A Treat for You!

Welcome back, all my wonderful friends! Today, the Penguin and I have two very special treats for you. First, he's sober enough to not fight me and try to take over the laptop. (YAY!!) Which is really awesome news, because my broken nose has time to heal. Second, we managed to coerce author John Peters to give us a sneak peek into his world, and he graciously donated an excerpt from one of his very highly praised books. OH! I almost forgot, our new friend John's book Holiday Horror (released 11/21/12) has skyrocketed into the Amazon Top 50 Hot New Horror Releases. Amazing!! 

And now an excerpt from the story Anything For the Cause, part of the Holiday Horror collection. Enjoy!!

          Next was a narrow dark passage. Elena knew the way well, for halfway through -- just before the floor slanted -- she paused long enough to steal a kiss from Rob, then she pulled away and moved forward. The pitched floor made walking difficult. Rob was forced to lean against the wall, concentrating hard to maintain his balance. His head brushed the ceiling, and before Rob realized it he was bending at the waist. The ceiling had gradually lowered -- or had the floor ever-so-gently inclined upward?

        

          “Damn,” Rob whispered, in awe of how the designers had contrived this portion of the haunted tour. Soon he was crawling, progressing blindly, when beneath him a light flashed. Under the floor, which was clear, he glimpsed the face of a man. In the second before the bright yellow glow winked out Rob saw creatures -- ants and roaches, even a mouse -- feeding on the man’s face. One of the victim’s eyes looked flat, sunken in like a deflated basketball. The end of his nose was missing, and small bite marks cratered his face. Despite blaring, pulsing music that overwhelmed the senses Rob heard muted screams. In the fraction of a second before the light winked out, the man and Rob made eye contact, and Rob shuddered. He stopped, taken aback by the haunting look of fear and pain in the man’s working eye.

          Jostled from behind, Rob moved forward, crawling, finding the ceiling was again higher. He was able to stand, stooped at first, then he straightened up. Elena took his hand. Ahead he could see strobe lights. The corridor ended. Rob followed Elena into a room painted in black and white checkers. From hidden speakers screams erupted, the sound of chains rattled. In the center of the room were two people chained to the floor -- man or woman Rob could not tell, for he glimpsed them no more than a second before turning away. He closed his eyes as tightly as he could, covered them with his hands, but still the strobe invaded his darkness.

          Rob heard Elena, lips pressed to his ears, screaming. “What’s wrong?”

          “The strobes…” Rob struggled to breathe. “I … get me out … ”

          Rob felt Elena grab his right arm, two other hands on his left -- two male hands, he guessed, by the strength of the grip. He moaned, not that anyone would hear.