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)
Coming Down the Canyon
Dan felt his strength drain right out through his bad knee. He blindly groped for a chair. It got stuck on something as he pulled it from the table, but Peter jumped and helped Dan sit down. Dan's cane clattered to the floor, strangely loud in the room which was now still as death.
"Yes."
"Dan, is Maria Forsythe your mother?"
"Yes."
"Does she drive a white Subaru?"
"Yes."
"How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
"Can you drive?"
"Yes."
"Dan, your mother's been in a bad accident. We just finished a difficult extraction out of Boulder Creek. Your mother is calling for you. We're taking her to the hospital in Boulder. Can you please meet us there?"
"Yes. I'll go right now." He shook.
"Dan, please drive very carefully. Don't hurry. Even if you go slowly, you'll beat us there. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
Over the phone, Dan heard some commotion and then the distant sound of a siren.
"Ok, we will see you there. Please drive carefully."
Dan pushed "off" and put the phone down with all the speed of a glacier. He stared for a while at Peter who looked at him with apprehension. Then Dan stared at Marilyn. A tear came out of his left eye, rolled down his cheek and splashed onto the phone.
Mrs. Fawkes got up slowly. She moved around to Dan and put her hand on his shoulder. Dan stared at the wall. Finally, he put his hand up on hers.
"Where are we taking you," she said very softly and gently.
"To the hospital. We’ll be there before they will."
Peter stiffened.
"They said it was a difficult extraction, whatever that means. She's calling for me." Another tear followed the course of the last one.
"Let's go, then, honey. I'll get your coat."
"No, first please call the bishop."
Marilyn looked at Peter, who picked up the phone.
"Dan, what's the number?" asked Peter.
Dan repeated the number from memory. After all, it was Lisa's number.
"Hello, is the bishop there? Thank you. No, it's very urgent."
Pause.
"Hello, bishop? This is Peter Fawkes. I'm a friend of Dan Cook's. His mother was in a bad car accident and we're on our way to the hospital to meet the ambulance...No, don't have any details...Yes, we're here with Dan...No, he asked me to call you. Can you meet us there?...Yes, we'll take care of Dan. Goodbye."
Peter's next call was to his own dad. He quickly asked him to pick them up. Marilyn ensured Dan had his keys. She always kept a hand on Dan, as though he would fall if she didn't. Dan moved where she pointed him. For the second time in two hours, his knee was forgotten.