Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Short Story Collection 7th Edition
    Short Story Collection 7th Edition
    Short Story Collection 7th Edition
    Ebook147 pages2 hours

    Short Story Collection 7th Edition

    By Hubert Crowell

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Bobby was sixteen when he fell in love for the first time. He walked Ruth home after school, took her to the movies, and spent more time with the tall brunette than with his other friends. Bobby was always cracking jokes and having fun, but he managed to stay out of trouble. His father was the preacher of a medium-sized Baptist church, as well as a butcher at the Piggly Wiggly Store. They lived in the small town of Providence, Kentucky, the year was 1956, and everyone knew everyone else.
    The center of town was located at the intersection of the two main streets, and it was a common gathering place when anyone was looking for something to do. Bobby went to the intersection one day to meet his cousin, Clarkie. Clarkie and his family recently had moved back from Lakeland, Florida, where Clarkie had his first paying job at a bowling alley setting pins.
    When Clarkie met Bobby at the corner, he instantly knew something was wrong. “Bobby, you look like you lost your best friend. Is everything okay?”
    “No.”
    “You want to talk about it?”
    “No.”
    Clarkie knew at once that Bobby had broken up with his girlfriend. “You want to do something?” he asked, hoping to take Bobby’s mind off his ex-girlfriend. “We can find the guys and play ball.”
    Bobby surprised him by saying, “I feel like getting away for a while.”
    Clarkie was fifteen and an experienced traveler. He had hitchhiked down to eastern Tennessee earlier that year to visit his sister, saving the bus fare his parents had given him for the trip. He felt confident that he could travel anywhere. “Where would you like to go? Florida is nice this time of year.”
    “Anywhere, I just need to get away.” His girlfriend had just broken up with him, and he did not want to talk or think about it. Leaving home and running away seemed like an easy way to fix things.
    “How much money have you got?” asked Clarkie.
    “Five dollars. How about you?”
    “Let’s see,” Clarkie said as he searched his pockets. “Fifty cents.”
    It was early fall, and a cold snap was coming. Clarkie thought about the weather and said, “Highway 41 is only a mile out of town. If we make it down to Lakeland, I could get my old job back at the bowling alley. There is a lot to do in Lakeland.”
    “Okay, let’s go,” said Bobby.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHubert Crowell
    Release dateJun 23, 2019
    ISBN9780463074077
    Short Story Collection 7th Edition
    Author

    Hubert Crowell

    Hubert Crowell currently writes, explores caves, plays the fiddle and works three days a week. He has in the past panned for gold, served in the army, repaired TV's, microfilm equipment, video projectors, and other electronic devices. He has taught classes at Vocational School, Eastman Kodak and Church. He has worked at Lockheed, Kodak, BARCO, and RCA to mention only a few. Studied at Southeastern University, Kennesaw University, and Chattahoochee Technical College. Hubert's articles, poems, and music can be found at http://hucosystems.com/hubertcrowell/hubertcrowell.html

    Read more from Hubert Crowell

    Related to Short Story Collection 7th Edition

    Related ebooks

    Action & Adventure Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Fieldsports In Far-flung Places

      May 16, 2019

      1871 I will recollect an amusing incident while bear stalking. Two young officers engaged a Cashmeree to direct them to the nearest possible situation where a black bear could be discovered. Bruin was found accordingly on the topmost branch of a tall

      16 min read

    • Article

      Nine Haunting Postapocalyptic Novels

      Feb 3, 2022

      The paradox of imagined apocalypses is that they’re always more about the present than the future. Here's a list of a few haunting and evocative titles. The post Nine Haunting Postapocalyptic Novels appeared first on The Millions.

      4 min read

    • Article

      Arnhem Land excerpts

      Feb 28, 2018

      Arnhem Land excerpts
      6 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Nick Ripatrazone

      Dec 5, 2021

      The best short story that I’ve ever read is “The Tree” by Dylan Thomas, from his book Adventures in the Skin Trade. It is such a wildly unkempt story. The post A Year in Reading: Nick Ripatrazone appeared first on The Millions.

      3 min read

    • Article

      When Tracks Lead to Trouble

      Nov 2, 2020

      When Tracks Lead to Trouble
      7 min read

    • Article

      Tearing After Rabbits

      Nov 25, 2020

      Tearing After Rabbits
      4 min read

    • Article

      Fear In The Night

      Feb 17, 2020

      Fear In The Night
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Nature Fakers

      Oct 1, 2022

      The Nature Fakers
      2 min read

    • Article

      Girl Talk

      Jun 28, 2022

      Girl Talk
      10 min read

    • Article

      Kid Finds Giant Antler In River

      Sep 25, 2019

      Kid Finds Giant Antler In River
      4 min read

    • Article

      Bring Your Own Gun

      Oct 20, 2021

      Bring Your Own Gun
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Kind of Deep Companionship: The Millions Interviews Jo Ann Beard

      Jun 3, 2021

      When you’re slogging through your day, imagining what else is to come, and you remember that the minute all else is done you can sink down into your book like warm water, and be absorbed while you’re absorbing, is priceless, as they say in capitalism

      6 min read

    • Article

      An Impossible Tusk?

