The story of a family rocked by tragedy after tragedy...but the danger comes from their own three-year-old son. Can the family be saved?
This story opens in 1961, and right away the reader discovers that peace and violence, beauty and evil, can co-exist in the same place, casting a contradiction into every story. Danny appears to be a sweet and innocent three year old boy, but is actually an enigma no-one can decipher. At the core of his soul lurks an evil, bent on the destruction of his brother Wayne. As the book opens, the family is beset with one catastrophe after another, which threatens to destroy them from within. Danny is at the center of all of this chaos, and as we follow him through the years, his inner battle between good and evil, is played out in unimaginable ways. Follow the family through those years of tribulation, as their steadfast belief in God, and hope for a better future keeps them going, and makes them a pillar of strength.
But is there hope for Danny?
Excerpt
We immediately turn back just in time to see Wayne slowly reaching his hand out for the bottle. We can’t stop it from happening, but we can’t turn away either. Wayne now has the bottle and very slowly raises it to his lips. Immediately, he lowers the bottle.
Wayne says, “It smells bad.”
This is more of a statement than an argument. The two brothers both know that this is a done deal.
Danny says, “Drink it,” but he is no longer begging.
He says this with confidence he shares with all older brothers, whose sole purpose in life is to torment their younger brothers. Wayne nods in resignation then takes a sip. Wayne’s hands fly to his mouth as his eyes open wide. This is quickly followed by a muffled cry as Wayne jumps to his feet. Something extraordinary happens then: Time swings back to its normal speed, which makes us realize that up until now, time has slowed. Time had no meaning, as is often the case when extreme events are taking place. Now, as Wayne stands next to the table and his cry turns into a wail, time catches up all at once. Wayne turns and sprints for the back door (on a course to get Mom), who is inside doing the laundry. We turn to look at Danny, and we see an intriguing thing happen. Like a shape shifter, he appears to change from a little monster back into a three-year old boy
A novel about a family during World War II, set on the homefront in Springield, Mass., and in the South Pacific. The book focuses on four characters and how their lives were affected and changed during the war years.
