There is no escape from the shadows of the past. At least, not for Melissa...
Terrorizing dreams, panic attacks, and everyday interactions bring back the past she thought was dead and gone. Eighth-grade teacher, Melissa Bates, suspects that one of her students, Christy Kade, is coping with an all-too-familiar struggle.
Christy's father plays "secret, special games" with her. She lives in fear and isolation daily.
When she gains a desperately-needed friendship, she begins to search for the courage to reach out for help.
Broken lives can be mended; joy can be found.
Throughout the school year, Christy and Melissa face challenges both mundane and monumental. Through it all, they live their lives, haunted by their shadows. Despite their fears, they make attempts at trust, with unexpected results.
As our heroines open themselves up, they grow in ways they had never thought possible.
Ugly things do happen behind closed doors, but help--and hope--exits.
10 Reasons To Read No Shadows Left Behind
1. If you like stories about personal triumph and trials
2. If you like to read about people overcoming obstacles to achieve a better life
3. If you are interested in how others change their lives in the midst of struggle
4. If you have ever struggled with panic attacks, nightmares or an abusive situation
5. If you like to read books that will take you on a journey opening your eyes to new experiences belief fiction
6. If you are optimistic about humanity and the world in general
7. If you believe that hope and joy can find its way into the coldest and darkest places
8. If you have ever felt alone
9. If you like reading about how it is possible for the human spirit to endure
10. If you like to read books that will make you question, that will make you feel
About Tina-Sue Ducross
Tina-Sue Ducross is the creator of the well received Authors Promoting Authors
blog. APA has brought hundreds of
writers together to create a unity and forum for discussion, and a means
for authors to promote their work.
She is
also the Executive Editor of the new online magazine, The Book Laureate.
Tina-Sue
loves hockey, lives in an igloo, and enjoys all aspects of the writing life.
She is looking forward to crafting her next book.
Christy gazes out the
window of the classroom, looking at the sunshine hitting the windshields
of the cars in the parking lot. She's hoping that the day will end and
hoping that it won't. Her father is returning home tonight. She glances at the front of
the classroom, where Miss Bates is continuing with a lesson on
geometry. She takes a pencil and starts to doodle in her math book.
Suddenly, she startles, seeing an illustration of a teacup in her
textbook. In a
moment of rationality, she thinks, That's a stupid drawing. And then
the memory overtakes her, everything in her mind going blank except the
memory of her Daddy storming into her bedroom and being mad at Christy
for something she had done—she wasn’t sure what. He then started
knocking everything down from her shelves. As if in slow motion, his arm
swept across her dresser and smashed Christy's rose-covered teacups and
saucers. Even more slowly. his hand came across Christy's face. Christy
had sat there on her bed, staring at him, crying, "Daddy no!" but he
just slammed her door behind him, no longer acknowledging her. She
starts to shake, remembering the pain. Terror seizes her and she gasps
for breath. The room spins dizzyingly. "Christy, hey! What's wrong?" a voice asks
her from somewhere far away. Remotely, she hears it, but she doesn't
come out of the hold of fear. She is terrified to stay within it, but it
is more terrifying to emerge from it. Voices murmur around her, and she
feels vaguely crowded. "Everyone dismissed," a voice calls, cutting
through, and suddenly she feels the crowd departing. "Christy, can you open your
eyes? It’s okay." Slowly, Christy opens her eyes. She stares at Miss Bates. "Hi," Miss Bates says. "Are
you okay?" Christy nods. "Sorry," she says in a quiet voice. "It’s all right. Here,
drink this," Miss Bates says, handing her a glass of water. "Are you all
right?" she asks again. "Yeah, just a little weak." "Does this happen often?" Miss
Bates asks, concern in her voice. Now, Christy thinks, I could tell her now
and have it all end. "No, just sometimes. It’s hard to explain," Christy says,
twirling her pencil in her fingers. "I need to call your parents and let them
know. You should go to a doctor," Miss Bates says, cringing a little as
she's saying this. Christy wonders if she scared her teacher. "Please don't do that...
There's no need… They know." "If this is something that happens on a regular
basis, the school needs to know. I need to know, so that I can help
you."
