’t right And to guide you when you are hungry for knowledge To provide you water when you are thirsty To give you strength when yours dwindles Don’t ever give up hope For I am here and you are not alone
Once upon a time, there was a man named Jake. He had a dark past, but he was determined to change his life. Jake had been an addict for almost a decade. Throughout his addiction, he had lost everything he had ever loved- his job, friends, family, and even his dignity. But one day, he realized that if he didn’t quit drugs, he would die a miserable death.
Jake decided to seek redemption, but he knew that it was no easy task. He tried to quit drugs several times, but the withdrawal symptoms always got the best of him. One day, Jake stumbled upon a support group for addicts, and they introduced him to faith. There, he was told that God could help him overcome his addiction. Jake asked God for help, and finally, he found the strength to quit drugs.
Jake had been clean for over a year when a call from his friend, Mike, broke the news of the death of his wife, Sarah, in a car accident. Mike was devastated, and Jake knew that he had to be there for his friend. Jake tried to comfort Mike, but nothing seemed to work. Mike refused to leave his house, and he often broke down in tears.
Jake knew that Mike needed to grieve, but he was worried that Mike would fall into the same trap as his wife and start using drugs to numb the pain. Jake decided to take Mike under his wing and help him through his grief. Jake had come to God and found his inner peace, and he knew that he had to help his friend do the same.
Jake took Mike out for walks, and they took up some gardening together. They worked on a vegetable garden in Sarah’s memory, and they often had long conversations about life, death, and their faith. Jake had been through it all; he knew the path Mike was on, and he also knew how to get through it. Jake shared his own testimony and told Mike about how God had helped him through his darkest times.
Mike had always been skeptical of God, but he saw how Jake’s belief in a higher power helped him live his life with purpose and meaning. Slowly but surely, Mike started to believe that there was more to life than what he had experienced.
Jake didn’t push Mike to come to God; he just wanted to be there for him in his time of need. Jake knew that if Mike developed a deep connection with a higher power, his grief would be much more tolerable.
Over time, Mike started to go to church and read the Bible. He found comfort in the words and the community. Mike was no longer isolated, and he started to see the world in a different light. Mike started to see his life as a gift, and he realized how grateful he was for what he had.
Jake had never been happier. He had come to God and had helped his friend endure the pain of losing the love of his life. Jake had discovered a calling within himself, and he knew that he had to help others who were battling addiction.
Years went by, and Mike’s wound had healed, but he could never forget the love of his life who left him too soon. Mike had come to God and had found solace in his faith. He knew that he would see Sarah again someday, and he was happy to live the rest of his life on this earth knowing that he had a friend who had helped him through his darkest hour.
Jake continued to help those around him who needed guidance in their lives. He had found a new purpose in life, and it gave him immense pleasure to help others overcome their pain. Life was not always easy, but Jake knew that he had the strength to make it through anything that life threw his way.
Jake’s journey from addiction to faith was a difficult one, but it was worth it. He had overcome his addiction, and he had helped his friend through his grieving process. Jake discovered that helping others brought him happiness, and he had found a new purpose in life. Jake’s story is a testament to the power of faith and redemption. He knew that he could never go back to his old ways, and he was forever grateful that he had found a higher power to guide him through his life.
There once lived an exorcist named Wes, who was known for his eccentric ways in the world of the clergy. His unorthodox methods and tendencies to stray from the norm made him unfavored amongst many of his colleagues. But despite the disapproval from his peers, Wes remained the best exorcist in the land. He had an uncanny ability to sense even the slightest presence of a demon and could easily cast them out with his expertise.
Wes loved his job, and the thrill of the chase kept him going. He was only called upon to chase the strongest, fiercest demons, and he relished in the challenge. His clients were always happy with his successful exorcisms and left glowing reviews despite their initial reluctance to hire the odd exorcist.
The clergy, however, disapproved of his approach to the job. They believed that his prayers were just a show, and that he didn’t take his duties seriously. Wes never really cared for what they thought, and he never made any attempt to hide his unorthodox ways.
