This is the first chapter of a new book I am writing. I hope to post a continuing chapter each week. It is one of the two novels I am currently working on. These are my first efforts at novel writing, so be kind, but please give me some feed back.

The story is loosely based on the lives of five real people growing up in the rural south during the mid 1900s and into the present. It depicts their carefree country childhoods, first days of school, teen age trials, and experiencing first loves. I hope I can keep your attention as they explore a mysterious house with deep dark secrets, encounter a strange woman somehow connected and the broken rage filled heart of a young boy as the answers are finally released from the mind of a bitter old woman. Ride the wild twists and turns as these now young adults bust into the 70's in five different directions. A tender love story will touch you deeply as it spirals to a surprising end. Get ready as the heavy hand of fate continues to hammer the past at some, sets others free, and sends the grim reaper in for bitter sweet reunions.

"Southern Blast From the Past "

Chapter 1 How It All Began.

I grew up on a small ranch in rural East Texas during the mid 1900s. We didn't own the ranch, my Daddy was the foreman and we lived in a house on the property as part of his pay. I roamed and explored the land around us from the time I was a small girl, along with my two brothers, one older and one younger than me. We climbed trees, fished and swam in stock ponds, built forts, and knew just about every inch of that 450 acers we called our back yard.

With most of the inhabitants of the area being ranchers and farmers at that time, people were usually separated by large sections of land. We had few neighbors, and none of them very close. We usually only saw other kids at church, other group gatherings like weddings, funerals and dances, and at the occasionally neighborly visit. I seldom had anyone, other than my brothers to play with. So when I was four years old I was very excited to find out a new family was moving in just a short distance down the road from us.

The old house they were moving into was one of the few around that had only a small amount of land with it, which was why it had been vacant for since before I was born. It was built out of big brown solid rocks, and next to it was a wooden garage with a cement floor. The previous occupant had been an old man, no one knew much about him except

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