Derek Barton's Blog, page 18

ELUDE: PART THREE — NOW ON SALE!! — DEREK BARTON

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The thrilling conclusion to this unique tale of suspense, crime, and horror!

Find out what happens when nightmares become reality for Vicente, Shellie, and Chad!  Will they outrun the police AND The Trio? And can they stop the Blood Debt before it strikes the city of Phoenix?

Get it now on sale at Amazon & Kindle!

 

SPECIAL OFFER — IF YOU BUY PART ONE AND PART THREE EBOOKS THIS MONTH, I WILL SEND YOU PART TWO FOR FREE!!  (Just send me a snapshot of your receipt and I will email your copy!)

 

 

THE HIDDEN (Finale) — CHAPTER 27: THE PATH AGAIN & Epilogue — T.D. BARTON & DEREK BARTON

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:  THE PATH AGAIN

Nate grasped Susie firmly by the shoulders and shook her — hard. The little girl’s face was pasty white in color, and her hair was damp with sweat. Her eyes had rolled back in their sockets as she concentrated upon her lunar image. It was a valiant effort, and Nate marveled at the way she had so unselfishly taken the task upon herself. She had quite literally saved their lives. His heart warmed as he considered what a brave little child she was.

But now it was time for her to relax her mind and allow the Kophet-kur their freedom. While stumbling through the forest, Nate had hit upon a plan to eradicate these horrid creatures, and to put it into effect he must draw them into a trap. So he shook Susie and brought her out of her self-induced trance.

The girl looked up at him and blinked rapidly as she tried to orient herself. Her mind was fuzzy and her mouth felt stuffed with cotton. “Are we safe?” she asked. “Where’s Zelda?”

“I’m right here, honey.” Zelda stepped near and put her arms lovingly around the child. At that moment, Susie wished this couple would adopt her and take her away from her natural parents. She marveled at the fact that these two strangers had, in one day’s time, shown more love and affection than her parents had given her in eleven years. A rueful smile tugged at her lips as she thought that grown-ups should be given a test before they were allowed to have children. Certainly, her life would have been entirely different had Nate and Zelda been her father and mother. Doug would never have dared to touch her…

The thought of Doug made her realize, now that they were on the verge of escaping, she would soon be going back to her old life. She was struck by the realization that the idea brought her no joy. Her ordeal among the Kophet-kur had been horrible, but the prospect of being turned back over to her sadistic brother and distant parents seemed nearly as bad. Desperation overwhelmed her soul, and for the first time since her capture, Susie began to wish she were dead.

“Susie, honey, take this.” Nate was handing her a stalk of corn. For a second, she failed to respond. It seemed strange for Nate to be standing here in the middle of a field at night, handing her cornstalk. What did it all mean? Mechanically, she reached out and opened her hand, mutely accepting the offering. She was still partially groggy from her intense act of mental telepathy, and the world of reality skated just beyond her reach. Then, from the depths of the forest came a harsh growl, and fear brought her all the way back.

They stood at the end of the path, where it opened out upon the lovely little clearing where Nate and Zelda had camped. Nate held the torch in one hand, and Zelda had a cornstalk, like the one he had given Susie. They stood side by side, looking like a parody of that old painting she’d seen in her school-books — the one with the old woman and the old man with the pitchfork. “American something-or-other” it was called. Behind them, the path plunged into the depths of the cornfield, and Susie was reminded of the tunnels winding through the lair of the Kophet-kur.

Nate was extremely excited, casting nervous glances back toward the dark forest, but his hand remained steady as he brought the torch up to set fire to Zelda’s stalk. The corn was dry s tinder, and in seconds, it leaped into flame. Nate then turned and lit Susie’s stalk, his big hand closing firmly around hers to hold it steady and safely away from her face.

Nate folded Zelda into his arms, her white gown fluttering in tatters before the wind. He kissed her fiercely, and then said, “Let’s do it.” Susie needed no instruction as she watched the two adults start down the path, setting fire to opposite sides as they went. Susie followed, pausing occasionally to dip her own fire-brand, and before long the entire length of the path behind them flamed brilliantly. Sparks popped and danced noisily from the dry field and the fire rapidly found a home amidst the corn. Nate straightened up and gazed back the way they had come, and Susie could see the fire dancing brightly in his eyes. Soon the heat from the blaze began to bake her face, and she hurried along, escaping into the cool night air.

The first of the Kophet-kur burst onto the path amidst a shower of sparks, and his momentum carried him several yards into the inferno before he realized it was too hot and attempted to retreat. By that time, however, he was deeply immersed in the flames. His coat began to singe and hiss as the fire leaped high above his head from both sides of the path. With a howl of rage, he spun in a dazed circle, twisting and snarling savagely. His howling rapidly took on a note of panic as the fire overtook him and his skin began to blister. Small sparks showered him and flames began licking up along the sides of his body and standing like a glowing crown atop his head. With a final scream that sounded, to Nate, all too human, he crashed blindly into the corn on the right side of the path and disappeared totally in the conflagration.

“That’s one,” Nate said quietly as the trio halted and stared back down the path into the fire. With a grim line creasing his lips, he turned and resumed his task. Susie and Zelda exchanged a horrified glance and then joined him. The trio moved rapidly down the path, and behind them, everything blazed. The night sky was set aglow with the light from the flaming corn, and the storm’s fury whipped the blaze into a dazzling holocaust.

Chirkah raged back and forth at the mouth of the pathway while a wall of flames blazed before him, preventing his pursuit. He howled and snarled, ripping up huge clods of soil with his paws and tossing them into the night to vent his frustration. The red flames danced in his evil eyes, merging with the inner glow created by his fury. His desire for revenge against the irritating man that had dared steal the woman from his very chambers was combined with a thirst for the blood of the little girl.