Little did the clergy know, Wes had a secret weapon he used to ward off the fiercest demons. His success with casting out spirits didn’t always stem from his prayers or holy relics. Instead, he used something much more powerful in dealing with the most stubborn of demons.
He would often summon the demon to take the shape of a human and then show them his true eccentricities. He knew that demons could only take on a human form if they were powerful enough. They appeared to Wes in a human form, and the moment they experienced his quirkiness, they were overwhelmed and thrown off-kilter. The demon would then flee, unable to withstand the embarrassment of being in Wes’s presence, much less possessing a body.
This method was Wes’s little secret, one that he kept to himself, much to the clergy’s disapproval and frustration. They never suspected that his exorcisms were dependent on his quirky ways. He somehow gained an upper hand against even the most powerful demons, much to their dismay.
Despite the clergy’s disapproval, Wes continued carrying out his duties with his trademark flamboyance. He knew his way of doing things was better than sticking to the norm. With his secret weapon, Wes remained the most sought-after exorcist, and his reputation grew stronger.
As Wes became more successful, his reputation spread beyond his city. Soon enough, people from all over the country began requesting Wes’s services. The news of his unorthodox ways also spread, which got him in trouble with the church hierarchy.
One day, a group of high-ranking clergy members summoned Wes to their chambers. They expressed their dissatisfaction with his approach towards exorcisms and warned him that his behavior and techniques were unbecoming of a Christian. But Wes wasn’t one to back down so easily. He stood his ground and challenged their ideas, voicing his opinion that his methods were more effective than prayers and holy relics.
The meeting was adjourned, but Wes knew that his days as a church exorcist were numbered. He knew he had to change his ways or risk losing his job. However, he didn’t want to give up his favorite job. So he decided to show the clergy that his methods were worth keeping.
He was called upon again to perform an exorcism, and he decided to take the matter into his own hands. He called upon the demon to take human shape again, but this time, he went overboard with his eccentricities. The spirit was confused and thrown off-kilter, unable to withstand the bizarre atmosphere. It eventually fled, and Wes successfully warded it off.
The clergy was impressed and stunned by his success. They realized that his methods did hold merit and that he truly was the best exorcist they had. They awarded him a medal of recognition and allowed him to carry on with his unorthodox ways.
Wes was relieved and ecstatic. He could now cast out demons and indulge in his quirks without fear of reprisal. From that day on, Wes continued to be the best exorcist in the land, using his charisma and eccentricity to his full advantage. And even though he had to face occasional scrutiny from the clergy, his reputation remained untarnished, and his services remained in high demand.
After many successful exorcisms, Wes encountered a challenge he never expected. He had to battle his own demon, his addiction to alcohol, or risk losing all credibility with the clergy.
Wes knew he had a problem, but he couldn’t help himself. His desire for alcohol was consuming him, and he couldn’t go a day without drinking. His addiction had been fueled by stress and the pressures of his profession, and it had become an uncontrollable force.
It had been a while since Wes performed an exorcism, and the fear of getting caught by the clergy had forced him to hold off from indulging. However, he knew that he had to perform one soon; otherwise, he’d lose his impeccable record.
One night, Wes got a call for an exorcism. He knew he had to perform it correctly, or he could risk getting exposed. However, the temptation to drink grew stronger, and he found himself spiraling out of control.
When he arrived at the site, he tried to put up his usual performance, but he couldn’t suppress his addiction. He felt weak, and the demon sensed it. It was, by far, the most challenging demon he had ever faced, and he knew he was losing the battle.
The demon whispered words of defeat, trying to convince Wes that he was weak and that he had lost his luster. With weakened resolve, Wes almost gave up fighting the demon, but a flicker of hope sparked inside him. He remembered his eccentricities and how they had worked before. He managed to summon his courage and asked the demon to take human shape.
The demon obliged and shapeshifted into a human form, but Wes was surprised to find an apparition of himself. The resemblance was uncanny, and he could see in the demon’s image, a reflection of his inner self. The demon taunted him and challenged him to a game of wills.
