THE OVERCOMER



By Tessa Harvey





CHAPTER ONE



Elias tried desperately for the last time as they opened the deep blue car door. "Mum, please call me Samuel."

As she had for most of the long journey down, she ignored him, gingerly picking her way over the gravelled drive with her too high heels and too-tight skirt.

"Mum!" This time he spoke louder than intended as the school gates yawned open like a prison waiting for an unfortunate inmate. "It's Samuel!"

 Too late, he noticed a group of smirking boys clustered near the huge metal gates.

 One boy with a narrow olive-complexioned face and a thatch of thick black hair softly said "Mum-mee, oh plee-eze!"

 His voice broke on the last word, whether intentionally or not. It did not matter. It was too late to matter. As one, the group of boys sniggered.

 Crunching along the gravel, his mother heard nothing, but then suddenly noticed the small group of boys. "Oh look - Elias, new, chums. How perfectly lovely!" She had no idea how much those words would be re-echoed in varying tones of mockery or distaste over the next several weeks.

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THE OVERCOMER By Tessa Harvey CHAPTER EIGHT (Continued) Stella was obviously stunned in shock, stumbling, leaning on the older women. Sam was struggling. He kept calling for his mother. She was walking away on her high heels, wearing her tight fashionable skirt. She was going home and leaving him. He bowed his head in desperation. Desolate, he saw the dark blue of the car diminish into the distance. He kept calling "mum, mum", but no-one heard. No-one. Then he went looking for Stella, calling her name. He saw her running towards him in her beautiful, white-flowing wedding dress. She had flowers in her hair and her shining face was full of love for him. But she ran on by him and he groaned aloud. "Steady son," he heard his father and there was a strange roaring noise. He struggled, feeling heavy and weak. "Dad?" He could hear sirens. He heard his dad pray: "In Jesus Name!" Then he was asleep. He awoke to blinding light. "Hold on, son", a...
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