He realized how she had fooled him, using his own methods against him, and he longed to bite her head off and suck the blood from her body, leaving a dried and empty husk. In all the years he’d been dealing with humans and their sniveling, pusillanimous ways, he had never been bested. And to think it had come at the hands of a juvenile — a female juvenile at that! The idea drove him quite clearly to the brink of madness. His hot blood boiled in his veins with a heat to match that of the blazing corn, and his anger swelled up and spilled over in a froth of spittle which lathered his wounded face.

The rest of the Kophet-kur stood back, watching him warily and striving to keep a low profile, lest he vent his rage upon one of them. Never before had they witnessed the awesome power of their leader, completely unbridled and spilling out in total animalistic abandon. It was a spectacle which struck terror even in their savage hearts.

Suddenly, Chirkah whirled upon them and instructed them to split up and enter the corn on either side of the path, beyond the reach of the flames. His intentions were to outdistance their quarry by sprinting through the corn, across the grain, so to speak, and then to come out ahead of them on the path. The humans would be unable to escape, having cut off their own retreat by burning their bridges behind them. Chirkah wasted no time explaining this plan to his henchmen, but plunged headlong into the corn himself, assuming they would catch on. The chase was on again, and the beasts howled with excitement, the bloodlust lighting its own fire within them.

Ahead, on the burning path, Nate, Zelda and Susie stopped to listen to the clamoring of the creatures’ voices as they raced to overtake them in the corn. The sounds seemed to rapidly approach and then fan out on either side, surrounding them in the heart of the night. Each mournful howl poured ice-water through their veins and dread threatened to overwhelm their souls.

Chirkah, however, had failed to take into consideration the effect of the wind, driving the flames across the field like a molten flash-flood of destruction. Within seconds of entering the tangled stalks, each party was experiencing trouble. The smoke and super-heated air served to disorient the creatures, and they became separated from each other, wandering helplessly in circles. Many of the beasts were seized by panic and ran madly into the fire. Others blundered into situations where the towering flames trapped them in pockets from which there was no escape. Sparks rained down upon them stinging their skin and smarting their eyes and nostrils.

The trio began to hear screams of agony coming from the depths of the field, and, for the first time, hope was spawned in their hearts. Nate beamed at Zelda and Susie, and they smiled broadly in return.

The field had now become a raging inferno, and its tongues of fire and sparks leaped into the black night air to form a fireworks display far outstripping the one their tiny county fair had put on previously that summer. The storm raged through the night, and the fire roared so loudly it came close to drowning out the shrieks of the Kophet-kur as, one-by-one, they met their fiery ends.

At last, as the three stood with their hands upraised against the stinging heat, Chirkah crashed his way through the wall of death that lined the pathway. He stood before them and raised up into the fighting stance of the Kophet-kur. Not much recognizable was left of him, however. Chirkah was losing the last great battle of his life. His skin had all been charred from his body, and his massive paws were now merely two enormous clubs, tipped with blunt stubs that used to be claws. His ears were gone, leaving a gaping hole on either side of his head from which they could see tiny flames escaping.

Slowly, stiffly, like an enormous tree struggling to uproot itself and flee the ravages of a forest fire, the beast took one agonizing step toward them. A ripple of flames tore across the path at his feet and ran up his body like some flammable liquid, and nested at the top of his head. His once-terrible jaws swung open and a blue flame emerged as the mighty Chirkah burst into flames before their eyes. Finally, with a high-pitched hissing noise, his body toppled and sprawled in a heap in the center of the path.

As Chirkah died, a many-fingered bolt of lightning rippled across the sky, illuminating the entire countryside for a second, and the light was immediately followed by an enormous clap of thunder. As if on cue, the screams of the monsters began to die out, and Nate pulled Zelda close to his side to cover her face with kisses. Shyly, Susie drew near, and the couple gathered her in as well. “It’s over,” Nate croaked, his voice made husky by a combination of emotion and the thick smoke that belched out of the burning field. “It’s over,” was all he could think to say, but it sure sounded good. He repeated it again and again, as the three leaned upon each other in relief.

“What in the name of hell do you think you’re doing?” The voice rang out so sudden and so near that all three of them flinched violently. They whirled to face the sound and came face to face with Sam Burchill, standing in the middle of the path with his hands balled upon his hips and glaring angrily at them. Relief at seeing Sam’s familiar face washed over Nate and he began to laugh hysterically. His laughter was infectious, and Zelda found herself joining in. it felt marvelous to laugh, and she wished she would never stop. In fact, she thought about going right on through life chuckling and guffawing, pausing only long enough to snicker. This thought in itself served to increase the humor of the situation in her tortured mind and she laughed all the harder. Nate was holding his sides and cackling, tears slipping down his cheeks. He looked over at Zelda and howled, jubilation coursing through him like a river.

Sam, however, was not in the least bit amused. With a scowl, he strode over to Nate, snatched the flaming torch from his hand and brought his fist up hard against the point of the younger man’s chin. Nate’s teeth clacked together and fell flat on his back to look up awkwardly into the farmer’s face.

“You’re burnin’ my damn field, you crazy fool!” Sam shouted over the roar of the wind and the flames. “Have you gone completely out of your mind?” His voice broke a little under the strain.

Nate held out his hand, defensively, striving to calm the man down, and Zelda spoke up. “You don’t understand!” she shouted above the din. “We were defending ourselves! There were… monsters…” She stopped, trying to think of a way to explain without completely convincing this man that she was insane.

