Releasing October 25 - On the Edge of Nowhere

 

Cover Image: Erin Dameron-Hill Graphics

What is a 'hell-gator'? Unfortunately, Gina and Mattie are about to find out.

* * * *

Silence reigned for a few moments, broken by the water lapping on the shore. Gina held her breath and listened for movement. Her skin crawled, as if she could feel the gaze of whatever was out there on her, sizing her up.

It came out, a shadow slithering through the trees, its eyes gleaming greenish in the light that glowed beneath the water. Gina wasn’t allowed a chance to form a suspicion of what it was until its thin, scaly snout, lined with what must have been hundreds of sharp teeth, emerged from the growth.

Even as it crawled toward them, she couldn’t have given it a name. Perhaps it was some ancient alligator ancestor. It had many of that familiar creature’s characteristics. Otherwise, it was straight out of a nightmare.

It was huge, tall enough on its four legs for the top of its spade-shaped head to reach her chest. At least fifteen feet in length, plus a tail bristling bony spikes. It trembled the trees it brushed past. One fell and crashed against its neighbor.

Gina’s mouth gaped wide. Some distant part of her registered she was trying to scream. A weak hiss of air escaped.

Mattie darted forward with a defiant shriek. She ran at the horror and hefted her spear over her shoulder, cocking it. Ten yards from the scaled creature’s evil snout, she flung the spear at it.

It bounced off the hell-gator’s skin with no effect. Mattie pivoted and thundered to retrieve her remaining long spear. “Not scales! Armored plates!” she shouted. “We’ll have to get in close to stab between them! Or go for the eyes!”

Are you insane? Gina couldn’t speak. She watched the hell-gator crawl closer. It came faster after Mattie’s failed assault. Her friend joined her, her expression terrified but determined.

“When I say, go to the left and attack. I’ll take the right flank.”

“We’re screwed,” Gina said as the monstrosity closed on them. Her legs shook. They begged to bolt anywhere, even straight into a siren’s arms.

“What else is new? Now!”

Gina leapt. The hell-gator lunged and came within an inch of snapping her leg off. Gina bounded a couple steps before turning to strike. With every sense screaming for her to run away, she dashed toward the reptile instead and put all her weight behind her spear as she drove it between the bony plates just behind its front leg. It went in…and stopped after a couple of inches. The close-together plates kept the spear from going any deeper.

Gina swore and yanked the stake out as the hell-gator twisted about to snap at her. She yelped and darted backward. Her foot caught on a root embedded in the ground, and she fell.

Let it be over quick, don’t let it hurt…

* * * *

Those who step inside Hungry House never return. But when the abandoned house on the edge of town is ready to feed, it won’t be denied. 

Inquisitive Gina and her impulsive best friend Mattie know better than to enter the abandoned Victorian. The mansion on the edge of Nowhere, Georgia, has a reputation for ‘eating’ those who dare to step inside. Yet when another friend and her younger brother disappear after last being seen heading toward Hungry House, Gina and Mattie have no choice but to follow.

Inside, they find every door is a gateway to a new nightmare. Even death is no escape—it only sends the unlucky trespassers back to the start of Hungry House’s gauntlet. Their only hope is to survive long enough to confront the house’s mistress, an inhuman being whose lust for vengeance is as immortal as she.

Releasing October 25. Pre-order now: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Smashwords.

Print on sale now: print