“No,Jimmy, we can’t. What if the library calls the police?” Javierturned the book over and read the title.Anaccount of the Witchcraft used by Peter Sykes, Farmer.Javierstared at the title for a while. Jimmy’s hand rested on the book,and pulled. It left Javier’s unresisting fingers. Jimmy hugged thebook to his chest.“It’sa farming book, Jave. Farming with magic. It works.”“No.”Javier whispered the word. “Magic isn’t real. It can’t work.”“Yeah?Come and look at this.” Jimmy strode from the kitchen and into theyard. Javier followed in silence, a silence that was echoed by theanimals on their small farm.Thechickens formed an orderly series of queues at their feeding trough.In the low field, the few cows munched at grass, standing alongsideeach other and maintaining this line as they moved along the field.Where Jimmy had planted wheat, a scarecrow stood guard. Not a plasticbag on a stick, but a dummy with arms outstretched and a tattered oldhat on its head. Javier realized he had stopped breathing and drew along, shuddering breath.“Youdid all this today? In the few hours since the sun came up? How didyou train the animals to do that?” Javier’s mind struggled toaccept the images his eyes saw.“No,I did it last night. It’s not perfect, not yet. I read slow. I dothe best I can.” Jimmy pressed the book into his chest. “I justneed it for a few days more.” “Ithas to go back.” Javier blinked. Something his brother said cameback to him. “Jimmy, you said you had to agree to something. Whatwas it?”Jimmygiggled. “That’s the best part. See, I remembered what you toldme about the church. How all that stuff was made up, long ago, tokeep people in line. So they’d do what they were told.”
“Jimmy,just tell me.” The morning air turned cold. Javier shivered.“Well,the book said I have to give up my immortal soul. So I promised. Iread the words and I promised.”Javierclosed his eyes.“It’sall right, Jave. There’s no such thing as a soul. You told me. So Ididn’t really give up mine, ‘cause I don’t have one to give.All this stuff comes for free.”Javieropened his eyes and stared at his brother. Yes, he had told Jimmy allthat, but so that he could get out of going to church on Sundays.Javier had never admitted it, but he did believe in the existence ofthe soul. He just didn’t believe in getting up early on a Sunday.Besides, watching Jimmy gawp at the preacher’s sermons, believingevery word, had been too much of a temptation. He had exploitedJimmy’s credulity once more, and set him on this course. “Jimmy—”Javier’s voice caught in his throat. The cart rolled out of thebarn. Its yoke had been removed, and it was piled high with bales. Inthe chicken coop, a small, grey, leathery creature strolled from thehenhouse with a basket of eggs. The cart rolled onto the trackleading to the cows. High on the bales, three more of the creaturessat. Jimmy hugged his book and grinned.“Jimmy,what in Hell’s name are those?”“See?I told you I had help. I read about them in this book. I imaginedthem, I read the words and they came out of the pages. They workhard. They’re good.”Javier’sbowels churned, and not with hunger. “They’re demons.”“No,no.” Jimmy opened the book and ruffled through its pages. “Imps.They’re called imps.”Javier’slegs gave up the struggle to support him. He fell to his knees.“Jave?You all right? You haven’t eaten, that’s the trouble. I’ll fryup some more eggs.” Jimmy grinned at his diminutive farm workersonce more. Before turning back into the house, he waved towards thescarecrow in the field.
Thescarecrow waved back.By the same author:Jessica’sTrapInthe middle of the English civil war, an inexperienced young witchcalls on demonic help to capture an ancient creature, an evil as oldas Time and which inhabits the one known as ‘Witchfinder-General’.Inexperienceis no match for the wiles of demons and Jessica soon loses control.The demons will build the trap she wants but…Sheis to be the bait.Publishedby Eternal Press and available in both print and EBook formats now.Fearsof the Old and the NewNineteentales of terror and despair including two previously unpublishedstories. Within these pages are tales that will scare you in yourkitchen, in your office and in your bed. There is no safe place.
Fromancient stones to beer cans, from arcane rituals to dishwashers, themonsters are everywhere. In this collection of short tales you willfind demons ancient and modern, mixed with reality and unreality. Bythe end, you might not be certain which is which.Availablein print on www.lulu.com and as an EBook from most online retailers.DarkThoughts and DemonsWhat do you do if you escape Hell and return to your body, only tofind you’ve been cremated and are stuck as dust in a jar? What arethose train loonies really up to? Are there really things in therain, are there supernatural saviours in alleyways, is it safe todeal with demons and if you choose to steal, what are the odds ofburgling a house occupied by a demented killer?In these eleven tales you will meet monsters both supernatural andhuman and it’s up to you to decide which are worse – the demons,or the dark thoughts of Man?Availablein print on www.lulu.com and as an EBook from most online retailers.
Fromancient stones to beer cans, from arcane rituals to dishwashers, themonsters are everywhere. In this collection of short tales you willfind demons ancient and modern, mixed with reality and unreality. Bythe end, you might not be certain which is which.Availablein print on www.lulu.com and as an EBook from most online retailers.DarkThoughts and DemonsWhat do you do if you escape Hell and return to your body, only tofind you’ve been cremated and are stuck as dust in a jar? What arethose train loonies really up to? Are there really things in therain, are there supernatural saviours in alleyways, is it safe todeal with demons and if you choose to steal, what are the odds ofburgling a house occupied by a demented killer?In these eleven tales you will meet monsters both supernatural andhuman and it’s up to you to decide which are worse – the demons,or the dark thoughts of Man?Availablein print on www.lulu.com and as an EBook from most online retailers.