Dancing Through Tears
A Short Story from The Australia Burns Anthology, Vol. 2
Back in January 2020, before Covid, before the United States elections and all the drama that resulted, the Australia wildfires burned unchecked. Over three billion animals were killed or injured, some driven to extinction, thirty-four people perished, over eighteen million acres were destroyed, and a hundred billion dollars worth of damage occurred.
A fellow Wild Rose Press Australian author, Stephen B. King, reached out to all the publishing company’s authors and asked if anyone was interested in creating an anthology of short stories to benefit the victims and country. An overwhelming show of support created not one but three anthology volumes, within one month and were published on February 14th, 2020.
Dancing Through Tears was my contribution. It details events surrounding my family’s experience at the Route 91 massacre on October 1st, 2017. I loved the idea of raising money for the helpless victims, having been there myself. My story is in volume two and the last story of that volume.
“I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do.” -Jana Stanfield
CONNECT WITH JENY:
By Jeny Heckman
By R.J. Morris
The Phone Call That Changed My Life
An Excerpt
“Jake,” she said, as soon as he answered. “Something’s very wrong…”
“Ginger,” he said, talking over her. “Someone’s shooting.”
“What?”
“They said there’s an active shooting going on in the hotel. Stay in the room.”
Her world tunneled, and she ran to the window where swarms of ant-like people were running from the heart of the pit.
“Are you…” Just then her phone beeped and Faith’s picture lit up her screen. “It’s Faith.”
“Call me back.”
“Okay,” she said and switched callers. “Faith?” The inhuman noise that came from her daughter stabbed through Ginger’s heart. Her stomach fell like someone had opened the floor below her. “Faith!” she yelled. “Talk to me! Faith!”
“Mama. They’re shooting! Someone’s shooting. There’s people…people are dying… Oh, God!”
“Faith, where are you? Are you with Connor?” “Yes.”
“Are you both okay?”
“Yes! Mama, they’re shooting people.” “Where are you?”
“I-I don’t know… In the VIP thing!”
“Okay.” Ginger raced to the window and peered down again. The throngs of people were still moving outward in every direction. “Are you where we were last night?”
“Mom.”
“Faith?” She heard her daughter cry out and again the phone went dead.
“Oh my God.” Ginger raised a hand to her mouth and moaned, before whispering, “Please, Holy Father, don’t take my children.”
PURCHASE AUSTRALIA BURNS, VOLUME TWO
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