Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 7)

Chapter 2, Part III

Cindy Bradford
As the bell rang announcing the start of English 101, Patrick dashed to grab the last available seat, only to find Sue sitting across from him. He smiled and nodded.

“We meet again,” he mouthed, careful not to interrupt the instructor who had already begun spilling her welcome to grammar and composition speech that he figured she must had reiterated for at least the last twenty years. There was scarcely time for conversation as Ms. Bigsby explained prefixes and suffixes as if she were unlocking the secrets of an unknown language. She was still talking when the bell rang and students began to gather their books to leave.

“Well, what do you think of Cherokee so far?” Sue asked, turning to Patrick. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 2 Part III

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 6)

Chapter 2, Part II

Cindy Bradford
Riding into town, Patrick looked out the window of the Greyhound and decided he had stepped back in time. Along the main street were three clothing stores, all adorned with  faded awnings of various colors and styles, but inside each window were mannequins dressed in plaid dresses or paisley jackets, several tilted or slightly askew probably as a result of unwatched children crawling through the tempting displays. All manner of plastic decorations lined the windows along with footballs and pompoms, a couple of used helmets and an occasional red and white jersey. Back to School banners hung on outside posts, announcing special sales. Across the street stood what appeared to have once been a Woolworth’s, its lettering still visible under a thin or worn coat of paint. On top of the flat roofed building stood a giant sign, flashing red in the shape of 5¢. Hand drawn in shoe polish on the window of the front door were the words, Under New Ownership. Come see what you can get for a dime. Fountain open daily 11:00 ‘til 4:00. Best sodas and grilled cheese sandwiches in town. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 2 Part II

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 5)

Cindy Bradford

chapter 2

East Texas, 1970

The bus ride from Boston to East Texas gave Patrick plenty of time to think. Night had come shortly after he boarded and the darkness left him feeling lonely, empty and a little apprehensive. He had never been away from home for more than a week and now he was going off to college to a place he had never seen, eighteen hundred miles from home. The steady buzz of the air conditioner had lulled many of the passengers into various stages of sleep, but it didn’t come so easy for him. Watching the distant lights of an occasional town, he thought about the big universities in the East and Midwest whose coaches had promised him scholarships. Now those assurances were as limp as his old duffle, wedged beneath his seat. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 2 Part I

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 4)

Chapter 1 (continued)

Cindy Bradford

Around the campfire the boys ate, told ghost stories and listened to a short devotional led by Father Robert.

“Lights out,” Father Robert shouted, shortly before 10:00. He then began blowing out the lanterns and scattering the remaining ashes of the campfire. Sleepy and tired, Patrick crawled into his tent, careful to place his pillow in the opening. Falling onto his sleeping bag without undressing, he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

A noise woke him. When he looked at his watch in the dim light coming through the small opening in his tent, he noticed it was 1:00 a.m. Not seeing anyone, he sank back into his sleeping bag, and within a few minutes drifted back to sleep. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 1 Part III

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 3)

Chapter 1 continued

Cindy Bradford

When the whistle blew signaling time was up, the boys formed a line, each team dropping their findings on the ground in front of them. As the judging began, it looked promising for Patrick and Mikey until they saw two other boys who also had everything on the list; their arrowhead, though a little larger, looked to be in about the same crooked shape as Patrick and Mikey’s. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 1 Part II

Keeping Faith by Cindy Bradford (serial 2)

chapter 1

Boston, 1962

Patrick woke, startled, hearing a rustling noise. Reaching quickly to push back the heavy canvas, he found it zipped closed. Darkness swallowed him. In the airless, musty pup tent, he felt trapped. Sweat beaded on his forehead, when suddenly he heard another sound and felt the presence of someone.

“Shh.”

Then Patrick felt a body pressing against him and a clammy hand cover his mouth. [Read more…] about Keeping Faith: Chapter 1 Part 1