As she searched for words, Susie stepped forward. She had a wild look in her eyes and she stared at the big man as though she were looking at something extremely disgusting. Her face was a mask of loathing and contempt, and the storm whipped her hair around, making her look like a child possessed. She walked over and stood facing him, and the dancing light from the burning corn bathed both of them in a fiery glow.

“He understands,” said Susie, and her voice, though strangely low somehow carried above the noise. “He understands just fine.” Without another word, she closed her eyes and squeezed them tight. A look of serious concentration spread across her face, and she began to tremble violently. From where he lay on the ground, Nate could see the moon, slowly materializing in the stormy sky above them. It was hard to determine, amidst the blazing corn, but he had no doubt that this moon cast no light and was the product of Susie’s peculiar mental powers. Confused, he pushed himself up from the ground and walked over to join Zelda. The flames were growing closer now to where they were gathered and soon they would have to move along or risk being engulfed. Still, they stood their ground as they watched a remarkable transformation begin to take place in Mr. Burchill.

An agitated expression spread rapidly over his face and his eyes rolled back in his head. His jaw became slack and his face twitched as he bent deeply at the waist, and vomited. He turned his back momentarily, flashing what Zelda always called a “workman’s smile” where his shirt rode up and his pants drooped low on his hips, exposing half the crack of his ass. Zelda´s eyes were involuntarily drawn to this and she thought she caught a glimpse of the hair there growing longer and thickening darkly, before he turned back toward them. When they again saw his face, it had changed drastically. Sam’s eyes had gone a deep blood red, and his nose had broadened and darkened into something animal-like in appearance. Hair was blooming profusely upon every square inch of his face and his hands clutched compulsively at the air before him.

A low growl, expressing a wrenching inner agony, escaped his snarling lips and drool hung in streamers from his mouth and nose. He shook his head savagely, as though trying to deny what was happening to him, but the transformation continued. Slowly, ominously, he began to straighten up, and Nate saw long, black claws curving from the ends of his fingers. The most appalling aspect of this permutation was not the flashing claws, glistening teeth or shaggy coat of hair that suddenly appeared, however, but, the animalistic stance that overcame him. One moment they were looking at Sam Burchill, an admittedly furious man in the grip of rage, but, nonetheless, still human in every aspect. The next moment, there stood before them a snarling, frothing beast as horrible as anything they had encountered in their nightmarish dealings with the Kopeht-kur.

Another wave of lightning rippled across the sky, washing out the red glare of the fire for a moment, and when the resulting boom of thunder slammed through the summer night, it jolted Nate, bringing him out of his gaping trance. He suddenly realized that Susie was standing awfully close to this nightmarish creature, and he began to fear for her safety. She had exposed Sam Burchill for what he was, and now she placed herself in peril by maintaining this mental link with the werewolf. Nate’s muscles jerked stiffly as he moved to pull the girl back to safety, but his actions were just a fraction of a second too late. Zelda screamed in horror as the beast raised both of its shaggy paws and brought them down on Susie’s shoulders. Nate could see the fabric puckering where the claws of the monster passed through Susie’s shirt and into her delicate skin.

Susie’s eyes snapped open and her mouth went wide in a grimace of pain. With a squeal, she threw her hands out before her and drove her stiffened arms into the belly of the werewolf. The beast was caught off-balance and toppled clumsily backward, dragging the little girl with him. It snarled savagely and sunk its jaws into the soft flesh of Susie’s throat, ripping her esophagus out in one swift, bloody mass. At the same moment, the pair were engulfed in flames, the heat from which stopped Nate´s advance. He was left to scream helplessly into the conflagration, as the fire, spurred on by the howling gale advanced rapidly along the path. In seconds, the werewolf and his victim were consumed, their bodies erupting into pillars of fiery flesh. Neither of them even had time to scream they simply melded into the fire and were gone.

With a shriek, Zelda rushed forward, and Nate was lucky to stop her before she threw herself hysterically into the flames. His arms entwined about her and he struggled to draw her away from the scorching heat.

“She’s gone, honey, she’s gone!” he screamed above the roar of the raging inferno.

“NO! SUSIE… NO!” Zelda wailed. With an effort, Nate began to drag her away, and before long the searing heat was replaced by the cool evening air, rushing before the storm. Zelda sobbed uncontrollably, and she would not be comforted. Together, they staggered down the path toward the edge of the field, where Nate had begun this horrifying journey into insanity just two days earlier.

When they reached their back yard, the couple stumbled and collapsed. As they lay gasping in exhaustion, the sky at last opened up and rain came gushing down in torrents, cooling the fever on their blistered brows, and sending loud hissing sounds from the smoldering corn. The fire, however, raged on through the night, and when the first gray light of dawn found Nate and Zelda still lying on the lawn, huddled together and staring dazedly out across the field, it had blackened nearly all of the surrounding acreage, completely obliterating the path from sight.

EPILOGUE:

Zelda looked out the window of their high-rise condominium. It was a gray day, and the waves, cresting the surface of Lake Michigan were running to shore and breaking over the sea wall along Lake Shore Drive. Late November in Chicago was always depressing, and always cold and damp. Gulls were circling above the water, diving and turning like children’s kites before the wind. In her mind, she could hear their high keening cries, but the thick glass of the windows effectively sealed out all sounds from without.

She was sipping coffee and thinking back — just letting her mind drift lightly over the surface of her memories. These days she dare not dwell on what had happened to them in Indiana. The pain that accompanied those memories was too intense — the wounds too fresh to be touched. Sometimes, when her mind poked too deeply into those dark corners, she felt her soul would well up and spill over like old blood, black and clotting inside her, making a mess that could never be cleaned up.