"Oh," Christy says, softly. "Has something like this happened before?" Miss
Bates asks, pointedly. "No," Christy says, "not exactly. This was the first
time it’s happened like this… My Dad is away a lot on business. He
won’t be home right now if you call." "Okay, well, I need to call someone and let
them know. If I call your emergency contact, is that all right?" Christy nods. "Yeah. I'm
sorry I interrupted the class." "It’s all right. I don't like math that much
myself."
Christy laughs, grateful that Miss Bates has broken the tension. "Are you okay to go home by
yourself?" "Yeah, it’s a short walk." "All right. Have a good weekend." Miss Bates walks to the
front of the classroom and starts to tidy up. Christy gathers her stuff
up and walks out, waving goodbye. She hurriedly makes her way through
the busy hallway. She doesn’t even notice Beth waiting outside the
classroom door. "Hey, are you okay?" Beth says, running to keep up with
Christy.
"Yeah, feeling a little weird." "I bet. You gave everyone an early dismissal." Christy smiles meekly.
"Yeah, they all probably think I'm more of a freak now." "Who cares what they think?
You weren't feeling well, no big deal. Besides, if anyone says
anything, I'll tell them to shut up." "Thanks," Christy says. Beth hooks her arm in
Christy's. "No big deal. That's what friends do."
"You should be at home. It’s
after five," Darren says, walking into Melissa's classroom. Looking up from the
computer, Melissa grins. "So should you. How was your day?" "Not as interesting as
yours, from the chatter that’s been flying around. What's up with the
early dismissal?" Melissa explains to him about Christy. "Oh, that's no good," he says. "No. I think she fainted
and maybe had an anxiety attack." "Are you a doctor as well?" "No, but I've had them for
years, so I think I know what I’m talking about," Melissa snaps.
Immediately, she realizes how harsh she just sounded. "Sorry. I usually
don't divulge that piece of information and when I do, apparently I'm
rude about it." "It’s okay. I'm flippant; I deserve to be snapped at. What
are you going to do?' "I'm not sure. She doesn't want me to call her father
because he's away on business. But if it’s a medical condition, it needs
to be reported to the school. If it's something else, it needs to be
reported…." "Abuse allegations are severe," Darren says, guessing where
she is headed. "You don’t want to report anything until you're sure.
Then again, what if you’re right and you don't report it now?" he pauses
for thought and suggests, "You could talk to Fletcher." "Yes. Then again, she might
go to the extreme end. I have no reason to think it’s abuse, other than
the anxiety attack. She's quiet, but that isn't necessarily an
indication of anything. Christy is a pretty bright girl, her homework
has been handed in, she participates in class… Anxiety attacks could
happen for a variety of reasons, like stress." "She's thirteen.
Thirteen-year-olds aren’t supposed to have stress," Darren says,
propping himself on her desk. "You must have had a very different life than I did
at thirteen," she replies. Melissa puts her head in her hands. "But I
guess there’s good reason to consider investigating further." "Call her emergency
contact. See what you can find out and go from there. That's all you can
do at this point." "I know," Melissa says, "unfortunately." "Are you busy tonight?" "I'm preparing for a cat." Darren blinks at her. "I
didn't know you were expecting. Have dinner with me." "That's kind of a demanding
way to put it," Melissa responds, arching an eyebrow at him. "And I
really am expecting a cat. I pick her up next week." Although this is
the night that she is supposed to get her cat—and it seems as if it’s
taken the week so long to pass, as it is—the breeder had called last
night to tell her that the pick-up of the kitten had to be delayed
another week. "Well then, that's a week away. Come on, Melissa, it’s just
dinner."
"Okay," she agrees, "see you at eight?" "Seven-thirty," Darren says. "You shouldn't
stay here too long. Do what you have to do and go home." Melissa grins and waves
goodbye. As Darren leaves the room, she looks down at Christy’s open
file on her desk. Picking up the phone, she dials the emergency contact
for Christy, a Becky O'Neil. The phone rings and rings; there's no
answering machine. Melissa sighs. She sits, staring at her classroom,
considering what to do. Everything in the school policy says that she
has to inform Christy's parents. I'm probably jumping to conclusions,
making comparisons because I recognized myself in her, she reasons. It
might not have been an anxiety attack. Darren's right; I'm not a doctor.
Even if it was, I don’t know what caused it… She dials Christy's home
number, the logical side of her brain taking over and following school
policy.
ISBN #
978-0-9816055-0-0 Price: $ 17.00 (USD)
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