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)
Once Again at the Hospital
"Yes, they're coming. You’ll have to stay out of the way. You can wait right there." The nurse pointed to a tiny waiting room. "We’ll come get you as soon as possible."
She blocked their further movement. They were the only visitors so they had the room to themselves. They pulled the door closed.
Dan looked up at Marilyn, who was still touching his shoulder. "Thanks for coming, guys," he said weakly.
Peter tried to be brave. "She'll be fine, Dan. Just hang in there, ok?"
Dan spoke to no one in particular. "We had a horrible argument. I said terrible things to her."
Bishop Parker framed the doorway, backlit by the bright hallway lights. He wore a tee-shirt, a jacket and blue jeans. It took Dan a moment to recognize him.
"Thank you for coming, Bishop. This is Peter, my friend, and his parents, Jesse and Marilyn Fawkes. They live down the street."
Bishop Parker shook their hands. He sat down.
"Do we know anything yet?" he asked.
"No, the ambulance hasn't arrived," replied Marilyn on Dan's behalf. "But the staff know it's coming."
The efficient nurse popped her head in the door. "Dan, please introduce me to your friends."
Dan did so. She seemed to take particular note of Bishop Parker. She left.
They all waited for the sound of a siren to announce her arrival. But it didn't come. Dan kept glancing up at the clock. There seemed to be more activity in the hallway, however. Dan saw a couple cops pass outside the little curtained window that looked onto the hallway. The efficient nurse, looking grim, came back into the room and asked Bishop Parker to accompany her for a minute. He got up, looked at Dan and then was gone.
Dan watched the second hand turn three revolutions. No one said anything.
Bishop Parker returned, ashen and defeated. Dan looked up expectantly. There was a doctor behind the bishop in the hall.
"Dan, can you come with me? We need to have a private conversation."
Dan knew what was coming. "No, Bishop. Let's do it here. These are my friends."
Peter jumped up so the bishop could sit. Dan held his breath. The bishop said nothing, but took Dan’s hand in his. He stared at the wall and then the floor. He shook his head back and forth. He squeezed Dan’s hand and sighed.
"Dan," he began, still looking at the floor. "I'm so sorry."
Dan looked at his bishop, his leader, his teacher, his confidant, his helper, his rock. Please, God!
"She didn't make it down the canyon."