Amazing Grace (Spirit) by joe vitulli

A heart breaking story like no other.
She cradled his head in her arms, dust and dirt clogging her eyes, her vision of him cloudy. Yet, she saw his life slipping away, a slow painful death, death she was powerless to stop. A shadow loomed over her, and wiping away tears, she looked at the sneering face a blinding sun distorting her vision. A wave of anger and hatred crushed her insides, she fell into a pit of murderous rage, and grabbing her lover’s pistol, she scream at the gates of her personal Hell. She screamed, a violence of sound which shook the town. Hoisting the gun, vengeance tearing at her soul, she raised the pistol and shot the man dead, his limp body collapsing onto the hard packed dirt road. Later, she learned the truth.
This astonishing sage begins with Carmine (Charlie) DeStino, penniless, a teenager who arrived in America seeking the flame of hope for a new life. Through family connections and luck, Charlie arrived in Spirit, a small town in the great American Midwest. With his wife, Anna Marie they carve out an existence, Charlie’s cows producing sweet milk, his cheese famous.
Grace is born, Charlie and Anna Marie exalt in her beauty, naming her Grace. Together the new family works hard, Grace is raised well, honor and hard work the hallmarks of the DeStino family. Tragedy strikes when Anna Marie dies, driving Charlie into a pit of lost hope and despair. One bright day in town, Grace literally stumbles into the arms of the new Deputy, Jake, and struck by thunder they both fall madly in love.
The Natch Brothers, Dan, Nick and the young one, the crazy one, Joe are forced out of Montana, their father letting them know the Marshall is heading their way, a long story of rustling horses following the boys around. They settle on a small ranch outside of Spirit. On a night of devious adventure they rustle a small herd of cattle, unaware the animals are suffering and will soon die of a ravenous virus sweeping out of the northwest. Passing across Charlie’s land, the sick cows infect Charlie’s herd. Confrontation occurs, and Charlie is beaten severely. Grace arrives to safe her father and swears she will get her revenge.
On a night of drunken revelry in Slim’s saloon, Joe is tossed into ail by Jake. In the morning after Nick and Dan pay his bail, and reeking of his own urine and vomit, they escort Joe back to the ranch, forcing him to sleeping outside, they will not let him into the house. On a night with a full moon, Joe drinks himself into a rage filled stupor, he crawls back into the house and in a bland rage kills his two brothers. Seeking his own vengeance, Charlie arrives, the moon light at his back, he and Joe exchange gunfire, Charlie is killed and Joe wounded, Joe’s father arrives to see Charlie fall, and Joe ride off into the night.
In the early morning, Joe is in Slim’s, drinking, his eyes glassy, his mind awash in alcohol. Jake is summoned, and as he heads to the saloon, Joe ambushes him and shoots the young deputy. Grace arrives to see Jake fall, splayed out on the dirt street of Spirit. Joe’s father arrives, sees the carnage, and as Slim shotguns Joe, the father walks to the fallen deputy. Grace believing this is Joe, her vision clouded by her sorrow and pain, she shoots the father. He dies. Quickly Doc Sam and Slim take Grace and remove her from town. They bring her to a small convent, and there entrust her to the care of the Nuns. It is here that Grace learns that she not only killed the wrong man, but that her father is also dead.
Witness as Grace falls into a abyss of despair, and tries to rise above her sorrow and pain and begin a new life. Can she succeed? As you read you will be taken by Grace’s fortitude and strength, a truly amazing woman, Amazing Grace.