Imaginings: Inheritance Chapter #1

An Abraham Seed Series

First Novel: Inheritance
Genre: Paranormal Suspense

Excerpt

Chapter #1 page 9

Zahila Richardson stood in the gap for her family, being the strong daughter her father Neil expected. She made all the funeral arrangements, talked with the pastor and spoke at the funeral on the family's behalf. Zahila handle it all so her mother Darby, wouldn’t have to. She did everything a good daughter would do, but after the funeral, after the burial, after everyone came and left the house to pay his or her respects. All Zahila wanted was to go somewhere alone and cry.

She made sure Darby was asleep before making the long trek to the far end of the family’s large New Hampshire home. She opened the door and stared into a room forever lost in a time capsule. It was just the way she left it fifteen years ago when she went off to college. Darby hadn’t chance a thing, perhaps hoping her eldest daughter would return home one day, Zahila thought entering the room.

She closed and locked the door behind her, as a sliver of moonlight illuminated the dark space. She didn’t look round, instead she waved her way through the dim staring at the small twin bed with the purple duvet. Zahila remembers designing the room in purple and gold when she was sixteen because it was fashionable. She had worked odd jobs and saved enough to transform her room into something that showed her personality. Neil had laughed at the comical moons in the design, but also praised his daughter for all her hard work . She had been so proud of herself and of this room, but now, it meant nothing, just a means to and end.

Exhausted, Zahila threw herself across small bed. Finally alone in her childlike room, Zahila didn’t have to be Neil’s strong girl anymore that day. She put a pillow over her head, to drown out the sound, and cried, earth scattering sobs until her body shivered and her tears became nothing but dry heaves of anguish.

“ GOD why?" she yelled. "Why Neil, why him? OH GOD, WHY MY FATHER?”

Zahila cried for hours, mourning the loss of her father and best friend.