      Nov 25, 2020

      An Impossible Tusk?
      6 min read

    • Article

      Even Necessity Is Fun

      Jun 22, 2022

      Even Necessity Is Fun
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Goose and the Swan Part 1

      Sep 1, 2020

      The Goose and the Swan Part 1
      6 min read

    • Article

      A Wish Comes True

      Dec 1, 2022

      A Wish Comes True
      8 min read

    • Article

      The Klipspringer

      Mar 26, 2021

      The Klipspringer
      6 min read

    • Article

      Jake

      Mar 18, 2022

      THE litter was whelped under a caravan in a junk yard. Only those who did not know, called it a junk yard. Others knew that it was a place to find the unattainable. Out of production car parts, odd size bolts, old cars, tractors, fridges, washing mac

      6 min read

    • Article

      White Knuckles And Wide Eyes

      May 20, 2020

      White Knuckles And Wide Eyes
      4 min read

    • Article

      Autumnal Adrenaline

      Sep 17, 2020

      Autumnal Adrenaline
      5 min read

    • Article

      Pachydermia

      Jul 4, 2020

      Pachydermia
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Right Time

      Oct 14, 2019

      The Right Time
      5 min read

    • Article

      HUNTING With The Ellements…

      Sep 13, 2021

      HUNTING With The Ellements…
      19 min read

    • Article

      The PRIDE

      May 1, 2023

      The PRIDE
      5 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Short Story Collection 7th Edition

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Short Story Collection 7th Edition - Hubert Crowell

      Chapter 1 Henry Hawk

      Short Story – Fiction

      A log filled creek, running quietly behind a small subdivision, a wooded hillside, small fish and salamanders swimming in the shallow water, made a perfect home for Henry. He sat still as a squirrel played on the limb a few feet from him. As the squirrel jumped to another limb, Henry shifted his attention to the creek, crawling along the bottom, tilted his head slightly taking aim, then swooping down through the trees to the creek, he snatched the unsuspecting salamander with his claws and spotting a salamander continued up away from the water to the roof of a small shed.

      An early spring storm pushed up from the gulf, spreading tornados through Alabama and Georgia. The nest blew through the limbs as the large tree crashed down across the creek. Henry limped around with one wing dragging in the mud. The shed provided shelter from the heavy rain, open underneath on the creekside where Henry found a dry spot and rested his broken wing.

      Unable to fly, Henry would hop up and down the creek bank looking for food, then return to his new home under the shed to rest. He missed soaring through the trees and chasing the other hawks, but life was different now.

      The small backyard world had changed, Henry had grown up watching the squirrels and rabbits run through the yards. He normally swooped down on the field mice and chipmunks that were plentiful around the bushes and along the creek, but as he grew larger and stronger, the larger animals became a part of his daily diet. And so first the small animals disappeared, then the larger ones as Henry’s appetite increased. The deer and crows still came through as Henry was now back looking for food in the creek.

      Now it was Henrys turn to be the victim. He had to be more careful, choosing when to venture out, checking for anyone who might attack, living on the ground was certainly more of a challenge, than soaring high in the sky. Learning when to play dead and never draw attention to his hiding place under the shed.

      Each day Henry would try to use his damaged wing, he could move it slightly, and soon he could tuck it in next to his body where it did not drag the ground. At last he felt a little more normal. An owl came each night and perched on a limb just over the roof of the shed. Hoot, hoot, and hoot went the owl all night long keeping Henry from getting any sleep. In the morning the crows would taunt him, knowing that he was helpless to chase them off. Soon he could hop up to the top of the back of a swing that overlooked the creek where he could look for fish and salamanders.

      Each morning around seven Bill would take Rusty, a long hair Yorkie, for a walk in the backyard, and each time Rusty would try to check out the opening behind the shed. Henry would move to a dark corner and watch Rusty sniff around the opening. Bill kept a tight grip on the leash and would not let him get under the shed. One morning Bill and Rusty were a little late, and Henry was perched on the back of the swing watching the creek. Rusty took off in a fast run for the swing, jerking the leash out of Bill’s hand. Henry heard him coming and hopped down, then took off across the creek on the tree that used to hold his nest. Once on the other side, he stopped to see if Rusty would follow him across the log.

