A Sample from A Rippling in Owl Creek

I started to write a novella in November, part of NaNoWriMo.org. I didn't make much progress, though. The premise is a frustrated young man enters a time ripple and finds himself in the same spot a century ago. 

The setting is Mount Vernon, Ohio during two these different time periods, now and 100 years ago. Some of the characters in century-old time frame are based loosely on my great-grandparents and their three small children that lived here prior to moving to West Virginia where my grandfather was eventually born. It combines my interest in family genealogy and dipping into obscure historical periods. There is not much written on the 1910s.

There will also be a few composite characters and places gleaned from research at the Knox County Historical Society and stories in the Democratic Banner, a twice-weekly newspaper published in Mount Vernon during the early 1900s. Browse these issues at Chronicling America. Here's an excerpt from the story:

“What the--,” said Jack, straining to see through the wet, heavy mist swirling above his car.

A brief second revealed the imposing four foot wingspan reaching across the hood of his beat-up import. Jack blinked hard, unbelieving.

“Is that an owl?,” said Jack to no one in particular, not able to keep his disbelief to himself. 

---

The great horned owl soared past his windshield and somewhere into the great billowy sheets of rain and lightning. One of the jagged strikes lit up the sky just as the owl turned its huge yellow eyes toward Jack. It was looking right at him—through him—as it seemed Thor himself was poundeding the bridge with an explosive crash of light and asphalt and Japanese steel. The world disappeared into a blinding ripple. Jack opened his mouth to cuss, scream, anything but nothing came out. 

The car swerved into the concrete slab of the bridge’s abutment, sending the car spinning into the surging waters of the river below. The car scrapped under the bridge, at the mercy of the raging current. It would have been possible to see the horrified look on Jack’s face one last time before the vehicle succumbed to the rushing torrent, but he was no longer in the car.