THE RIVER 

By Tessa Harvey


    So he firstly assured her that Josiah had been merely worn out by being in the col water. His early symptoms were merely stiffness.
    "They need to be out more," the physician stated firmly. "I gather Joe had to practically rebel to leave school and gain an apprenticeship as a carpenter."
"Amy is almost of her high school age," he continued more gently. "What will you do. You cannot live in the past - tortured, tormented by fear. The kids shouldn't be afraid to even bang the flyscreen door occasionally!"
    Elizabeth felt beleaguered. "What if it wasn't an accident when my brother.....?"
But the broken refrain sounded forlorn now, even to her.
    Fear had indeed crept up and bound her in strong chains, gaining a stronghold in her mind. Why had she so isolated herself and the children, sequestered them apart from others, from life?
    She flushed, thinking of the burner phone. It seemed rather extreme and somewhat silly now - but I only wanted to protect them, she thought. I only wanted to keep them safe. Was that so wrong?

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