Böcker i Rose Chronicles-serien

Her tears really flowed when he reached her. Slipping down from his horse, he helped her down and hugged her. She buried her head into his shoulder and continued to cry.Caressing her hair, he said, “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to come out here. Things sure haven’t gone well for us.”“I’m sorry, Papa,” Rose said, “I’m sorry.”He felt a damp area in her hair and gently pushed her back. Turning her head, he noticed the bruise on the side of her face. Pushing her hair back slightly, he exposed a cut above her ear. “Did Mr. Brady do this to you?”“He was angry because I pushed him when he was going to shoot the Indian boy,” Rose said. “I couldn’t let him kill him, Papa!”

George dropped the dress sending her into the water face first. She dropped the lantern trying to catch herself, but she hung onto the dress. She felt her hands go through the mud and strike the hard dirt below. Her nose and mouth filled with the soft mud. She came up spitting mud and water.She started to wipe her face with the dress but changed her mind. The stench coming from it overpowered her nose. She remained sitting in the water searching for the lantern. It was dark. The water was almost up to her shoulders. She thought about ducking her head under the water to search for it, but she could not bring herself to do it. 

Slowly she placed her left hand over the cooked fish protecting them. She heard the animal move on down the branch until he was partway in the boat beside her. She felt the boat tip sharply to her left. Yes, it was very large.Suddenly she felt pain in her left arm. Sharp claws moved across her hand. It sent her screaming. Her fear came out in full force. She raised her hand quickly and struck something hard that had teeth in it. She kept screaming and swinging hard into the mass of fur and teeth. She felt another slash on her arm and screamed louder. Finally, the beast retreated up the branch.

Indian Chief Black Cloud had warned Rose of the impending flood that would cover their land for miles. When she told those at the trial no one believed her except her mother. Captain Bollinger ignoring the warning decided to leave with his wounds back to the fort. Even Mr. Broden, Mary Beth’s father ignored the warning taking his family back home

The story takes place in southern Alabama along the Tensaw River in the year 1852, twenty years after the Indian Creek massacre of1832. Rose lives a very sheltered life until she reaches the age of twelve when her adventures begin.In this first story, Rose meets Mrs. Stone and thinks she is a witch seeking to make a ghoul. She needs virgin blood, her blood. She screams to her mother, and her teacher, but no one will listen.

Suddenly four wolves attacked. The horse reacted and started kicking their legs out behind them. The wolves darted around them, but they were meant with a sharp stick from Rose and the accurate hooves of her pony.Rose poked the leading one in the chest and sent him squealing. The pony connected with the next one catching him in the face. The Colonel came out of the tepee with his saber drawn when Rose did not come inside. He saw her, and the pony attack the wolves and charged with his saber. His voice carried the battle cry. 

Rose found herself alone as the buffalo moved back into the camp to reach the water. She watched Sergeant Meade disappear into the darkness on his horse with Abigail behind him as the buffalo forced him away from her wagon. He was leaving her! She felt the desertion run deep inside of her. Then the wagon gave way from the pressure of the buffalo. She found herself on the ground about to be trampled when her pony suddenly appeared.Without questioning it, she leaped up on his back as he worked himself through the buffalo. That’s when she discovered her pony was being led by the buffalo boy. She was being separated from those she loves. She felt them first, then she saw them. Other Indians in the herd were moving with them. Where were they taking her? 

She raised the lantern higher and looked in the mirror over the bar. She was bleeding from her head and arm. Her hair was a mess and mixed in with the blood. Her left hand was dripping blood over the crowbar she held. Her dress was in shreds and barely holding together. She had dirt from the holes sticking to the other parts of her body. She dropped to the floor and felt a dark cloud go over her head.

It was too late. Rose felt the giant paddle strike the boat. Huge planks flew from the wheel as it devoured the bow of the Shanadoa. The giant wheel was coming for the wheelhouse. She saw the raft. It was caught in the wheel. It was coming up towards her.Gripping the wheel, she dropped to the deck and covered her head. She closed her eyes as she heard the side of the wheelhouse coming apart. The noise was deafening, but she hung onto the wheel. She felt the roof being torn loose. The devil wanted her soul! She screamed, but the loud noise from the paddle wheel drowned it out. 

Mrs. Stone has left for St Louis taking George with her. Rose’s father built their house and barn on Indian land as did many of their neighbors. The Indians were scared off the land twenty years ago when the Indian massacres were taking place. Now Indian smoke is seen again. Have the Indians come back, and what do they want as old hatreds surface? 

Rose delayed stepping on the gangplank for fear she might tip it slightly. She thought about waiting for the Colonel and delayed a little longer.She heard someone coming down the stairs in a hurry and decided she would go on across to be out of his way. The footsteps picked up speed and came up fast behind her. She felt pressure on her side and found herself falling into the water. Something hit her head, and she blacked out.

She felt sick and dizzy at the same time. She knew she had to free herself before the cellar became totally engulfed.She pulled hard with her right arm and felt the stake give slightly. It allowed her more leverage on her left arm. Pulling hard, she loosened it some. This allowed her to lean forward and put more of her body into her right arm.Giving it all she had, she felt it slipping and then flying free. She did not bother to untie the ropes. Using two hands, she pulled the remaining three stakes loose. On her feet quickly, she dragged two burning boxes to the window and climbed up.

Rose could feel the person looking at them. Immediately she knew who it was. She felt the small dark eyes penetrating the wood. It was Mrs. Peterson!Rose concentrated and pushed the eyes back out with her mind. The eyes were becoming weaker. She kept concentrating and pushing hard."Stop!" Yelled Mrs. Peterson. "Please stop!"They heard Mrs. Peterson run from the boat screaming, "No more! No More! If you want them, you have to go get them!