“Once again…welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.”

-Bram Stoker

Introducing our guest writer for April: K1’s oldest brother, Kevin Andrews (AKA K4). Like K1, Kevin has written many various pieces since childhood, and this piece was written in the 90’s, as a fond memory of the family field before the GM plant moved into Spring Hill, hence Saturn Parkway moved through the family farm. Like K1, Kevin has an inventive, vivid imagination and love of writing…in addition to being an avid sports fan and having an expert hand at being the fastest post-meal dining room and kitchen cleaner you will ever meet (family joke). In all seriousness, we are absolutely thrilled and honored to have him in the early days of the WPF Guest House.

Enjoy your stay…

K2

April 2023 Guest

The Sanctuary

    The old pickup truck sputtered as Billy eased off the gas pedal. I need to tune this thing up; he thought as he putted along. The scenery on his uncle’s farm was breathtaking. He drove down a small hill and came to a stop at the old iron gate. He breathed in the smell of rain that had fallen earlier in the evening as he opened the heavy gate. It was such a refreshing smell. Billy felt sorry for anyone that had never experienced the smell of rain on the farm. A fresh rain brought out the scent of everything in God’s creation. He loved to smell the beauty of this four-hundred-acre farm. Honeysuckle vines were his favorite, and their fragrance was very evident on his journey tonight. He pulled the truck up and closed the gate behind him. Cattle did not need to follow him tonight. He gave the truck a little gas, and he was off again.

    The truck passed over a small stream that ran for miles onto Mr. Evans farm to the west. When he was twelve or thirteen years old, Billy, and his two best friends, Joshua Davis, and Adam Miller, would catch water snakes in this very stream. They would throw them into a tow sack, and travel back up the hill to the granary where barley, wheat, and oats were stored. Then the fun part for the mischievous youngsters would begin. They would send the snakes out to find mice. It was amazing to watch the snakes swallow the mice. The memory of the time when he and his partners caught an extremely large black snake comes to mind. They let the biggest snake they had ever captured out in the granary, and as that big warrior crawled into the second room of the building, there was a horrifying scream. It scared the boys almost to the point of shock. They were so terrified they began to scream themselves. Their fears were eased when Aunt Sam, as the boys knew her, came around the corner with a big smile on her face, and said, “Gotcha!” She had seen the threesome coming up the hill and had known for some time what they had been doing. She lay in waiting and sent chills up their spines. Billy found himself smiling as he remembered that day, and then realized the smile had turned to a tear when he thought of his beloved Aunt Samantha. She died of cancer two years ago. Billy drove on.

He would sometimes walk to the back of the farm, but at sunset he would drive the pick-up. A small thicket lay nestled in the middle of the field. Billy would park next to it. He loved to watch the sunset in this exact location. He had searched his inner soul to properly describe his feelings about this place, but never really could.

        Just below the thicket was a stream surrounded by large oak trees with a mixture of maples and hackberries. The trees were so dense that light could hardly seep through them. The rocks at that location of the stream formed a pleasant-sounding waterfall. Billy could hear the peaceful sound of the water from the back of his truck. This was his sanctuary. This is where Billy Adams found peace. From age twelve this is a journey he would make to get away from his troubles. If something was bothering him, or if he simply wanted to be alone with his thoughts, this is where he came.

The smell of fresh cut hay was in the air tonight, as Billy stared up in the sky. Someday I’ll write about how I feel right now, he thought. Everyone should feel the peace and tranquility of this moment, and he was going to describe it to them. Yes, one day he would write about it, but what was he going to do now? Beginning anything in life always seemed to be such a chore for Billy. He could not see how he could ever leave this place. The thought of not being able to come to this spot scared him. Maybe he and his fiancée, Leslie, could build a house right here after they were married. His heart told him that his tranquil little getaway spot would not be the same. Billy pondered the situation, and said out loud to anyone who would listen, “I’ll figure it all out someday. Yes, someday.” The sky was a glorious red-orange color. Billy was lost in its beauty.