The first thing they had done after their escape from the Kophet-kur was to sell their farm. Nate had wanted to go back to the cave and make sure none of the beasts had survived. She had walked in on him one day as he was bent over his desk, making a list of supplies he would need to launch an expedition to eradicate them. But, she had eventually been able to talk him out of it. She couldn’t bear the thought of him risking his life on such a mission. Since their ordeal, she had become fragile and weak, her overwrought nerves keeping her constantly on edge, and she knew that if she lost Nate now, she would never survive. Her heart just couldn’t take that kind of grief on top of all she’d been through. When she had finally convinced Nate of this, he had reluctantly agreed to abandon his campaign against the monsters — at least temporarily.

So they sold the farm and moved back to the city. Things were different now. After all, they still had their money, and they would be free to travel all they wanted until the baby was born. At first, Nate said they should have waited longer after the experience to conceive. He was worried about the way her grief over Susie’s death would affect her pregnancy. But, it seemed things were progressing normally. In fact, the baby appeared to be growing at an unusually rapid rate, and the doctor said the heartbeat was one of the strongest he’d ever heard. Nate was becoming the epitome of expectant fathers, overdoing his pampering of Zelda, and bragging about how big and strong his boy was going to be. He spent all his time discussing plans for their life together when the baby came. He was a different man altogether these days, his excitement about having a family showing in everything he did.

Recently, however, the baby had been keeping her awake at night, whispering disturbing things only she could hear. At first, she had tried to deny it, passing the voice off as unusually realistic nightmares; but, as her pregnancy progressed, the voice had become more and more insistent. She dared not say anything to Nate about it — he seemed so happy she just couldn’t bring herself to shatter him that way – just as she hadn’t been able to tell him about what had happened in that field the night she was captured. At first, she hadn’t even been able to admit it to herself, and she had denied it, as she had denied the truth to little Susie when they first met in that dark hole in the ground. The beast had raped her while she was unconscious — that was the truth. Of all the things in her life, all the mysteries of nature and the universe, this one thing was totally undeniably true. It hung upon her conscience like a golden maxim of law, unalterable and solid as marble. It would hang over her head for the rest of her life, and nothing could ever modify the fact. What was once done could never be undone.

A solitary tear wound its way down her face to splash, unnoticed into her coffee. It was the first to appear in some time. She had cried herself back to sleep many times since the voice first woke her in the night, and she had pretty much cried herself out. As the days dragged along from fall into winter, she gradually became accustomed to the idea and hardened her heart in preparation for the trials to come.

As she gazed out the window, she wondered: Would she be strong, like her friend Alice, and resist the urge to give in to the hypnotic chantings of the tiny voice from within, or would she, one day, while Nate was off on business, slip away into the heart of the city, seeking the subways and the lower basements where lived the big-city cousins of the Kophet-kur?

The demon seed she carried had already made her aware of their presence. They hid in the dark recesses of the city and hunted by night. They were larger, and not as fleet of foot as the Hoosier variety, but then they needn’t be — the game here in Chicago was much more abundant and easier to catch.

 

 

THE END

Listen to a Great Tale! — Derek Barton

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Laura Richcreek-Morrison does it again!  The Bleeding Crown joins Consequences Within Chaos on Audible.com.  She continues the epic tale started with Consequences Within Chaos, this time the focus is on Princess Letandra.

Laura has an incredible range of character voices, along with her smooth but dramatic performances, they all come together to bring the worlds of Tayneva and Aberrisc to life!  Her talents know no end!  Check out her other work on Laura’s Voice: Voice Over Talent In The Fort Wayne Area.

 

Here’s a sample to whet your appetite: The Bleeding Crown Chapter 1 Sample

 

 

The Bleeding Crown:

Abducted by her family’s bitter rivals, spirited Princess Letandra finds herself stranded in a foreign land. Alone but confident a rescue will come at the hands of her brother, King Taihven, she focuses all her energy on surviving the unexpected trials she now faces.

But before he can save Letandra, she is captured by the sadistic Ebon Queen of the Quietus Dominion. Now, the princess must risk everything to escape and warn Taihven. War is coming not only for him, but the future of all hangs in the balance.

Just $13.97 or 1 credit with membership on Audible.com.

 

 

HEAVY…METAL BOOKMARKERS GIVEAWAY!! — DEREK BARTON

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THESE BAD BOYS ARE UP FOR GRABS!  I will give away a set of my collectible four – signed – custom-made bookmarkers ($30 value) at the end of the month.  They are made of durable, thin sheet metal and have a gloss to bring out specific colors.
TO QUALIFY, CLICK ON THE LINK HERE.  Just complete your email entry to me.  No purchase necessary.  
Winner must live within the United States.  
Good luck!

Items In the Forge Update — Derek Barton

 

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Hey there!  I wanted to send out a quick update of items I’m working on currently and what you can expect to see from me in the future!

THE BLEEDING CROWN AUDIOBOOK will be available by the end of March or the first week of April!  Laura Richcreek continues the saga and lends her incredible voice talents to bring the story alive. Literally over thirty different creature voices alone had to be crafted for the novel. Keep an eye out for free download giveaways!!

ELUDE PART THREE is finally written and going through a thorough wave of editing by my editors, Nesa Miller and Ted Barton.  It will be produced by the end of March. This is the thrilling conclusion to the suspenseful Elude Series!

THE HIDDEN has also come to a stunning end and the last chapters will be published on this site in the next couple weeks!  This horror origin story written with my father, T.D. Barton, will be available on both Amazon and Kindle by the middle of this year.

