Short Stories for Short Breaks
by
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The petite blonde woman inserted her key in the lock and spun around to search the avenue behind her. The abandoned street, though brightly illuminated by a mercury vapor, did nothing to dispel her sense of being watched. Fear produced an adrenaline surge as she slipped into the house and slammed the door behind her.
“Please, Lord,” she prayed as she leaned limply against the door. “Please help me trust you as you care for me.” Still, she couldn’t help wondering, Why would anyone be stalking me?
Melody McCabe enjoyed living alone but for several days had been unable to shake the unsettling feeling that she was being watched. She had checked all the locks on doors and windows that morning and struggled to convince herself that her fears were ungrounded. It was unlike her to be so paranoid. She entered the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee.
The long day at work and the unaccustomed fear had exhausted her, and she took a cup of coffee into the living room to relax. With stocking-clad feet propped on the coffee table, she sipped her coffee and tried to calm down. Fatigue soon won out over unease, and she rested her head on the sofa back.
Lulled by the quiet room and the comfort of her sofa, she soon found herself drifting in and out of sleep. She had no idea how long she had been dozing when a noise woke her. Panic bloomed, and she picked up a small bronze statue from the coffee table and crept into the kitchen. The back door was slightly ajar. She knew it had been closed when she left the room. Someone was in the house.
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About the Book
Offering a break from this hectic, media-driven world, author Ruth Crichton Hodges presents a collection of short stories.
“The Battled Burglar” tells the story of Melody McCabe who enjoys living alone. But for the last several days, she’s been unable to shake the unsettling feeling she’s being watched. She awakes from a nap to discover there’s an intruder in her house, and a battle ensues.
In “The Blue Thief of the Forest,” Anna Redmon, her husband, Charles; and their two children are settling in at their campground in Tennessee after the drive from their home in Illinois. Anna removes her diamond ring and leaves it in the middle of the picnic table while the family prepares their site. When the ring disappears, a search begins, and a most unlikely culprit is identified.
In “Angel on the Waterfront,” it’s Saturday morning in the heart of San Francisco and Chad Devlin is alone. He feels pained because, as a doctor, he was unable to save his wife’s life. He’s just about to take a final step to end his own, when fate intervenes.
Hodges’ narratives in Short Stories for Short Breaks reflect a time when life was simpler, and relationships were key.
About the Author
Ruth Crichton Hodges was born and raised in a Christian home in the southern hills of Virginia. Having given her life to the Lord at an early age, she spent her childhood learning to trust God and focusing on his many blessings. She and her husband raised five children. Hodges enjoys reading, writing, painting, and taking care of her husband and Cocoa, their schnauzer.