Excerpt
“Ouch!” She brushed against the broken limb of a large bush. It tore the sleeve of her dress and gashed her right forearm causing it to bleed onto her sleeve. Once around a large oak tree she stopped short. So unexpected was the site before her that she let out a small scream.
In front of her stood a man so old she was sure he must be at least a hundred. He stood straight with a gray and dirty beard that fell to the middle of his chest. He was wearing what was left of an ill-fitting Union uniform, too large for his thin, boney frame. It was frayed, torn, and very dirty. He wore a scrunched up, flattened Union cap that covered his white hair and shielded his eyes. He carried a hunting rifle in one hand, and in the other he held a rope tied to the dirtiest, mangiest brown dog she had ever seen.
She didn’t dare move. The dog barked and bared his teeth. The man gently scratched him behind one ear and he quit barking, but kept his eyes focused on her.
“Howdy, Miss. Were you looking for these two boys?” The man stood still and Etta stared at the dog. He was straining at the rope tied to a brown leather collar around his neck.