“Young Mr. Greaves,” Mrs. Dumphry called, “my patience is wearing thin. You will jump now or I will throw you off.”
“Come on, Arthur,” Jack yelled. “It’s really fun!”
Arthur took a step back, disappearing from view. “I can’t do it!” he shouted.
Mrs. Dumphry tsked irritably, and a moment later, Jack heard a squeal from the top of the cliff. As he looked up, Arthur appeared. He was floating in midair and screaming hysterically as he hovered over the edge. Mrs. Dumphry watched with a look of concentration.
Arthur kicked his legs hysterically, flailing against something unseen. A moment later he shrieked as he dropped like a stone. A split second before he hit the water, twenty bolts of lightning streaked the sky.
Terror formed in the pit of Jack’s stomach. Rocks and earth rained down as he tried to look in every direction at the same time. Mrs. Dumphry offered Jack an amused smile, then turned back to Arthur.
Ten, twenty, thirty bolts lit up the sky, striking the lake or the nearby land. With each bolt that struck the lake, Jack felt as if he’d been kicked in the ribs. “We’re under attack!“ he yelled. “The Assassin is here!”
A short distance away, Arthur surfaced, flailing wildly. “Help me!” he screamed.
“Arthur Reginald Greaves”—Mrs. Dumphry’s voice was both commanding and reassuring—“you are safe! Face your fear, child. I will not let you drown.”
Lightning struck just above Mrs. Dumphry’s head, yet the bolt didn’t hit her. Instead it slammed against a shield of blue light.
“Help!” Arthur wailed.
“Fear is not real, boy.” Mrs. Dumphry treaded water calmly. “It is a locked door. Face it and you will find the key.”
Arthur barely kept his head above water as lightning rained down.
“We need to run!” Jack screamed. “The Assassin has come!”
“Arthur, you can do this!” Mrs. Dumphry’s voice held a note of authority that cut through the chaos. “Look at me.” Arthur locked eyes with her. “Child, you are courageous, you are strong, and you are able. And it is you who controls the lightning.”
JACK STAPLES AND THE RING OF TIME
Published by David C Cook
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David C Cook Distribution Canada
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David C Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications
Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6NT, England
The graphic circle C logo is a registered trademark of David C Cook.
All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced, scanned, resold, or distributed by or through any print or electronic medium without written permission from the publisher. This ebook is licensed solely for the personal and noncommercial use of the original authorized purchaser, subject to the terms of use under which it was purchased. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
This story is a work of fiction. All characters and events are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is coincidental.
LCCN 2014943142
ISBN 978-0-7814-1107-3
eISBN 978-1-4347-0861-8
© 2014 Mark Batterson, Joel N. Clark
Published in association with the literary agency of The Fedd Agency, Inc., Post Office Box 341973, Austin, Texas 78734.
The Team: Alex Field, Jamie Chavez, Carly Razo, Nick Lee, Karen Athen
Cover Design: Amy Konyndyk
Cover Illustration: Duncan Stewart
First Edition 2014
Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC, one of the most innovative and influential churches in America. He is a national speaker and New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker.
Joel N. Clark is the author of Awake: The Book You Can Watch, and cofounder of Atlas District Pictures and Switchvert. Clark has written and directed multiple documentaries, commercials, and short films. He and his wife, Megan, and their daughter, Juno, reside in Washington, DC.
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Jack Staples and the Ring of Time Page 18