SWIMMING IN THE ASHES is still in the first draft process (over 26,000 words so far). I am going to delve into the book’s outline as I want to flesh out a few of the plot points I didn’t fully define yet before I continue with the writing.  As I have proclaimed before, I am a “hard-nosed plotter” and I want to be sure I haven’t messed any events up!

EVADE will be a new Crime/Horror story I want to write which delves deeper into horror than the crime genre. Like ELUDE, it will also have ties to my Horror/Suspense novella IN FOUR DAYS. This time the story revolves around when the police find themselves on the receiving end of a high-speed car chase!

AFTER WYVERNSHIELD… I have been developing an idea and I hope to bring you another three-book series this time focusing on characters living in the wondrous lands of Aberrisc! How were their lives impacted by the events depicted in CONSEQUENCES WITHIN CHAOS, THE BLEEDING CROWN and SWIMMING IN THE ASHES?  What has happened with the dark reign of the Quietus Dominion after the Ebon Queen Chroyanne?

AN UNTITLED NEW WEB SAGA in the works once THE HIDDEN has officially wrapped up.  This will be an ongoing “Parallel Universe” story with a fascinating look at what happens when you meet the “other you”!

Yes, all this and I still have a full-time day job and a family with three children to help take care of!

Thanks to everyone who has supported and continues to help with my work, given me great ideas and feedback, and kept my spirits high through this epic journey!

 

 

 

THE HIDDEN — CHAPTER 26: THE PHASES OF THE MOON — T.D. BARTON & DEREK BARTON

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:  PHASES OF THE MOON

The wind blew, fiercely, dusting the face of the moon and sending tattered clouds racing across the sky. The interwoven mat of branches that made up the forest canopy swayed before it like some dark prima ballerina assoluta in a macabre dance of death.

The denizens of the wood were all hunkered down in their burrows, awaiting the approaching storm. In the surrounding farmhouses, villagers battened down gates and shutters. Cows bawled, miserably, from their barns, voicing their fright to the hardened hearts of seasoned farmers. No one cared to venture out on a night like this unless there was mischief on their minds, or they were victims of misfortune, caught in the teeth of the maelstrom.

In the clearing, amidst the stone-like figures of the monsters, the driving gale tousled the hair of the four, whipping it mercilessly about their faces, as they emerged from the craggy depths of the cavern. Each of them, in turn, stopped to gaze in fascination at the still, silent horrors, frozen like statues in their howling postures. The din continued, sounding its knoll only in the minds of these four humans. They alone would witness the savage, godless spectacle of the Kophet-kur, as they communed with their alien forefathers.

“I don’t believe it!” Alice said as she waved her hand rapidly before the closed eyes of one of the creatures. “I heard about this Gathering of theirs, but I never actually seen it — you know — in progress. This here’s the dangdest thang I ever did see!”

Zelda, too, was having trouble believing her eyes, but part of her concentration was distracted by the feeling of relief at being outside once more. She had thought she would never see the sky again, and, with a gasp of sheer pleasure, she tilted her head back and breathed in the cool evening air. In her hand, the torch she’d brought with her from Chirkah’s chambers flickered and roared as the flames were fanned by the breeze. The one that Alice now held high to illuminate the features of the savage Chirkah, king of the Kophet-kur, did the same.

“Hey, Zelda!” Alice called across the clearing, snapping the younger woman out of her reverie. “Here he is, the big lug!”

Zelda came cautiously near.

“Ugly as hell, ain’t he?” Alice’s smug face, dappled by the light of the torch, looked like a Halloween jack-o-lantern, floating crazily in the dark, independent of her body. She turned to look at Zelda. “This here’s Chirkah.”

Zelda went numb all over, as she contemplated the fate that had awaited her. She thought the term “ugly as hell” didn’t quite cover it. This creature, with its scaly, bristly skin and gaping maw, lined with crooked, dagger-like teeth, was perhaps the most repulsive thing she had ever laid eyes upon. The very idea of being shut up in a room with it for the purpose of sexual contact was anathema to everything she considered wholesome and pure. If it were possible to imagine the devil incarnate, this gruesome mass of misshapen flesh was it. With a shudder, she drew closer to Nate, hugging his arm tightly to her breast.

Susie spoke from the edge of the clearing, her voice sounding small against the rushing wind and the howling of the beasts. “Let’s get out of here.” It was a simple suggestion, but it carried the wisdom of Solomon to the ears of the other three. All of them had had their fill of these filthy brutes, and, uppermost in their minds was leaving this all far behind. Susie turned and started down the trail, followed closely by Alice.

“Go ahead,” Nate told Zelda, and he gave her arm a squeeze. “I want to say good-bye.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. Reluctantly, Zelda crossed the clearing alone, looking back frequently at Nate, standing in the bright moonlight next to the immense bulk of Chirkah.

“Don’t do anything heroic,” she called. “I want a live husband — not a martyr!”

“Not to worry! I’ll be right there!” Nate again studied the grisly features of this king of beasts. He leaned in close enough to see the silver hair flecking Chirkah’s massive jowls. “It would be interesting to know,” Nate reflected. “Just how old this son-of-a-bitch is. How long has he been in charge of this pack of devil-dogs and just how long have they been hiding here in these woods, preying on the weak and the innocent.” His dander rose as he contemplated the havoc these savage animals had wrought on the surrounding community. He vowed, at that moment, as he gazed with disgust on the visage of the mighty Chirkah, to see to it that he and all his kind was eradicated from the earth.

