“Are you here for me?” Julia asked, and in that moment would have happily surrendered to Death.
“No,” Eleanor said in reply after snapping her fingers to presumably prevent any interruption.
“Oh,” Julia said disappointed, as tears continued to stream down her burning cheeks.
“I was here for another,” Eleanor said, “They were not ready to move on…”
Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.
The excruciating pain, compounded by her inability to breathe would soon lead her to pass out. In an effort to delay the inevitable, she focused on remaining calm, cool, and collected. However, that was like asking a mouse to stay still when trapped between the jaws of a cat.
Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.
The difference was that Julia had a way out, but she needed to hold on until the opportunity presented itself. Her accelerated metabolism and ability to heal were a gift as well as a curse. While it made it harder for them to gain the upper hand with drugs, that left them with violence…
“How long do I have?” Julia asked.
Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.
The Peasant Woman is a historical fantasy novella written by independent author Sara Flower Kjeldsen. Her tale begins with a prince whose life they spent waiting to become King.
Plans have a tendency to fall off the rails, and in this case, fail spectacularly. After getting knocked out during an escape attempt, he wakes up in a peasant’s home. Soon after, he meets a woman and the life that could not be farther removed from his.
What follows is a tale of discovery, introducing this prince the harshness of life and eventually puts him in a situation to choose the life they would rather live. Ultimately, The Peasant Woman is a fast read that delivers a satisfying conclusion.
As the mind reconnected with her senses slowly returned to her conscious mind, Julia realised that she was not on the elevated slab, at least not precisely. Instead she was bent over it, with her knees on the concrete floor, further she became aware that her legs, stomach and chest were freezing as well. Where are my clothes?
Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.
The hot tear running down her cold cheeks was especially jarring. She rubbed the tear from her cheek, in awe that it was there. It was not that Julia had never cried before, but this was too much for her to process, and had yet to fully appreciate the situation she was in.
Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.
“What am I going to do about it?” Radio asked after unslinging his weapon.
Before Gruff managed a smart assed reply, Julia felt a sharp blow to her head. Her vision became filled with lightning strikes and stars, which soon faded away into oblivion.
“Good,” Gruff said.
Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.
“Julia,” he said softly but those words were lost.
It was as though she were trapped in a frozen lake, with every word elongated, muffled, and faint. She imagined herself deep in the water, safe from all that pain and sorrow, but she needed to break through the ice or drown.
Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.
Dead Heads is a post mortal urban fantasy written by independent author Ross Young. As the title implies, this book delves into a subject that few dwell upon, even if people are dying to find out how it turns out.
Written in third-person perspective, Ross Young sets the story in the ethereal reality of Gloomwood, conveniently next to the deadport. This is the home to the Grim Reaper, an individual who inconveniently died as the concept of death came into existence, but no one prophesied what came next.
The premise begins with the Reaper’s head being stolen and the unimaginably dysfunctional bureaucracy supporting Gloomwood is incapable of handling such a delicate matter. In a rare flash of insight, they expedite a new arrival, who they then task to solve this case and others.
Dead Heads is a quick read that delves into a truly imaginative world. The humour, while macabre, is something you would find within the pages or the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. This standalone story offers a satisfying conclusion, and sets the stage for a sequel, Get Ted Dead, available now.
“Well, hello there…” Julia said after picking up the shell casing. “Hmmm, a nine-millimetre round.”
The casing was shiny and still had the stench of being fired. Both of which were signs that someone pulled the trigger recently.
“This is how they got the upper hand,” Julia said.
Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.
