Excerpt from By Way of Water by Charlotte Gullick, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"You'll want the liver," Dale said without looking at him."Yes." He wiped the blade on his right thigh. "It's in the bed of the truck." She turned and started to walk away.

"Dale," he said. She stopped, and Justy backed up some more.

"We ain't got shit in this world." Dale paused, then said, "We are being tested, Jacob. And I failed today."

Her words hit him and he stared. "What are you talking about?"

Justy retreated farther, feeling the rage build in him, run into his fingers.

"God offered us a test and I failed," Dale said.

Jake threw the knife on the ground. "Dammit, Dale. There ain't nothing wrong with a man feeding his family. I thought you finally saw the light on this." "I didn't see that it was a test then, and I've been praying while you've been gone, and I see now. There are other options. ""Bullshit there are other options. Don't you think I've thought about this?" His words came from a lower and lower place in his throat. Justy moved back again, biting the coin, hating herself for not being able to step forward. "There's government help," Dale said, taking a small step away. "You know how I feel."

And Dale did know, knew he'd never accept any help, not when his body still worked and there was the land to tell him who he was. "In the old days," he said, "it didn't matter." "Tested," she said, "like Job."

"We used to take what we needed. We didn't need anybody telling us how to live, how to fill out paperwork." Dale closed her eyes.

"I am not in the Bible." His hand shot out and punched the deer. It swung in a wild arc, the branch creaking under the weight. "Dale. I've done this all my life, and I stopped for you after Kyle left, but now we don't have time to think about God." "Jacob. It's wrong, even if I was the one to suggest it." She started to walk away, but he caught up with her, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around. "It ain't wrong. "Justy turned her back on them and waited for the silent wrestling of bodies. The deer finally stopped swinging, and all Justy heard was Jake's breathing. She walked to the porch, listening for the fight to turn physical. Her stomach hurt beyond her hunger as she wished for the violence to come, just so it would be over.

Copyright 2002 by Charlotte Gullick. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, Blue Hen.