They may, as Chirkah had intimated, be distant cousins to humans; but, at this moment, Nate felt no kinship, only loathing, for these horrid creatures. And he knew he could not rest as long as they lived. When he had his loved ones once again safely at home, he would come back, and he would bring an uzi, or whatever it took, and he would blow their nasty asses to oblivion. He could never —

Suddenly the face of Chirkah faded out, and all Nate could see before his eyes was darkness. The howling that had filled his mind for so long now stopped abruptly, like someone lifting the needle from a phonograph record. Somehow, the sudden absence of that hellish noise was far more terrifying than the howling itself had been. He jerked his head around to find Zelda and saw her, disappearing down the trail into the darkened woods, the torch blazing, brightly, in her hand. For one brief second, his eyes locked upon her then he looked up at the sky.

The wind, rushing through the treetops, had carried a large black cloud across the sky, draping it over the silver face of the moon. A white corona blazed around its edges where the moon’s light spilled from behind it. The clearing had gone pitch black in the absence of the moonlight, and from the depths of this blackness came a low growl that made the hairs on the back of Nate’s neck stand on end. All around him he heard the Kophet-kur coming slowly and ominously to life. They stretched their limbs and worked their jaws, snickering and slobbering wetly in the darkness.

From the lightless void before him, a deep, sonorous voice whispered cunningly, “Why, Nate Malone! How good of you to attend our little Gathering.” The familiar voice crawled inside his head like a lizard, dragging its scaly belly across dry sand. “And that must be your lovely wife…” An evil, totally self-satisfied chuckle hung in the air, and Nate could visualize Chirkah’s tongue lolling out in a nasty grin. Again, his memory played the words Chirkah had taunted him within the clearing: Either way, I have won… and you have lost!”

With a cry of warning to Zelda, Nate sprang forward, thrusting his spear with all his might, blindly hoping to connect. There was a howl of rage and the shaft of the weapon splintered in his hands. Nate leaped sideways and ran with all his might, tossing away the ruined stump of his spear. Panic spurred his steps as he chased after the torch receding through the darkness ahead of him. The entire pack of Kophet-kur had come to life and there was no time to consider revenge — only escape.

Ahead, on the trail through the forest, Zelda turned, with a frightened gasp. Instinctively, she tried to go back to her husband, but Alice laid a beefy hand on her arm and held her back. “Get that little girl on outa here!” the big woman commanded. “I’ll get him.” She pushed Zelda ahead and, clasping the torch in her fist like a flaming sword, she hurried back toward the clearing.

Zelda remained standing, locked in indecision. “Alice, they’ll kill you!” she warned.

Alice turned and smiled a crooked smile. “Aw, what the hell! Nobody lives forever, right?” She and the torch disappeared down the path, while Susie tugged, desperately, at Zelda’s sleeve.

As Nate bolted from the clearing, the clamoring pack hard on his heels, he saw the torch stop and turn, coming rapidly back toward him. When he closed with it, he caught just a glimpse of Alice’s face, set in a determined scowl, as she brushed past him in a head-long rush. There was not the slightest chance of stopping her as she flung herself at the pack leader with a snarl nearly matching the monster’s ferocity.

Nate lingered just long enough to see her raise the flaming brand high over her head and shove it deep into the gaping mouth of the beast, as it reared up on its hind legs to meet her. Resuming his flight, he heard Chirkah’s roar of pain and rage and the answering screams and snarls of the pack as they swarmed over the woman, weighing her down, and devouring her alive.

The gruesome sounds of the pack’s feeding frenzy rang in his ears and spurred him on. Sick at heart, he sprinted, madly, toward the second torch, which flickered in the depths of the forest, where Zelda stood her ground, waiting for him.

When he came close enough to see her worried face, squinting into the darkness, he called out to her, telling her to run. “Go, babe! Get the hell out of here… I’m right behind you. Get going”

It was all the reassurance she needed, as she fled, Susie racing along before her. Before long, Nate overtook them and together, the three scrambled wordlessly through the forest, straining with all their might to put some distance between themselves and the vicious creatures of the clearing. As they burst, at last, into the small opening in the forest where Nate had his tree-top conversations with Chirkah, they could hear no sound of pursuit coming from behind. They were all winded and, as if someone had given a signal, they stopped for a second, gasping and wheezing, trying to catch their breath.

Zelda gazed at Nate and, between gasps,  her eyes pleading. managed a one-word inquiry, “Alice?”

Nate stood, wheezing, bent at the waist with his hands on his knees, and his expression told her everything she needed to know. Susie too was awaiting his answer, and when he shook his head, slowly, she sadly dropped her eyes and stared at the ground.

Suddenly, they heard a crackling sound, as if someone were moving through the forest, just beyond the edge of the clearing. Zelda held her torch aloft and they strained their eyes in its limited glow. She gasped as an answering “crack”· erupted from the underbrush on the other side. As one, the trio swung around and saw one of the creatures entering the clearing ahead of them. To the right, another left the cover of the forest and stealthily approached. Nate knew, even before he turned to look, that their exit would be blocked. Sure enough, there were two of the hulking beasts glaring at them from the forest trail.

The three drew protectively together as the creatures began emerging from all sides to surround them. When a complete circle had been formed, Chirkah entered the ring, his tribesmen parting, humbly, before him.

Chirkah was not at his best. His mouth had been burned badly, the hairs on his muzzle singed away to reveal blistered skin. One of his huge canine teeth was broken off about halfway down, and there was a jagged gash under his left eye where Nate’s home-made spear had found its mark. He stood, swaying in the light of Zelda’s torch, and glared savagely at the three prisoners. There was death in that glare — death and dismemberment. Everything about the way Chirkah was looking at them told Nate that the time for talking was through. Chirkah was set on revenge, and no force on earth could sway him from his course. A bright red bubble of blood seeped from the monster’s left nostril and popped as he leaned close to the humans.

