by Adam Dark
Peter shrugged. “I mean, if you think you’re up for it.” His gaze flickered toward where Ben had jammed his gloved and mostly healed hands into the pockets of his jacket.
Ben just lifted his shoulders and glanced up at the sky. “Well, it might count as research for my thesis.” He was kind of joking.
Nodding, like that was the most natural response in the entire world, Peter glanced back down at his oddly modern creation for such an ancient ritual. “You think it’ll work like this?”
‘Looks good to me,’ Ian said.
“Looks good to me,” Ben echoed. If Ian thought this new and improved demon trap had a chance, he wasn’t about to question it.
“Cool.” Peter took another minute to admire his work, his eyes sparkling like he held a million dollars in his hand.
“Why a box, though?”
“What?”
“Why not just, like, make it flat to begin with?” Ben said.
Peter frowned and shook his head. “Because it’s awesome.”
“Yeah, but if it was flat, you wouldn’t have to worry about whether or not something breaks or if it opens at all. You could just toss it. Like a frisbee.”
“A frisbee.”
“You know. ‘Throw the crystal.’” Ben mimed tossing a frisbee across the parking lot, thinking his reference to what Ian had shouted at the house through his own mouth was hilarious.
‘I don’t sound like that.’
“You want a frisbee?” Peter asked, and Ben just shrugged, fighting not to burst out laughing. “He wants a frisbee.” It seemed almost like he was talking now to the open cube. “The coolest thing I’ve ever made, and he wants a frickin’ frisbee.” Peter folded the metal sides back up around the crystal’s setting, and the top panel clicked into place to make a sealed cube again.
Ben did laugh this time, then had to shake himself out of it. “It’s cool, dude. Thanks. It’ll make things a lot easier.”
“Way better than a frisbee.” Peter set the cube back into the black plastic tub, then opened his trunk again to return it. When he closed the trunk, he locked the car with his key fob and stuck it back into his pocket. “April said three o’clock, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Any idea what she wanted to talk about?”
Ben looked out over the parking lot in front of Terry’s Pub. “No clue. But she really likes meeting up in restaurants whenever she wants to talk about something important.” Then he saw her—blonde hair covered by a green wool hat, her gray down jacket falling down to the middle of her thighs. She shut the door to her own car, and when she spotted them, she grinned and headed their way.
“You been to her place yet?” Peter asked.
‘Uh, Ben… You got a minute?’
Ben looked at Peter, then glanced away. “Nope,” he said, answering them both. He nodded toward April, and Peter turned to catch sight of her too.
“Hey, guys,” she said, hunching into her shoulders and jamming her hands into her pockets. “Let’s go get a table. My car took forever to get warm.” She opened her arms to give Peter a quick, friendly hug, which he returned a little limply, then wrapped her arms around Ben’s neck and pressed herself against him for an obviously longer embrace. That hadn’t changed, at least.
‘So, I know this isn’t really the best time…’
“You think?” Ben muttered.
April pulled away and shot him a playful, curious frown. “What was that?”
“Yeah, I just meant my car hardly ever has heat in the winter unless I’m driving for over twenty minutes.” What a great cover-up. Not.
“Okay.” April eyed him sideways, then shivered and extended an arm toward the pub. “A table?”
‘Incoming, Ben…’
The minute Ben stepped forward to follow April toward the restaurant, he was blown back against the walls of his reality like he’d been hit by a train. The jagged, cratered parking lot was a hazy, misted green, the cars scattered at odd angles in one giant, spirit-realm pileup. Peter and April were gone, of course, but Ian stood there beside him, his bare arms below his t-shirt folded across his chest. No winter chill in this place.
At the far end of the parking lot, a woman knelt on the crumbling sidewalk, clutching fistfuls of her own wild, curly hair as she screamed up at the green-tinged sky. It sounded like either rage or all-consuming grief.
“What’s wrong with her?” Ben asked, noting that her turtleneck sweater and baggy jeans had the same gray wash against her gray skin as Ian’s did.
“You should go ask her and find out,” Ian said. “Maybe we can do something for her.”
A long, black shadow stretched behind the screaming woman, whose cries would have given Ben a splitting headache in the real world but here sounded only like an echo. A terrified echo. A scream for help.
WANT A FREE STORY?
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Meet Adam Dark
My name is Adam Dark.
I write horror and paranormal stories, based on my vivid dreams. It's the best way that I know of to get the demons out and onto paper. I hope they haunt you and leave your heart pumping like they do me.
I established my first LLC. when I was ten years old. My friends were my first employees. Other than sharing my stories with others, I love making videos on YouTube. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million. I've directed two movies so far. You can find them on YouTube at Super Plus Toys.
Outside of writing, I spend most of my time playing guitar or golf. Travel is also high on my list of leisure activities. I've been to seven countries within Europe and plan to visit many more in the years to come. The richness of other cultures is thrilling!
I have a pet tarantula named Venom; a dog named Emma; and cat named Ellie. They are my secret confidants to the mysterious worlds I create. I have both an American and Danish passport. Feel free to ask me more about my Polish heritage.
Some other things I enjoy are rock n' roll, public speaking, broccoli (I know, isn't that weird!), school, and heart-wrenching horror movies that leave me clinging to the seat. While I love learning, I dislike homework, disrespectful and rude people, senseless drama, and bullies. There is no room for hatred. We only have one life to live; let's do it to the best that we can and treat everyone with love and kindness.
Want to know more about me? Shoot me an email at [email protected]. I'd be happy to connect with you!
www.adamdark.com
[email protected]
Meet Matthew Thrush
Matthew Thrush is the cofounder of Six-Figure Ghostwriter, the Six-Figure Owner, The Author Roadmap to Ghostwriting and #1 best-selling author of over 50 books. He's a top-ranked ghostwriter and writing coach, who specializes in mentoring aspiring writers to scale to
six-figures with ghostwriting.
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He's been an expert or guest speaker for Make Money While You Sleep, YourFirst10kReaders, Author Platform Rocket, Kindlepreneur, Wordslinger, and Draft2Digital. His mission is to fuel people with an abundance mindset so they can manifest their dreams
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He loves writing Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Thrillers, Self-Help, & Nonfiction.
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When he’s not writing, he’s coaching and mentoring other aspiring authors in the trade of publishing, as well as business professionals to optimize their businesses.
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He has worked as a copy & technical writer, copy editor & editor, and Arabic Linguist & Intelligence Analyst for the United States Navy.
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His love for writing began in 5th grade when his teacher let him borrow her Lord of the Rings boxed-set. It’s been an upward journey ever since.
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Matthew strives to change the world with his words and to remind each person of their true value and worth in Jesus Christ. He currently lives in Houston, TX, with his wife, two sons, and their two dogs and cat.
Also by Adam Dark
Demon Hunter Prequels
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Simon Says
Knock Knock
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Demon Hunter
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Chosen
Born Again
The Fell
Also by Matthew Thrush
2136
Amber Skies
Red Planet
Three Shades of Black
All is Lost
Raifen: The Search for Truth
Raifen: A Call to Evil
Kiss of Death
Black Winter
Nemesis: A Science Fiction Anthology
My Blessed Life: 9 Steps to Financial Freedom and Abundance
Coming 2019
Risen
Tomorrow’s Dawn: Slaughter of Innocents
Tomorrow’s Dawn: Eden Reborn
Tomorrow’s Dawn: Escape & Evade
Jump Line
Time Hunter
The Elites: The Stolen Child
The Elites: The Rising Power
Runners: Ghost Towns
Omega Plague: The Beginning
