I thought I would post a sneak preview of my soon to be released sequel to Ping. Hope you enjoy!
In the dimming light of his room the child watched through his window, contemplating the clouds morphing outwards the way the universe expands.
It would not be long, now that the trees were silvery wisps, translucent ghosts against the deep-navy sky.
Twilight faded quietly beyond the windowpane, swallowed up by the vast sweep of orange that descended from his view.
Finally, a long melodious cry echoed across the distant valley, the soulful song of a wolf or perhaps a dog delivering it’s loneliness to Travis. He could handle that now – Lucy had arrived. She was safe in the cottage beside him.
The rain droned softly and gradually a dream enfolded around his thoughts, lifting him briefly into an expanding bubble of contented sleep.
But as he slumbered the sky grew black. Steamy vapours had gathered east of the lake and shifted toward the rocky hills of Moonstone. They ascended above the treetops climbing to the cooler heights where the gases condensed into saucer-sized balls of liquid, finally surging boisterously in a wide shaft from a massive cumulonimbus cloud.
With the sudden dump of precipitation the boy awoke, wide-eyed and vigilant. He was watchful as pulsating flashes of electricity burst through the trees. Advancing from the shadows was lightening-bleached entity, its dreadfulness heightened by the stark throbbing light.
Travis shot up in his bed while a cannonball boom coursed through him and shuddered beneath his ribs. The forest ignited once more, but the entity was gone and the thunder rumbled cantankerously away.
“Rose!” he shouted, much too frightened to leave his bed.
“It’s okay honey, just a storm!” Her rushed steps swished across the creaky floor and the gas lantern swung hissing onto the table. The woman perched on the bed beside him, leaning close. Her strong arms squeezed him against her. “Hush love, it’s just a bad dream.”
He eyed the spot through the window fearfully. “It was a monster!” He could feel the tears spilling down his cheeks.
“Travis darling, sometimes dreams seem real. It wasn’t really a monster was it? Come on and ping me hon. Show me.”
Travis lowered his head. “I can’t… ”
“Look! The storm’s already gone. Shall we read another chapter?”
“No.”
Travis searched her warm eyes and soft features as she wrapped her coffee-brown fingers around his wrist. Rose was calm. She was like a mother.
But pinging about the thing he saw would not be good. He couldn’t bear to frighten her too. Her grief and worries were already enough for anyone to endure.
To order the debut novel “Ping” http://www.amazon.com/Ping-ebook/dp/B0058UW9H4/
To read chapter one of the first book please visit my website. http://www.susan-lowry.com/
Susan Lowry's Blog 