Nate raised his chin proudly and returned the beast’s malicious glare as he steeled himself to take the brunt of Chirkah’s fury. He noted, with admiration, that neither Zelda nor Susie whimpered with fear. Although he knew they were both terrified, they had resolved — just as he had — to die with dignity.

As Nate stared into Chirkah’s eyes, he suddenly became aware of something strange. The red, fiery glow that had marked Chirkah’s inner fury had been replaced by a white light. It hung in the depths of the beast’s eyeballs and shone dazzlingly bright from the shadows of his face. With a gasp, Nate realized it was a reflection — the moon’s reflection! Its pale light sparkled there in those twin pools of murk, surrounded by red, broken vessels which spider-webbed across the white part of Chirkah’s eyes. As he watched, Chirkah shifted his gaze and turned his attention to the sky. Tentatively, Nate turned his own head to look, and there, bright as a beacon, shone the moon. It blazed in the black night-time as brilliantly as any star, and it filled Nate’s heart with joy.

When he turned back to the monster, he saw immediately that it had again taken on its posture of worship. Chirkah’s mangled jaws were turned skyward, his eyes were clamped tightly shut, and that dreadful howling had again started creeping into Nate’s mind. He never thought he would be glad to have that ghastly caterwauling screeching around inside his head again, but, if it meant a reprieve from the mangling execution that had confronted them only seconds before, he welcomed it eagerly.

Apparently, these beasts had no choice but to assume this statue-like pose when confronted with the full moon. Either it was ingrained, instinctively, into their nature, or, after centuries of communing with their ancestors in this eerie fashion, they felt compelled to put it before all other considerations, even to the exclusion of enacting revenge upon their enemies.

Nate gazed around the clearing, and relief nearly overcame him as he noted that all the other creatures had, likewise, resumed their rigid stances of communion. All other thoughts were thrust aside, and they blithely entered this transcendental state. He made a mental note of this. He would be back to battle these creatures again, of that he was sure, but until that time, he would remember their strengths — and their weaknesses.

Then, as he took in the clearing, Nate became aware that something was wrong — there was something oddly out of place in this scene. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something just didn’t measure up. He cocked his head in puzzlement and tried to examine the bizarre spectacle with new eyes. Everything was like before, the beasts standing in their frozen postures, howling, miserably, up at their alien gods. Above them hung the cold moon, casting its ghostly light — NO! There was no light! The shadows cast at the feet of the Kophet-kur were the wavering, dancing shadows created by Zelda’s torch. There was no moonlight flooding the clearing as there had been before the cave entrance.

He swiveled his head around again to peer at the moon. It was there, hanging in the sky as bright as ever, and when he looked away it had burned an after-image on his retinas, leaving its ghost to dance before his eyes. He furrowed his brow in consternation and looked at Zelda. But she wasn’t looking at either him or the moon or even the Kophet-kur. Instead, she wore a worried expression as she looked down at Susie. The little girl’s face was screwed up, tightly, and Nate thought he saw a few beads of sweat standing out on her forehead.

“What’s wrong with her?” Zelda asked, in hushed tones. “She doesn’t answer me… Its almost like she isn’t even here.”

Nate looked at Susie and a sudden burst of insight struck him, making him smile. “I’ll be damned!” he exclaimed, excitedly; and Zelda looked at him as though he’d gone mad. “She’s doing this! Don’t you see? She can play with their minds the way they played with ours!” He leaned close and whispered in Zelda’s ear. “The moon is still behind the clouds, but Susie’s planting the image in their minds. We even think we see it, but — it’s just not there!”

“I don’t understand it,” Zelda replied, meekly. “But, what the hell! If it buys us some time, good for her. Can the three of us get out of here while she has them under her ‘spell’ or whatever?”

“I don’t know,” said Nate, and he was suddenly worried. “If she tries to run, it may break her concentration.” He bent to talk into Susie’s ear. The wind was still howling fiercely through the forest, and, together with the din created by the Kophet-kur, it made it hard to even think, much less speak. Slowly, cautiously, he addressed the girl. “Susie, can you hear me?”

She nodded.

Nate looked up at Zelda and smiled with relief. Then, with a sigh, he turned back to Susie. “If we carry you, can you maintain this… image?”

There was a long pause, and then another nod — slow, but firm.

Nate stood again, carefully gathering Susie in his arms. He glanced at the sky once more and then at Zelda. “Let’s go!” he said, and together they left the clearing.

As the flickering torchlight faded down the forest trail, darkness came rushing in to shrowd the figures, motionlessly rooted in the damp forest grass. Together they stood, transfixed, howling dismally up at a stormy sky that housed a moon only they could see — they, and a little girl who was trying very hard not to think about anything else.

Meanwhile, the wind continued to wail, and occasional flashes of lightning heralded the approach of the worst part of the storm.

FREE-EBOOK FEBRUARY…NOW MARCH! — Derek Barton

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FREE-BOOK FEBRUARY! was such a success (WHICH I TRULY THANK YOU) that I am extending it into March!

So far there have been over 430 books ordered in the last two days!!  That just blows me away!  THANK YOU AND ENJOY!!!

It was brought to my attention that one book, ELUDE PART ONE was unfortunately not able to be put on the “book sale” due to contract term dates.  Thus, it was only able to go on Kindle for “free” this Friday and Saturday.  That being said, along with the amount of interest, I am putting all the books again on a Free-Ebook Sale this Friday (3/1) and Saturday (3/2)!