Wes realized that if he lost the game, he would lose more than just his reputation; he would lose himself. He decided to fight harder than ever before, using all his initiatives to overcome the demon. He called upon his spirit guides, his faith, and his love for his family and country.
After what seemed like hours of battling, Wes emerged victorious, much to the demon’s surprise. The clergy members who witnessed his triumph couldn’t believe what they saw. They had always known Wes was a little eccentric, but they didn’t know the extent of his abilities.
Wes knew he had triumphed over his biggest demon yet, his addiction, and that he had restored his credibility. He was hailed amongst his peers as the best exorcist in the country, and his reputation was unchallenged.
The end result of his inner struggle had helped Wes overcome his addiction, which made him even more respected amongst the clergy.
From that day on, Wes no longer relied on alcohol to fuel his eccentricities; instead, he relied on his faith and the knowledge that he could overcome any demon or obstacle that came his way.
And he lived happily ever after, sharing his expertise and battling demons through the country.
Love and heartbreak, oh what a pair, Two sides of a coin, so opposite and rare, Love, a warm embrace of joy and bliss, While heartbreak, a cold and lonely abyss.
Love comes like a ray of sunlight in the morn, Filling every part of us, until our souls are reborn, It sparks a fire within us, igniting the heart, And we feel like we’re flying, never wanting to depart.
But then comes the heartbreak, so sudden and unkind, Like a storm that rages, darkening every corner of our mind, It tears down all the walls we’ve built around us, Leaving us with wounds that we can not discuss.
Love and heartbreak, such a complex dance, A beautiful wave of emotions, but not always by chance, For even though heartbreak can bring us to our knees, It’s often just a prelude, to a greater love that we are yet to seize.
So if you ever find yourself in love’s embrace, Hold on to it tightly, let it fill every space, And if heartbreak comes, as it often will, Remember that love always has the power to heal.
Life and death, the two bookends of existence Linked together in all of their persistence We are born to live, to thrive, and to grow Then we face death, and of that, we all know
In between these two lies, adventures and strife A mixture of love, success, and a hint of strife We all have trials, struggles, and pain But we keep moving forward, we learn, and we gain
We laugh, we love, we build connections We explore, we learn, we make our selections We make our mark, we leave our story We find our way and bask in the glory
We have joys, true bliss, and moments of grace We find our own meaning, in our own unique space We grow wise, with age, with time We learn to cherish and make each moment shine
The years fly by, as our journey goes on We realize our purpose and where we belong The people we love, the ones we hold dear Make the journey worth it, banishing every fear
The end is not something to fear or deny We will meet it, like we lived, with grace and dignity And in death, we leave a lasting legacy A tribute to a life lived well and meaningfully
So let us embrace life, with all its bright hue For in the midst of life, death always looms Let us treasure each moment, each love, each friend For that’s where true joy and fulfillment transcend.
There was once a young man named Jack. Jack had known his best friend, Emily, since kindergarten. They had grown up together and were inseparable. As Jack entered his teenage years, he started to see Emily differently. He had developed feelings for her that he couldn’t ignore.
One day, Jack finally worked up the courage to tell Emily how he felt. To his surprise, she felt the same way. They started dating, and it was like they were meant to be together all along.
They went on countless adventures and experienced endless happiness together. Every day was better than the last, and they couldn’t imagine being without each other.
One day, tragedy struck. Emily was hit by a car while crossing the street. Jack was devastated. He couldn’t believe that his soulmate, his best friend, was gone.
It took Jack a long time to come to terms with what had happened. He missed Emily every day and was consumed by grief. But he knew that she would want him to keep going and to live his life to the fullest.
Jack never forgot about Emily. He kept her memory alive by retelling their adventures to anyone who would listen, and he made sure that she was always a part of his life in some way.
In the end, Jack realized that even though tragedy had struck, he was lucky to have had Emily in his life. The memories they shared would stay with him forever, and he knew that she would always hold a special place in his heart.
Our thoughts are a dark place Insidious is the outcome of purgury Never known yet spoken loudly Forever gripping the person involved Never giving in to the lies of life Nothing makes sense in the long run A whiskey that makes you pucker You can never feel the same now Forever till Death defiant