better than that," her mom clarified. "When we realized the roads were closed and we couldn't get home, I was frantic. But your father kept telling me you two would be fine. I was skeptical, but I see now he was right."
Winnie looked at her father and smiled. Just knowing the confidence he had in them made her feel warm all over.
"Why, you even took the sheets down from the clothesline," Mrs. Frazier said with surprise, looking at the empty line.
Winnie looked to Alec with a suspicious grin. "The flying ghosts?" she asked. Alec nodded his head, remembering the visions they saw flying past the window the previous night.
"Ghosts?" she asked.
"It's a long story," Alec answered with a bit of a giggle. "And we'll fill you in on the monster in the basement later, too."
Winnie smiled remembering the pile of objects barricading the basement door. When they had come outside early that morning, she had noticed the basement window banging in the gentle breeze. She was sure that was the noise of Alec's monster.
"I can't wait to hear all about your experience," Mrs. Frazier said, putting her arms around her children. "Let me see, so far I know you've saved a man's life, rescued a kitten, and survived a pretty incredible wind storm⦠almost a hurricane, in fact. I think you two have passed the test. You have earned the privilege of being able to stay on your own while Dad and I go on errands from now on. I think if you handled these past fourteen hours, you can handle just about anything."
Winnie looked over to Alec and returned the smile he was giving her. She felt a closeness to her brother now, a bond from their experience. They may still not see eye-to-eye on everything in the future; but she also knew this experience had brought them together in a way nothing else could.
"If it's just the same to you, Mom, I think we're going to be going along on the next few trips to the grocery store." Winnie gave her mom a big hug and winked at her brother. He gave her a grin, letting her know he felt exactly the same way.
About the Author
Lisa Church is a writer and schoolteacher in central Pennsylvania. She is a wife and mother of three children: Tommi Ann, Alexander, and Allison. They all love to write just like Mom. Lisa teaches 4 th graders and loves reading to her students. She usually writes childrenâs fiction but has also had adult fiction published as well. In her free time, Lisa enjoys hiking, needlework, and spending time with her three dogs (Brooks, Jenna, and Duke) and one finicky cat named Phinneas.
Also by Lisa Church
Chapter One
The orphanage was full. That was a blessing for Mattie Blackson. The twelve-year-old wasnât sure she could have lived in such a place. She had been through too much in the last year. It started with the tragic loss of her parents. The two people she had loved and counted on most vanished from her life in an instant. The fire also took her home and everything else she held dear. Her grandmother said it was a miracle she had gotten out alive. Mattie often wondered about that herself.
The young girl had plenty of time to think. Her elderly grandmother took her in after the tragedy. She lived in a tiny house hours away from the friends and life Mattie knew. The fragile girl had only been there a few months when the old woman succumbed to death as well. Mattie once again felt her world crumbling around her.
With no other relatives known to her, Mattie became an orphan. A child who belonged to the state. Usually, those unfortunate children were placed in a home together. But this was 1929. Times were hard everywhere. Parents had children they could no longer feed and take care of. Orphanages were full of children waiting for their parents to get their lives back on track. There was no room for a new girl, despite the fact she truly was homeless and without anyone.
But that proved lucky for Mattie. For in the deepest part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in a small town in Virginia,
Winnie looked at her father and smiled. Just knowing the confidence he had in them made her feel warm all over.
"Why, you even took the sheets down from the clothesline," Mrs. Frazier said with surprise, looking at the empty line.
Winnie looked to Alec with a suspicious grin. "The flying ghosts?" she asked. Alec nodded his head, remembering the visions they saw flying past the window the previous night.
"Ghosts?" she asked.
"It's a long story," Alec answered with a bit of a giggle. "And we'll fill you in on the monster in the basement later, too."
Winnie smiled remembering the pile of objects barricading the basement door. When they had come outside early that morning, she had noticed the basement window banging in the gentle breeze. She was sure that was the noise of Alec's monster.
"I can't wait to hear all about your experience," Mrs. Frazier said, putting her arms around her children. "Let me see, so far I know you've saved a man's life, rescued a kitten, and survived a pretty incredible wind storm⦠almost a hurricane, in fact. I think you two have passed the test. You have earned the privilege of being able to stay on your own while Dad and I go on errands from now on. I think if you handled these past fourteen hours, you can handle just about anything."
Winnie looked over to Alec and returned the smile he was giving her. She felt a closeness to her brother now, a bond from their experience. They may still not see eye-to-eye on everything in the future; but she also knew this experience had brought them together in a way nothing else could.
"If it's just the same to you, Mom, I think we're going to be going along on the next few trips to the grocery store." Winnie gave her mom a big hug and winked at her brother. He gave her a grin, letting her know he felt exactly the same way.
About the Author
Lisa Church is a writer and schoolteacher in central Pennsylvania. She is a wife and mother of three children: Tommi Ann, Alexander, and Allison. They all love to write just like Mom. Lisa teaches 4 th graders and loves reading to her students. She usually writes childrenâs fiction but has also had adult fiction published as well. In her free time, Lisa enjoys hiking, needlework, and spending time with her three dogs (Brooks, Jenna, and Duke) and one finicky cat named Phinneas.
Also by Lisa Church
Chapter One
The orphanage was full. That was a blessing for Mattie Blackson. The twelve-year-old wasnât sure she could have lived in such a place. She had been through too much in the last year. It started with the tragic loss of her parents. The two people she had loved and counted on most vanished from her life in an instant. The fire also took her home and everything else she held dear. Her grandmother said it was a miracle she had gotten out alive. Mattie often wondered about that herself.
The young girl had plenty of time to think. Her elderly grandmother took her in after the tragedy. She lived in a tiny house hours away from the friends and life Mattie knew. The fragile girl had only been there a few months when the old woman succumbed to death as well. Mattie once again felt her world crumbling around her.
With no other relatives known to her, Mattie became an orphan. A child who belonged to the state. Usually, those unfortunate children were placed in a home together. But this was 1929. Times were hard everywhere. Parents had children they could no longer feed and take care of. Orphanages were full of children waiting for their parents to get their lives back on track. There was no room for a new girl, despite the fact she truly was homeless and without anyone.
But that proved lucky for Mattie. For in the deepest part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in a small town in Virginia,
Similar Books