All I ask is if you did enjoy any of the books, please put a book review on Amazon for me. It doesn’t have to be really elaborate or specific, but EVERY REVIEW HELPS and it signals other readers that this may be something they would like to read!

YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!

 

FREE-EBOOK FEBRUARY! — Derek Barton

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Why yes!  My books are intended to haunt you!  

 

And now on February 27th & February 28th YOU CAN GET  A L L  OF MY EBOOKS FREE ON AMAZON!!!

Indulge your dark curiosity and immerse yourself in a new shadowy universe…RISK-FREE.

 

 

 

A Must-See Character? — Derek Barton

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Have you ever wanted to participate in a book’s story creation?  Watched a movie and thought, I wish they would’ve have done this…or wished they would have taken the story in this direction…or This character is so flat, boring… 

Well, I am offering you your chance!

In an upcoming modern horror/crime story I am developing, I want YOU to tell me what would you’d like to see or read — what character you’d write about!

My only limitation for you is that the story will focus on two patrol officers — I am picturing this character as my main character’s partner.

Should I chose your character, I will send you a Signed Paperback copy of the novel in advance of putting it on the market and give you exclusive credit on my dedication/acknowledgment page for that character creation! Also, you will get an exclusive paperback copy of Elude #3 coming out late March or April with an alternate cover…YOU WILL HAVE THE ONLY SIGNED COPY! 

This giveaway will go to the end of March and you must be within the United States to win (sorry, but International Mailing is just impractical at this time).  Also note, if not enough entries are sent or viable characters to choose from, I may not select a winner for the giveaway.

Use my prior Character Sketch blogs to get a better idea of what I am looking for:

Diving into the oceans of your characters!

OR…

New Character Sketch!

CHARACTER SKETCH

Name —

Gender —

Character Strengths & Weaknesses ==

How old?

What does the character look like? 

Where is the character from?

How does your character deal with conflict? 

Where does he/she live?

Does the character have any unique or special abilities? 

Who else is in their life? 

The character’s current status in life?

What is your character’s goal or motivation?

To participate, Copy and Paste the questions to an email and send your responses to Rivyenphx@gmail.com.  Feel free to add images, short summaries or anything else you want that will bring your creation to life!

Good luck and together we can really write something special!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missing the Party? — Derek Barton

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What are you missing out on — what exclusive items or sneak previews could you be reading right now on my Patreon Page?

Take a look!

 

Posted — Jan 16 at 6:26 PM

Elude — Part Three: Opening Chapter Rough Draft Preview

 

CHAPTER ONE — LOSING THE LURE

Vic pulled the space heater closer and pointed it at Shellie who was asleep next to the wall. They were on the roof of one of the abandoned warehouses in Guadalupe. She moaned a little but angled her face into the waves of heat.

The skies overhead had been clear and cloudless, but there was still a chill that seemed to seep into every bone. He was himself bundled up in several layers of clothes and a windbreaker jacket. They were camped out here which had been a part of the plan. The access to them was only through one door.

 

Continue Reading…

 

Posted — Jan 18 at 2:15 AM

Elude: Part Three — Chapter Two Preview of My Rough Draft

 

CHAPTER TWO  — CUT SHORT

 

Chad had been hit two years ago by a semi-truck tractor on that same night he encountered the Jinn. He wondered if this time he’d be able to continue his career.

That is if they stop fucking firing and I live!

He pressed his head down flat upon a cement step, face first into the crease of the stair, cradled in a fetal position. The bullets whirred through the area like irate bees. His ears hurt and throbbed from the terrible noise.

Barely he registered the sounds of more gunfire coming from the roof. The rain of metal stopped finally, and their guns were trained on something or someone else.

 

Continue Reading…

 

Posted — Jan 29 at 5:21 PM

Sneak Preview of Chapter 25 of The Hidden (Rough Draft)

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:  REUNION

Reflected light from the bath danced crazily across the ceiling, and Zelda watched it, abstractly, remembering the times she had spent with Nate. She thought back to when they first met: She was playing Fiona in a small-time production of “Brigadoon.” It was summer stock theater, in a North Chicago suburb called Palatine — very little, pay and even less prestige.

 

Continue Reading…

 

Posted — Feb 5 at 6:26 PM

Audible Book Review of James Patterson’s “Never Never” — Derek Barton

I have been for over a year now getting Audible books so I decided I would review and share my opinion on some of them with you. Enjoy!

I have a small confession: this is actually the first book I have read from James Patterson. I know that he is an extremely prolific writer, but until recently I just did not have the opportunity to read much. I still don’t, but that is the beauty and power of buying audiobooks.

 

Continue Reading…

 

Swimming In The Ashes (Working Title) — Chapter One Sneak Preview

Posted — Feb 8 at 1:49 AM

PART ONE

Chapter One

The white and brown roan rode hard, its side heaved from the exertion and its breath plumed out in the chill of the early morning air. LLasher hated doing so, but he pushed the animal nearly to its physical limits. However, it was critical that he get there, the urgency of his mission required it. He guided the horse with his knees to the underside of a towering, vine-choked cliff. He spotted a small ledge which climbed up the massive wall.

 

Continue Reading…

 

Certainly, some of this content has been posted on my normal writer’s website, but it was posted there first!  And none of the Sneak Preview Chapters are on my website…

Don’t miss out — get exclusives, advance content, AND one-of-a-kind Book Covers and signed custom-made metal bookmarkers!!

Here are the benefits of each Patron Tier Level:

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The other great thing about Patreon.com is that there are many other great Creative People (musicians, bloggers, YouTubers, writers, artists) for you to see and learn about.  It’s a congregation of the ARTS!

Don’t miss out on the party!!