Into The Black

Prologue

May, 2004

Rows upon rows of corn line the fenced off area across from the small town of Mandell. No one knows who cares for the corn when rain doesn't fall or when it's harvesting season. However it's the freshest of anything near Mandell.

Practically a ghost town, Mandell, is home to one hundred and twenty people, soon to be onehundred and twenty one as Mrs. Mayes is about to have a little girl, her third little girl to be exact. Her first was named Ruthy; she died in a car accident when she was four. Two years later came Anna; she is now five and excited to have a sister. Her long black hair matches her parents but unlike them across her face is a slash of freckles. Her piercing gray eyes set themselves on the park across the way from their home. Other children run and scream with delight while she sits inside awaiting her sister. Not long now, she thought,  and I'll have someone to play with, I won't be alone ever again.

She straightened her pale pink dress and wondered about how the baby would affect her relationship with her mama. With homeschooling being the only option they had always been as close as two peas in a pod. Anna had never had any other friends. Anna headed to her parents room hoping to get a story told to her. When she entered the room she saw sweat slicked her mother's forehead. Then she heard how raspy her mother's voice was as she whispered to her husband.

"She can't know. It'll break her heart."

"But she has to know sooner or later."

"Later." Her mother cut her husband off when she saw Anna.

"What do I need to know later, mama?" Anna twisted a long black strand of hair and sucked on it as she stared up at her parents.

"Well honey," her mother began. "Mama isn't doing so well and the baby is late. Almost too late."

"Too late for what?" Anna's mother smiled but it didn't reach her eyes, as she knew that one new life brought one new death.