Digging Up Bones

Synopsis (revised)

SYNOPSIS
DIGGING UP BONES

How would you react if someone dug up your dead relatives?

(true)
In Kentucky, prior to 1992, no enforceable laws pertaining to the desecration of Native American burial grounds existed.  I was fortunate to have participated in the peaceful gathering of Native people from every part of the United States to protest the destruction of their ancestral sacred soil.  In part, because of this direct action, the law 525.115 was passed. 
But what if... 


Digging up Bones                             


While working on the construction of a new road, Shane accidentally uncovers an ancient burial ground that is claimed by the Shawnee Nation.  Shane believes it is wrong to disturb graves regardless of who is occupying them and loses his job defending that belief.  He tries legal avenues to stop the digging and learns that in Kentucky, in 1989, there are no enforceable laws prohibiting the digging of Native American burial grounds or selling the artifacts found.  However, it is illegal to dig graves in white cemeteries and someone is doing it anyway---who and why?

Looking for like-minded people, Shane befriends Holly, a native woman his age, her big, ugly, mean dog, Jake, and Coy, Holly's father.  Coy organizes the Native people from across the United States to come together and peacefully protest the desecration of their burial grounds.  While several locals are digging the old native graves, the operators of an illegal drug lab are digging graves in white cemeteries for the purpose of keeping the authorities too busy to watch them.  This gruesome deed is instantly blamed on the Native people and has the desired effect. 

Due to an 1859 treaty that Coy's son finds, the Native people claim ownership to thousands of acres of land currently in the possession of white farmers, including the governor of the state.  The Native people only claim ownership hoping to gain the attention needed to get laws passed that will permanently stop the desecration of their burial grounds.  The Native people have no intention of actually taking any land but some farmers do not know this and become angry at the thought of loosing their land.

Not until after Coy's son is shot and killed for only trespassing on the governor's land, did Shane and Coy secretly start watching that farm.  They realize there is something unusual going on because of too much traffic in and out of the farm, and armed guards patrolling the perimeter.  Shane learns that the governor's brother had leased the farm and gone from nearly bankrupted to a wealthy lifestyle and debt free. 

Attempting to get a closer look at a busy building on the governor's farm, Coy gets careless and is captured.  Shane slips in to rescue him and they discover the building is actually a warehouse half-full of illegal drugs with a basement laboratory.  Together, Coy and Shane cause the destruction of the drug lab and warehouse.  The police arrive too late, and the operators of the lab escape. The drug lords attempt revenge by kidnapping Holly from angry farmers who had already kidnapped her hoping to trade her for their own land.

Now in the hands of the drug lords, Holly is used for bait to get at Shane and Coy.  The two men understand they will all be killed if they do nothing, so they devise a plan hoping to delay their deaths until Holly's dog can help her get away.  The plan works better than expected, and as usual, the police arrive minutes too late.


This story contains:

•          A touch of mystery
•          A sprinkle of romance
•          A reminder of discrimination
•          A hint of danger
•          Non-descriptive violence
•          No foul language
•          No sex


Easy to read format suitable for young adults