The Jade Dagger by J A Whiting & Amanda Diamond

Author:J A Whiting & Amanda Diamond [Whiting, J A & Diamond, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: J A Whiting Books and Whitemark Publishing
Published: 2020-06-28T16:00:00+00:00

11

Kara parked her car on the street in front of the old white church. While Four Falls was a small town, a place where, up until now, she hadn’t seen more than a handful of residents, the church’s gravel lot was full to the brim, and there was a steady line of worshipers milling around at the front of the church.

Kara made her way up to the front gate, a simple white picket fence that ran the length of the property, and pushed through onto the cobblestone walkway that cut through the graveyard. The tombstones were scattered across the lawn in a haphazard way, like those buried there wanted as much room between caskets as possible.

The grave markers were old with most of their distinguishing etchings washed away after decades of harsh winters and heavy spring rains. Behind the church, Kara could make out the markings of a new cemetery, a gridded and well-maintained plot holding the recent remains of Four Falls’ loved ones.

Kara picked her way across the cobblestone walkway and tried her best to discern any names or dates from the tombstones closest to the narrow path. Each marker was washed clean and a few had even fallen over and lay flat in the yard, but Kara was able to barely make out 1883 from one of the newer stones she passed.

The church had been built in 1904, but the graveyard was much older than that. Whether it started as a memorial site for early pioneers, Kara couldn’t tell, but her best guess told her that those stones had a lot of stories just waiting to be discovered.

Focus, Kara, she thought. There’s no time for extracurriculars. You’re on a mission. A mission which as she reached the front of the church, Kara met head-on.

“Hello again,” Elias said to a couple in front of Kara as he stood in the church’s entryway. He was greeting each person, offering blessings, and helping point the elderly to their seats.

Approaching Elias, Kara didn’t know what to say to him so she chose to simply nod as she bowed her head and entered the church.

He sighed, then greeted the woman standing behind Kara.

While the outside of the church mirrored the condition of the old tombstones that lined its yard, the inside was immaculate. It was a simple space with rows of wooden pews and thin hardwood slats that squeaked as Kara walked. The white walls were bare, save for a few light fixtures, and the natural wood of the pews was polished to a bright sheen that sent shimmering rays across the room when the light from the windows hit them just right. There were no paintings, statues, or banners.

The church contained no distractions, nothing that could possibly take your eyes away from the floor-to-ceiling, full-walled window of stained glass that made up the back of the building where bright purples, greens, yellows, and reds depicted a breathtaking mural. Catching the late-morning sun, the stained glass shone with blazing colors and a brilliance that practically struck Kara dumb with its beauty as she stood in the center aisle.

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