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Sunday, March 14, 2010

A Bit of History

This is a small excerpt from my second book (which is still in need of a title). It is a historical fiction novel which takes place in 18th Century America, during the time of the American Revolutionary War. It is narrated primarily by two characters (taking separate turns): Abigail Kensington - a time-warped teen from 21st Century Philadelphia, PA; and Lieutenant Warren J. Sands - an American soldier in the Revolutionary War.

This bit, narrated by Abigail, makes up the greater part of the first page of the novel:

"I gathered a deep breath and ran. Around me, bullets cut the air that was filled with the bellows of explosions. War was upon us. I felt the searing heat of a building as it was thrown into the sky, only to come raining right back down onto the battered, snow-covered streets of what used to be Pittsburgh. I caught sight of a smoldering pile of bricks that was once the armory, and I hurdled myself over, skimming the fractured rubble on top as I passed. On the other side, I pressed my back against the jagged surface and clutched my father’s pistol to my chest. Whether it was because of the masonry digging into my back or the sudden flashback of memory from that morning, I’m not sure, but I began to cry.

“I’m sorry, Mom, Dad… Robby… I’m so, so sorry…” I whispered to the burning air. My father’s pistol offered no sympathy.

I kicked at a chinked piece of brick lying on the ground by my right toe, but it didn’t budge. Already frustrated enough, I slammed the pistol down on the ground beside me and reached out to grab the block and send it flying, but I was stopped short by a sudden, blazing pain in my right leg. The pistol had fired. A set of arms and hands appeared from above."

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