“There was a hand in
the darkness, and it held a knife.” Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book
The room was black,
wholly mysterious and unseen, just like the foul thoughts a person keeps buried,
the ones you’d never divulge to anyone, not even your mother, lest she think
you are demented or downright evil. A piney decay permeated the air, with notes
of bone broth, sumac, and a lingering fishiness. I held my arms before me to
investigate the depth of blackness and saw nothing. My fingers swiped over
something moist, and I wiped the wetness across my neck. Where was I? The floor
felt firm, but I wondered if I was sitting next to a fresh grave where pine
trees were too thick for an owl to flap feathery wings. Cold air moved over my
bare arms as something or someone scurried around the scrub. Perhaps the
maneuvering was the devil’s minions carrying eternal logs to a caldron to bake
my soul.
But it was the sound that truly scared me.
Moist slurping, smooshing, and tearing sounds floated in the
darkness. Everywhere and all around, crunching, lips smacking, and the perverse
gumming of gelatin. There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.
I heard sawing and then prolonged mastication. I swung my hand before me, and
something tipped, water washing over me. “Oh, sorry, miss. Let me replace your
water glass. How is your macadamia and sumac-encrusted sea bass?”
I swallowed. “It’s fine. Although, I can’t get the hang of
eating in the dark. Frankly, it unsettles me. Can I get a doggie bag?”
“Sure thing,” said the waitress, awkwardly retrieving my plate
and disappearing into the gloom.
Across the table, I heard my husband clink a knife across his
plate and fumble with his napkin while emitting a dramatic sigh. “Hate is too
subtle to describe this meal. I’d rather visit a haunted house than dine in the
dark,” he said.
The End.
Every launched pumpkin
must fall. But who cares? My book flew! Candy for everyone. A new,
spooky, strange journey begins on Amazon for The Levitation Game. The
first subscriber to leave a review on Amazon will win a free Conspiracy Theory board
game! But any subscriber can win by sharing my content on social media.
Just clue me in. That’s my treat. Thank you to Kate at Neddy Games
for a year’s worth of fun freebies. During my Goodreads giveaway, 1,343
readers entered, and 1,269 readers marked my book as want to read. Plus, I had librarians and book sellers download my book on Netgalley
this month. A quiet, hushed, happy dance ensued. Look to your
inbox for my next newsletter on November 20th. You can only win free games if you subscribe.
Happy Halloween!
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