Category: Fiction
-
Eden’s Paradise, Ep. 9: Sacrifice
By Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal As Valerie rushed to Sage’s quarters, she wondered why it was quiet. Where were all the family members? She checked a couple of rooms and found them empty. The dining hall was as empty as when she’d left it earlier. Then she heard voices coming from…
-
Eden’s Paradise, Ep. 8: Missing in Action
By Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal Once again, Valerie and Grayson were the guests of honor for dinner, but Mia was nursing a hangover, according to Bom. “Mia’s still resting in Sage’s quarters and won’t join us,” Bom told Grayson. She joined them at the head of the table as they waited for…
-
Eden’s Paradise, Ep. 7: A Family Reunion
By Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal Valerie’s mind spun until she found herself standing in her kitchen in Chicago. Kendrick sat at the table cleaning his combat boots, while Aya—her ten-year-old daughter—sat across from him reading a book about the pyramids of Egypt. All of a sudden, his head jerked up and…
-
Eden’s Paradise, Ep. 6: A Hilltop Meeting
By Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal The next morning, Sage sat on the grassy knoll in the Field of Love while Valerie stood next to her. “Is our Jeep fixed yet?” Sage shifted on the yoga mat and reached her hands to her feet before extending her arms upward. “Well, good…
-
Eden’s Paradise, Ep. 5: Guests of Honor
By Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal In a large dining hall, Valerie sat at the head of a long table with Grayson and Mia. Like the rest of the extravagant mansion, everything in the dining room was white—the tablecloth with shimmering silk embroidery, the curtains, the dinnerware, and the robes of the forty…
-
Eden’s Paradise, Ep. 4: Garden of Eden
By Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal Valerie followed Bom, who escorted them around the mansion and stopped at a greenhouse. The massive greenhouse extended into an outdoor garden. A dozen people—all dressed in white robes like Bom—were on their hands and knees tending to vegetables, while others were seated on four benches scattered…
-
Eden’s Paradise, Ep. 3: Visit to Eden
By Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal Valerie rode with Bradford, who regaled her with details about Grand Teton and the area’s natural history. She surmised he was a geologist, but as he went on, he mentioned working as a plumber twenty-five years ago before the Great Turn. “Those were simpler days, weren’t…
-
Eden’s Paradise, Ep. 2: Good Samaritan
By Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal Valerie awoke when she heard Mia chatting with a man. It wasn’t Grayson’s deep baritone voice but a softer, more calming voice. As she wiped the drool from the side of her mouth, she sat up and peered through the clearing. When she walked to the…
-
Eden’s Paradise, Ep. 1: Stranded
By Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal Valerie Amira Wright stood on the side of Moose Wilson Road near the Grand Teton National Park sign. She wore a look of frustration while Grayson leaned under the hood of the Jeep. She glanced at the clear blue sky, not a cloud as far as the…
-
Harmony Project, Ep. 8: A Second Chance
Mauricio sat at a table near where he’d spoken to AJ days ago. He saw her still sitting there. Her lively face, the Goku tattoo on her left bicep, the stunned look in her eyes when she noticed him. He tried to convince himself she would be fine. Eve hadn’t sent him any updates in…
Waking Writer 