      Rusty stopped at the log and barked until Bill reached him and quieted him down. Each morning after that, it became a game to see if Rusty could catch Henry before he got across the creek. After several weeks of this, Bill started just letting Rusty go to chase the hawk. As last Rusty got a little too close and Henry instantly tried to fly. Leaving the back of the swing he floundered in the air for a moment then managed to glide down to the water.

      Henry practiced hopping up and flapping his wings, getting a little stronger each day and gliding further each attempt. Soon he was able to gain enough height to glide the entire width of the yard and made a landing on a low nearby limb. Feeling proud, he remained there for the rest of the day. That night the owl did not bother him, and the crows stayed clear the next morning. When Rusty came looking for him, he would swoop down and try to touch the top of his head. Bill got a little nervous and started holding him back.

      Soon Henry was back in the sky, soaring high with the other hawks. He even found a new tree and a place to sleep. Checking on Rusty each morning.

      Chapter 2 A Forgotten Tower

      Short Story – Fiction

      Lying on its side in the woods, the strange-looking iron frame, with honeysuckle vines consuming its shape and rust covering its body, caught Matthew’s attention. The young man puzzled over how long it had been there and why, as he read the marker. ‘In 1970, tightrope walker, Karl Wallenda, used this tower to walk across the gorge. He walked from this overlook to the tower on the South Rim. During his walk, he did two headstands.’ He wondered if the tower had been knocked down to prevent climbers from climbing it. Or did it become weak from rust and fall? Why would anyone want to walk across the gorge on a wire? In 1883, tightrope walker Professor Bachman crossed the gorge as part of a publicity stunt for one of the local hotels, and then the great Wallenda did it.

      Dreams of becoming the third person to walk across the gorge began to fill his head, as he left the smell of honeysuckle and walked out to the edge of the gorge and stood on the concrete foundation of the tower. He could picture himself walking the wire with a long pole to help balance himself. Matthew could not hear his mother calling him over the wind coming up from the bottom of the gorge as he stepped out onto the wire, the crowd filled both sides of the gorge, and a news helicopter flew overhead. A camera mounted on his head gave the audience an extensive view of canyon below on large screens positioned in the audience.

      The first step caused a ripple in the wire that he could feel under his soft shoe, he could already feel a cramp in his leg from the pressure of the wire as he waited for the wire to settle down.

      You won’t make it! Came a shout from the audience just as he raised his left foot for his second step.

      His mother. Matthew, where are you, time to go. He only heard his name, thinking the crowd wanted him to go on.

      The next few steps placed him over the lip of the gorge, swaying side to side as the river below, flowing with white foam, awaited his expected fall. A slight breeze began pushing against his side, causing him to lean to the right. Stopping, he looked down as the audience gasped at the view of his leg shaking, the cramping becoming worse. He stood on his one stable leg and shook the cramping leg out to the side in an effort to ease the cramp.

      Give it up, come on back! Shouted the audience.

      Matthew, what are you doing? His mother shouted as she starred at him, standing on one leg at the edge of the concrete tower foundation. Matthew snapped out of his dream and jumped down, continuing down the trail with his parents. The dream clear and real in his mind, he could easily slip back into it.

      During the long ride home the image of the gorge kept coming back, now several yards out on the wire, when a hawk almost landed on the end of his balance pole.

      Headstand! Headstand! Shouts came from the audience.

      He bent over and placed the pole on the wire, almost losing his balance, no longer depending on the pole for balance, fear sweep over him, and he quickly raised the pole again to regain his stance. The remaining distance across the gorge seemed so far now and the wire now beginning to sag under his weight, would he be able to walk up hill on the wire? An emergency vehicle passed them with the siren so loud it woke Matthew up from his trance. He pulled out his video game to keep his mind off the high wire.

      At home that night, the dream continued as his cramp returned, his leg beginning to shake and the wire vibrating. His foot slipped, dropping the pole, it hit the wire causing it to bounce. He frantically grabbed for the wire, laying down on it and holding it tight. As he tried to turn around, he spun over and ended up hanging under the wire with his legs locked over it. The wave created by the pole had now traveled to the end of the wire at the far side and quickly moved back toward him. He could see it coming building in height as it got closer and closer, Matthew gripped the wire tighter, but when the ripple hit him it flipped him into the air, losing his grip. The rocks below came up fast as his life passed before his eyes.

      The small branch only inches away as he reached out and grabbed it, breaking his decent and swinging into the cliff on his side, knocking the wind out of his lungs, with dirt falling down on his face, he slowly recovered tasting the dirt. Hanging on for dear life, he looked up to see a row of heads peering over the edge looking down at him. Hold on! We’re going to throw you a rope.

      As Matthew pulled on the rope, the blinds came crashing down on him, waking him up, there he laid on the floor with the window blinds piled

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1