Chapter 1

Danny O’Hurley was a sweet, hard working, rather dim-witted young man. Since his father’s death, Danny had barely supported his mother and eight brothers and sisters on their farm. At 4:30 a.m. each morning, he would haul his reluctant ass, Sassy, out of the barn and work until nightfall. And as he plowed the stingy, stony ground of County Clare, he would talk to himself.

“Bad luck, bad luck,” he muttered. “I’ve no money and me work boots are more holey than Godly . . . but I’ve got me mother and a barn and a Sassy ass, so things could be worse.”

After two years of saving every extra penny, Danny rode Sassy into town and bought a new pair of work boots. He walked out of the store with his head held high and a bounce in his step. I may be poor, Danny mused, but I’ve me mother and new work boots and a barn and a Sassy ass, so I think me luck is changing.

As Danny untied Sassy, a flicker of lightning was followed by the distant rumble of thunder. Dense, angry clouds raced toward the town. All Danny could think about was keeping his new work boots from getting muddy. Quickly taking them off, he tied the laces together and placed them around Sassy’s neck.

Danny hurried home along the old, rutted dirt road with Sassy in tow, managing to stay just ahead of the storm. But as they neared the farm house, his ass was dragging. Cursing, Danny walked behind Sassy and bent down to see why she was limping. Thunder cracked loudly overhead and from between Sassy’s legs, Danny saw a bolt of lightening strike the barn just as Sassy kicked him in the head.

Click the lightning cloud to find out what happens next