Dave Casler
PO Box 98
Ridgway, Colorado 81432
Young Adult Novels by Dave Casler...
I've been told by publisher after publisher that there's no market for Young Adult novels. I think they're wrong! So I'm putting my novels on-line for you. Forget the publisher! Read to your heart's content--it's free! And, I'd like to hear from you, too! Contact Page.
You're reading About Dan. Be sure to check out About Phillip here.
Dan is a normal kid who loves his soccer. Except everything goes wrong. Everything.
About Series Home
About the About Series
Index to All Chapters
Here are all the chapters, disguised as asterisks. Hover your mouse over an asterisk to see the title of the chapter. Click on the asterisk to go straight to that chapter.
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(About Dan Home) (Last) (Next)
In the Hospital
It’s a Mormon peculiarity that teens are expected to stay in close touch with their bishop. And so it was that Dan had his mother make a phone call as soon as he’d shaken off the anesthesia. Dan was barely awake as the hospital bed was cranked up to a sitting position.
"I’m sorry, Dan," said Bishop Parker. "I think you’re in for a rough time."
Dan groggily sorted through the words of the impromptu blessing the bishop had offered. "Why?" he asked.
Dan’s accent was still British even after living six of his sixteen years in Boulder. He looked down the rumpled sheets at his left leg—a mass of bandages—and absentmindedly rubbed where there was tape around his chest. It hurts. Like fire.
"I don’t really know why, Dan." The bishop turned to the window and looked out at the rain. The Rocky Mountains loomed above, barely visible in the late September storm. "Did your doctor tell you how long you’d be here?"
Dan forced himself to stay awake. "Not yet. I just woke up like an hour ago."
"What happened, anyway?"
"I was playing soccer," said Dan. He didn’t offer further explanation.
Bishop Parker sat on the arm of the only chair in the little room. Bustling sounds came from the hallway and a child clamored loudly for her father.
"Maybe I can get the details later, Dan," said the bishop gently. "You should rest. Where’s your mother?"
Dan’s consciousness was slipping and his speech was slurred. "She didn’t want you to come. But I made her call. She said she won’t be back until you’re gone. She hates the church, you know."
"Yes, she made that clear," said the bishop wryly. "Dan, I’m going to let you sleep. I’ll stop by later today and…"
"Doctor, this young man is hopeless. Just kick him out!" A lanky, athletic teen with a mischievous smile strode into the room and threw several soccer magazines in Dan’s lap. He plopped himself on the end of the bed.
"Peter!" begged Dan. "Don’t bounce!"
Peter turned to Dan with an air of kind benevolence. "Young man, you spend far too much time in bed. Your goal won the game, in case no one’s told you." Peter faced the bishop. "By the way, Doctor, I’ll keep Dan in line for you."
Peter, this is not a good time for a visit! Dan mustered the strength to speak. "Bishop, this is Peter, our goalie. He has an attitude problem." He lay back, pushed the magazines out of his lap and groaned. One of the magazines fell to the floor.
Peter stood immediately and offered his hand to the Bishop.
"It’s a good thing Dan goes to church, Bishop. I hope you can do something to save his soul."
Bishop Parker chuckled. "We’re trying, Peter. So were you playing together when Dan was injured?"