Snippit!

I’ve been working on the second book in the After the Coming series, and thought I’d share a snippit. Mick (who was a runaway in the first book, In the Beginning) is one of the main characters and is meeting Joey and Flint for the first time:

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on something soft and there was a wet cloth on my forehead. Cool hands were kind of petting and stroking my head and face. I turned my head to find a little guy that looked close to my age sitting beside me on a bed. He was cute, I noticed. Really cute. With coal black hair, bright blue eyes, and a sweet smile.

“Welcome back,” he said. “You look pretty rough, Sweetie. What’s your name?”

“Matt, I mean, Mickey.”

“Which is it, Honey? I’m not gonna hurt you and neither will my master. You can give me your real name.”

“Preacher Jonah called me Matthew after they shot my dad and told me I couldn’t ever say my real name again.”

“So, Mickey it is. My name’s Joey. You’re in my master’s bunker. Want to tell me why you were running?”

“Gonna kill me,” I muttered and closed my eyes. “Joshua was mad ‘cause I wouldn’t shoot and then someone stole the Jeep and I knew he was gonna kill me when him and Preacher Jonah got back.”

“Hmm… Hang on, Mickey. I think my master needs to hear this story so you don’t have to tell it twice. Think you can get up, now?”

I tested my legs, which seemed to be working and sat up. I nodded and stood. Joey stood up and he was a lot smaller than me. I felt huge next to him.

“You’re younger than me,” I blurted. “How come you’re in Hell? What bad stuff did you do?”

Joey laughed so hard he had to sit back on the bed. I just stared at him, wondering if everyone went crazy in Hell. He finally stopped and wiped the tears from his eyes.

“Oh, you are a sweetheart, aren’t you? I’m 25, Mickey, and this isn’t Hell, although I’m sure I’ve done plenty of bad stuff to rate a spot in the real one. For me, at least, this place is a little slice of heaven. Come on, Honey, let’s go back to the office and you can tell Flint your story.”

I followed Joey back to the office and sat on the big couch where he directed me. I was given another bottle of water and I drank it, since I didn’t know what else to do. The door opened and that red-haired man came in. I jumped up, spilling the rest of the water down my front.

“You’re dead,” I said in a shaky voice. “I saw you and you were dead! Please! I don’t want to be dead, too.”

Joey came over and sat me back on the couch while the tall, red-haired man just stared at me.

“It’s okay, Sweetie,” Joey patted my hand. “Flint’s not dead, but he was hurt. Did you see the ambush?”

“I was there,” I nodded and began babbling. “Me and Micah and Joseph and Garrett. We wouldn’t shoot. Garrett was having a panic attack and he held him while he cried and shook. We couldn’t kill anyone. It’s wrong. We didn’t want to cleanse all the sinners out. Joshua made us go, but then he was mad because I didn’t shoot any arrows and he’s gonna kill me. Preacher Jonah would have killed me anyway when he finds out I don’t want to have sex with the girls, and I promised them I’d come back and get them and now I’m gonna die, and I’ll never get to keep my promise!”