Ruby's Silver Lining

Ruby Martin's life had dipped down into the valley of despair. It seemed that everyone she fell in love with had come to a horrible untimely death. One of those deaths had been so that she and her darling little Annie would have a chance to live. Neil had given his life for them to live.

Today Ruby had received a phone call from the past. When she recognized Karen's voice, Ruby's heart had pounded so hard that it nearly jumped out of her chest. Karen had brought an unbelievable story with proof to back it up. Ruby's happiness was bubbling over her as she watched Annie get to know her daddy that she looked so much like.

For a few weeks, it seemed that the pieces of Ruby's life had been placed back in some form of order with all her dark dreams of yesterday nestled in silver linings. Ruby's family was gathered around her now with love and laughter filling every corner of her life; that was until tonight.

The phone rang. When it was answered, in a matter of just a few words, the voice on the other end turned the laughter into fear. They were told to get away at once, not to take time to get anything but themselves. Grandpa's monsters had found them. Ruby, even her family, was no longer safe. This meant they would have to battle with their lives on the line. Ruby just prayed that her husband had not forgotten how to think like these terrible, heartless men that was determined to follow the code of their Hagen family. Ruby wondered how far they would have to run and hide to stay ahead of these devils. Silently Ruby prayed that they would be able to keep their darling little Annie alive. The frightened group crossed the state of Georgia, going into the mountains of Tennessee before finding a place that might be a safe place for them.

Settling into a lovely log house, Karen, with her family, was across the gravel road in a house almost identical to the one that Ruby had chosen. How long they could hide here, Ruby didn't know. Nor did she know what kinds of battles they would face before this nightmare was over. Ruby knew one thing that she felt to the very core of her soul: Annie was in grave danger, and Ruby was afraid that there would be no way to save her.