I'm Sheridan Wesley. I'm eleven years old. I've always lived with my dad. He's the only person I've got. He loves me and I love him too. But soon our lives changed. Mine especially.


It was a sunny day in Blueville, a rural small town not far away from Tennessee. The kind of place where everyone knew everyone. My dad was one of the most popular and well-liked people of Blueville. He owned vast land and a big ranch.

I always loved working with him. I loved the farm life. I knew how to ride horses, milk cows, make butter, plant seeds and harvest crops. I was well loved by all my dad's employees and well known too by the people of the town. I was the little boy who always gave a helping hand.

The Last Laugh

I stood up and started limping as fast as possible through the woods. Places were beginning to get darker. The last night had been a lucky one. Any wild animal could have found me and made me its meal. I had to find a place. Worse again, it was going to rain. Heavily.


I limped and limped, ignoring the endless pain in my knee and under my feet.


Heavy raindrops began to fall. I increased my speed. I was week, tired and hungry. The rain began to slightly increase. Soon I was soaked and shivering. It was really cold. The weather had gone from hot to freezing. I didn't stop moving. I had hopes.


As I limped in pain, just when I was about to give up, I noticed something. A house! That house I'd shown uncle Ken and dad.


I quickly made my way for it. I was gonna break in. I didn't care whether there were snakes in there or whether it was dirty, old and hunted. I needed a house.


Chapter17