A PAGE STRAIGHT FROM GINGER SIMPSON #apagestraightfrom

 The Well

By

Ginger Simpson

She glanced around the property and gasped.  The house’s windows were shuttered, and the ground between the house and barn, once worn smooth by wagon wheels and walking back and forth to gather eggs and feed the stock now showed overgrowth.  The corral was empty, and wheel marks still etched the dusty ground beyond the yard and disappeared into an endless prairie. The barn doors squealed in protest against the wind and created an eerie, lonely sound.

She turned wide eyes on the stranger then lowered her chin to her chest and slowly shook her head.  “My family is supposed to be here.  I wondered why they never answered my cries for help.”

“How on earth did you end up in the well?” He ignored her apparent concern for her missing family, and his gaze drifted beyond  her wet cloaking dress to her worn boots.  “We’ll need to find you a change of clothes before you catch the ague.”

“Never mind my clothes,” she spat.  “Put me down and I’ll prove this is my home.”

“First, answer my question.”  He held her firmly.

She leaned her head back and locked gazes with him. “All right. I fell.  Pa told me I needed to stretch out the amount of water left because of the long dry spell, so I leaned over to see how much remained in the well, and the old stone collapsed beneath me. I yelled for help, but no one came, and eventually someone covered the opening.  I can’t imagine why Ma, Pa or Hannah never checked on me.  I guess they figured I was dead and the  well was my grave.  I was certain I was going to die until you came along.”

Her gaze drifted to a wet outline on his shoulder, where her head had rested.  “Oh Lord, I’m ruining your shirt.  You’d best put me down.”

“Are you sure?”

“You said I needed a change of clothes, and I have dry ones inside.  Come with me and I’ll show you people really live here.”

Logan lowered her to her feet and she immediately crumpled into a  helpless heap on the ground.  He stood back with his hands on his hips.  “I guess your fall did more damage than you want to admit.  You have dried blood on your cheek.”

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This book is my foray into self-publishing.  I can't guarantee it's error free but I had two beta readers help proof and I love the story and Harlee's relationship with Logan.  You can find The Well on my Amazon page.  Join me next week for another page from who know's who.  *lol*