Snark & Sensibility

PLEASE WELCOME

PATRICK E. CRAIG

TO

FICTION FRIDAY

EXCERPT FROM THE LOST COAST

FROM Chapter 13

Battle in the Gulch

A chill went down Boo’s back as she and Punkin stood looking up at the signpost. Then, in the fog above them, she heard a strange sound like boat sails flapping in the wind. The fog grew thicker around them, and the light became even dimmer. Boo felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. “What was that, Punkin?” she whispered.

“I don’t know but it feels horrible and evil,” Punkin whispered back. The fog stirred above them as though a great bird had passed through it, and then ahead of them in the mist, a tall, dark figure began to take shape. It looked like a man but was huge and black. A menacing voice came out of the gathering darkness.

“Well, well,” the voice hissed, “and here you are. Welcome to Dark Gulch. Quite an appropriate name, don’t you think?”

Boo took a step back and put her arm around Punkin. The power of the evil almost overcame her. The dense fog swirled like smoke around the huge, black figure. It stepped closer, and now Boo could see it more clearly. Tall and dressed in a black robe, the figure had long dark hair, dark skin, and eyes that burned within their sockets like flames. It slowly unfolded its huge, dark wings and glared at the girls with pure hatred in its eyes.

Punkin clung tightly to Boo.

“I rarely reveal myself to puny humans, but you two have been flies in my ointment, shall we say.” The evil being cackled and spread its wings to their full extent. “You need to learn not to poke your noses in where they don’t belong. My men will be here in a few minutes, and your little adventure will be over. Any lessons you learn from our brief encounter won’t do you any good, because you won’t be around to tell anyone about them.”

The great evil angel drew its sword. The blade gleamed with a horrible red light. Step by step the foul spirit advanced on the girls. Boo stepped between Punkin and the creature, but Punkin pushed ahead of her.

“I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies,” Punkin whispered.

The huge evil spirit paused in its advance. “What did you say?” hissed the hideous creature.

Punkin spoke louder. “I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”

“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer,” Boo joined in, “my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

“Be quiet!” the beast screamed. “He can’t help you now.” The creature lifted its sword and advanced on the girls.

“Jesus!” Both girls cried out together.

The black creature recoiled in horror at the name above all names.

Then the gulch filled with a blinding light. Standing between Punkin and Boo and the horrible evil spirit was a great, radiant being, with its flaming sword lifted high.

“I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved,” cried the angel, swinging his sword in a mighty blow.

The black figure lifted its sword to deflect the powerful sword stroke—the glowing sword struck the red blade full on. A sound like thunder rolled up the gulch, and burning sparks flew into the mist. The two angels drew back, one clothed in light, the other wrapped in darkness.

“Michael,” hissed the malevolent being. “We meet again.”

“Yes, Dark One,” Michael said. “But this battle will be our last.”

Wham! The red sword of the Dark One crashed down on Michael’s upraised blade.

“You can’t defeat me, Michael,” the horrible creature hissed. “You don’t have enough help. The winner is always the one who has the most warriors.”

The two mighty beings—one radiant with the light of heaven, and the other burning with the fire of Hades—locked together in mortal combat. Michael began to feel himself growing weaker under the onslaught of the evil beast.

Michael lifted his voice. “But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.”

There came a snap and a pop and the sound of swords being drawn.

“Stand fast, Prince Michael,” shouted a voice behind him. “The saints are praying, and we have come to your aid.”

“No!” the evil angel shrieked to his demon gang. “Help me, you scum!”

At his cry, the swarm of demons following the men who were chasing Punkin and Boo flew down into the gulch. More of Michael’s angels appeared as the power of the praying saints grew. Soon, a furious battle raged around the Gulch. Underneath them, the ground shook from the force of the battle. The ring of swords and the shrieks of the demons filled the air, and as Michael’s warriors began to prevail, one by one they cast the evil forces into the abyss.

At last, the Dark One stood alone in a circle of shining angels holding flaming swords.

“I said this would be our last battle,” Michael said. “For your cup of iniquity is full, and your sins have come before the Lord. Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord God.”

“Please,” begged the Dark One “Not the abyss...”

Michael’s sword swept down and cut him in half. With a shriek and a burst of flame, the evil angel disappeared, sent to eternal punishment in the place prepared for Satan and his angels.

ABOUT THE LOST COAST, BOOK 2

Today I want to talk about my latest YA mystery release, The Lost Coast, Book 2 in The Adventures of Punkin and Boo Series, which is releasing this month.

A family trip turns into a deadly adventure when Punkin and Boo stumble onto the operations of a ruthless gang of marijuana smugglers who kidnap the girls' families to keep them from discovering the gang's secret pot gardens.  The girls escape into the untamed Sinkyone Wilderness on the wild Lost Coast of northern California.  Pursued by a desperate gangster known only as “El Fuente", his gang, and some very evil fallen angels, the girls discover anew the reality of God’s protecting hand over them. They also find help from some mysterious treasure hunters, their old friend Jack Wilson, and their guardian angel as they solve the mystery of the Lost Coast.   Patrick E. Craig

ABOUT PARICK E. CRAIG

Patrick E. Craig is a traditionally published/independent author. In 2013, Harvest House Publishers published his Apple Creek Dreams series. His current series is The Paradise Chronicles and his own imprint, P&J Publishing, published the first book in the series, The Amish Heiress, in 2015. Heiress remained on the Amazon Top 100 bestsellers list for seven months in two categories. The Amish Princess was released in 2016, enjoyed the same type of success, and will be followed by The Mennonite Queen in April 2019. In 2017 Harlequin purchased the print rights for The Amish Heiress for their Walmart Amish series. It will be released under the Love Inspired imprint in April 2019. Recently Patrick obtained the rights to the Apple Creek Dreams series and re-released it through P&J Publishing. The series includes A Quilt For Jenna, The Road Home, and Jenny’s Choice. His latest romance release, The Journals of Jenny Hershberger, is a six-book, eBook anthology of all his Amish stories. All his books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and other major retailers.   Patrick and his wife, Judy, make their home in Idaho. Patrick is represented by the Steve Laube Agency.

Where can readers find Patrick online?

www.patrickecraig.com  Webpage
https://www.facebook.com/PatrickECraig  Facebook

https://twitter.com/PatrickECraig  Twitter
Where can readers purchase my books?

http://tinyurl.com/n6sfagg Amazon