The Narrows Escape epilogue

Most people don't realize that early versions of the Narrows Escape had an epilogue. At some point in the last ten years, I removed it. I can't remember the reasons why, but it was one of the many revisions that I've made to the book. In any case, I saved it in my "DTB clips" file (which is actually longer than the current novel), and decided to share it with you now:

Epilogue

September 1983

Brady sat in his English class on the first day of Junior High, listening to the teacher go over the class rules. But instead of going over them all period like some of the teachers had done, she reserved the last fifteen minutes to give them their first homework assignment.

“I want you to write a two-page essay on your summer vacations,” she said. “You can devote both pages to one event, or talk about the summer as a whole.”

Everyone groaned, but she continued to detail the specifics of the assignment, and answer questions from those conscientious students who needed to hear the same thing three times just to make sure they got it right.

But while most of the students were loudly complaining about the essay, Brady started getting excited. He had recorded the details of the Narrows hike in his journal upon returning home. But this would be an opportunity to actually write it in story form. And whereas all his stories to present had been created by his imagination, this one was real! It was one of those life-changing events and needed to be recorded in the annals of DTB history for his kids and grandkids to enjoy someday. The hard part was going to be keeping it to two pages.

Brady sat down with his journal and reread what he’d written about the trip. He had been worried that his fear of water would make his cousins think he was a wimp and alienate him from the club. But the whole experience had strengthened club unity more than anything they’d ever experienced. By putting others’ needs before their own, they’d survived what could have been a disaster!

It took a while for Brady to decide on a starting point; but once he did, the words seemed to flow onto the page. He couldn’t stop after two pages, and extended it to five. Even then he couldn’t give many details of the adventure. He had to stick just to the facts.

##

When Brady got his paper back, he was pleased with the “A,” but not surprised. The paper had been some of the best work of his life. At the end, the teacher had added a note: “P.S. Is this true? Wow! I’m impressed. You might want to consider fleshing it out and rewriting it as a full length novel.”

That’s a good idea, thought Brady. He went to his desk drawer and pulled out the hidden folder that contained all his DTB memorabilia – his top secret ID card and several coded letters from his cousins. Underneath was a worn notebook containing the DTB mystery book they’d actually completed – The Case of the Sneaky Robber. He thumbed through it a bit, wondering when he’d get it published.

Then he remembered that the Dodgers’ game had already started. He quickly stuck his English paper inside the folder with his other DTB stuff. Someday he’d write it into a novel, he decided. He stuck the folder back in the drawer to wait until that “someday” arrived.