EVERYONE WINS in the Rabble Preorder Campaign & Giveaway

Receive the first 13 chapters of Rabble (book 2 of the Cosmic Conspiracy) AND a 50% off coupon for Babble (book 1) just for entering. When you enter the giveaway, you’ll automatically receive the option to download the excerpt and start reading right away. You’ll also be entered in a drawing for a Rabble t-shirt, mug, and autographed copy of the book.

 

 

But no need to wait. Here is the next installment of Babble

One young boy is the key to the universe.

Babble is the story of Bobbie Cagle — a teenage misdiagnosed autistic boy who is the first human to leap into a brave new world of consciousness — an evolutionary leap as great as the first fish that crawled from the sea onto land.

But unfortunately, everyone wants Bobbie for their own purposes.

Installment # 5  (If you’ve missed an installment, go HERE.)

(And if you’re enjoying the story, please share it with your friends.)

Chapter 3

As they neared the ground floor, Angie kept a sharp eye on the alleyway but evidently whoever wanted to talk to them hadn’t bothered to place a lookout at the rear of the building. She spied a drunken bum leaning against the building down the street, nursing a bottle of cheap wine. Few buildings had fire escapes anymore, so their pursuers might not have thought there would be a back escape route.

That oversight might have helped them this time around but Angie knew she couldn’t count on such luck in the future. Somehow they needed to make their way to Penland. She paused for a moment on the last few steps to glance at the paper Pendra had given her. It was difficult reading in the dull light of the one remaining street lamp, so she took out her cell phone and used its light to read by. She calculated Penland was at least a couple hours away, but how to get there safely without being caught. She knew the bus station was just a few blocks away, but would there be someone there waiting for them? And how would she pay for the tickets? While she calculated she had enough money in her account, that would leave an electronic trail. The same was true if she rented a car. She could try hitching a ride but that had its own dangers she’d just as soon avoid. She reached for the necklace and felt the ring at its end; her engagement ring. There’d been many times she’d considered trading it for food or a place to stay, but had always found a way around the issue, but not this time. The danger behind them was too great to let sentimentality get in the way. She’d just have to convince whoever was manning the ticket booth to take the ring in trade for two tickets. She’d also keep a close eye out for anyone who looked suspicious and anyone wearing shiny dress shoes.

It didn’t sound like Brian or Pastor John had tracked them down. She breathed a small sigh of relief at the thought, as she helped Bobbie down from the last few steps. She could tell from the dropped shoulders and shuffling feet how tired her son was. The bus station was only a couple blocks away, much closer than the nearest entrance to the interstate. They’d have to give it a try.

She wondered if the mystery man could have been hired by her husband to find them. He’d tried that before, with poor results. But since he’d started receiving help from Pastor John, Brian had more resources to call upon. Maybe they’d hired another private eye with a better track record for hunting down estranged spouses. Then she remembered Pendra’s comment about the black sedan having a government tag.

While she knew Brian and Pastor John would do just about anything, including kidnapping, to get Bobbie to rejoin their charismatic community, they hardly had the clout to involve the Feds. Right? Even though it had been over thirteen years, it still felt odd to be so estranged from her husband. They’d been in such love in those early days. How had it all gone so wrong?

Angie stared across the kitchen table where Brian sat stirring his cup of decaf that she’d set in front of him a few minutes before. She’d made a point of putting Bobbie to bed early so she could talk with her husband without any interruptions. So far, the conversation had not gone well. She decided to try again.

“It’s not normal, Brian. You know it’s not. I don’t just mean these strange spells he’s having that you and everyone else think are a gift from God. If they’re such a gift, how come Bobbie hasn’t said one word except when he’s speaking in tongues? It’s not right, and you know it.”

“Now, just calm down. You know babies develop at different rates. Who’s to say what’s normal and what isn’t? When Bobbie has something to say, he’ll say it. In the meantime, can’t you be grateful for the miracle that he is?”

Angie stood and started pacing between the table and the kitchen sink. She reached over and tried to shut off the dripping faucet, but even as she did so, she knew it was futile. It’d been dripping every day since they’d moved in more than four years ago. Futile…just like the conversation she was trying to have with her husband. Still, she needed to try. Her son’s health and happiness were at stake.

“Well, I’m not so sure it’s a blessing or a miracle,” she replied turning back to Brian. “How do we know that he’s really speaking in tongues? What if it’s something else? What if it’s the only way he can talk because something’s wrong with his mental processing. It could be something they could correct if it was diagnosed early enough, but here we go, ignoring the signs.”

“What are you suggesting?” Brian asked. She could hear the edge of anger beginning to build in his voice. Tread lightly, she thought, but when it came to her son, she knew it was unlikely she’d take her own advice.

“I spoke to my mother today.” She heard Brian’s groan but chose to ignore it. “She knows of an excellent specialist at Duke Medical Center who she used to work with during her nursing days. She’s sure he’d be happy to examine Bobbie. He probably wouldn’t even charge us.”

Brian pushed himself away from the table but remained sitting. “What in the hell are you talking about? There’s nothing wrong with Bobbie, and we sure don’t need to drag him all the way to Durham to have him poked and prodded by some overeducated doctor.”

Angie took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. They’d had similar disagreements in the past. It was a major difference that had forced a wedge between them more than once. Angie had been raised in a medical family. Her father had been a physician for over forty years, her mom a nurse for twenty-five. Her family wasn’t opposed to religion. It just wasn’t the central theme of their lives as it was for Brian and his family; three generations of Charismatic Christians.

“Angela, stop and think about this.” Whenever Brian started using her full name, she knew his mind had been made up, and he was now sinking his heels in deeper. “What would Pastor John and the rest of the community think if we hauled Bobbie off to Duke? Why, they’d question our faith, and I won’t have that.”

Angie opened her mouth to retaliate, then thought better of it. What’s the use? Clearly, he’s made up his mind and won’t be convinced otherwise, she thought. And that was okay because she’d not only already made up her mind, she’d also made an appointment to have Bobbie examined next week while Brian was away on one of his spiritual retreats. That would give the specialist time to study the tape she’d mailed of Bobbie’s latest babbling spell as well. She called her mother back after Brian left to run errands and asked her to get the spare bedroom ready. She could hear the relief in her mother’s voice. Angie hated going behind her husband’s back, but when it came to her son…well, sometimes it was easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission. This was one of those times. Unfortunately, despite his deep religious beliefs, Brian had never learned how to forgive.

 

Stay tuned for part #2 next Friday or jump ahead by joining the Rabble Preorder & Giveaway.

EVERYONE WINS in the Rabble Preorder Campaign & Giveaway

Receive the first 13 chapters of Rabble (book 2 of the Cosmic Conspiracy) AND a 50% off coupon for Babble (book 1) just for entering. When you enter the giveaway, you’ll automatically receive the option to download the excerpt and start reading right away. You’ll also be entered in a drawing for a Rabble t-shirt, mug, and autographed copy of the book.