An excerpt from Shimmer my second book published 2007.
David let the screen door slam into the door frame behind him as he bounded off the porch and onto the dirt road in front of their home. The road actually dead-ended in front of their house; it was the only way out unless you wanted to cut through the forest. The humid tropical heat was already starting to weigh on David as beads of perspiration started to form on his forehead, with one quick motion he removed his shirt tucking it through one of the belt loops in his shorts for safe keeping. As he drew closer to Tommy’s house, he began to jog, the dust from the road kicking up in swirls around his legs.
Tommy Chandler’s house was an exact copy of his own a one story, two bedroom slat board house that was on the down hill side of actually providing shelter from the elements. Slat- board- houses got their name from the way they were constructed. The rough cut boards were run vertically side-by-side with another board nailed in place over the cracks. No insulation, a wood burning cook stove, with a pot bellied stove for heat. David’s dad had explained the process in great detail boring David to death as he pretended to be interested. No indoor plumbing, water for drinking and bathing being provided by a well often hand dug. Dad never failed to tell his favorite joke while talking about house construction.
“I carpeted my bathroom the other day… Liked it so well I decided to run it on up into the house.”
David smiled at the memory, no matter how many times he had heard this ridiculous joke he couldn’t keep from laughing. Tommy spotted David on the road and met him under the tall oak tree in their front yard. Simultaneously they collapsed on the grass. Tommy moved over to sit beside his best friend.
Tommy was the same age as David and approximately the same height and weight. They had known each other for as long as either of them could remember. They occasionally had their disagreements but since there was no one else in this holler for them to play with they quickly settled their arguments. Tommy’s hair was jet black and always cut short to the scalp, thin like David with the muscle definition easily seen. Their features were very similar and but for such a drastic difference in the coloration of their hair they could have been brothers. Tommy genuinely liked David and quickly let his arm fall across his friend’s bare shoulders. They were both comfortable in being close and often you would see them walking together, their arms draped around each other on the hottest days. They sat together for a few moments enjoying the other’s company before David spoke.
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