Excerpt from Chapter 1 - Deadly Feud

“Grandpa! Grandpa!” Mark hollered. No answer and he could see the tractor sitting idle in the field. Knowing his grandfather must be nearby, Mark made his way to the old red rusted tractor. The key wasn’t in the ignition. Nothing. Nowhere to be found. Where could he be thought Mark. Darkness was coming fast as the sunset dipped behind the horizon. He continued to call his grandfather. Still nothing. Well, maybe he went back to the stock shed. Mark strode back across the field towards the stock shed where the feed supplies and tack was kept. Surely, he couldn’t be far away, after all its getting dark. He reached the stock shed. Barely able to see, he ducked through the doorway. The crunch under foot to the stock shed meant the pecan trees were dropping pecans. Something else to add to his list to do. He couldn’t be bothered trying to avoid them, he couldn’t see a thing. The next step proved to be the one that would change his life forever. He tripped and nearly went flying through the back of the shed. He had tripped over something, not sure just what. He grabbed the flash light his grandad kept on the ledge just inside the doorway. As soon as the light came on, his eyes froze on the lifeless body that lie in front of him, his grandfather. He felt as though his breath had been instantly sucked from his chest. He couldn’t really fathom what had happened. Maybe a heart attack, a stroke, some kind of accident. He knelt down to check for a pulse. He was gone. He felt sick and wanted to throw up. The sound that came from his throat wasn’t even a cry, it was much deeper than that. Someone he loved more than life was dead in front of him, his eyes wide open. He was dazed, not sure what to do next. Finally, after what seemed forever, he dialed 911 from his cell phone.