More of what the Bible didn't tell you… The Guardians are back...
Near Fordyce, New Mexico in the midst of the Sonoma Desert lies the Sonoma Quadrant. No airplanes have ever disappeared in the Quadrant. Obviously, no ships have ever disappeared there either.
What has disappeared there? People–For hundreds of years people have gone into the Sonoma and have never returned. Public records in nearby Fordyce indicate seventy-two such disappearances dating back as far as 1874 when records were first kept. Records from the abandoned Mexican village of Sonoma Rojo indicate disappearances dating back to 1644. Indian legends dating back to the Anasasi hint at the mysterious area as “a place one does not return from”.
But one man did emerge. In 1880, a prospector known only as Griswald was allowed to leave. Now, in 2003, Griswald is returning to the Quadrant and taking with him Tom and John Fischer. How could he still be alive? Why, after one hundred and twenty-three years would Griswald return?
In this sequel to C.H. Foertmeyer’s The Cats' Lair you will once again travel with the Guardians and discover things that may change forever the way in which you view the struggle between the powers of good and evil. You really haven’t a clue…
Excerpt
Tom looked back at the figure in front of him and smiled. He now noticed that the surrounding desert had vanished and had been replaced with a small village, Mexican in appearance, yet not.
"Hello," Tom greeted the vision timidly. "Pleased to meet you."
"Pleased to meet you, too, Tom," Quancho said, warmly.
John was dumbfounded and watched in disbelief as Tom talked to the wind. Then he realized that Tom was just doing a damn good job of humoring Griswald, and relaxed a bit.
Tom watched as Quancho moved toward John.
"Your turn, John. Shake hands with Quancho," Griswald instructed.
"Sure!" John said, holding his hand out eagerly, imitating Tom's act, and hoping he could play the part as well.
John looked briefly at Tom as he felt the distinct grasp of an unseen hand on his. John's eyes rolled back and he collapsed in a queer heap on the dusty desert ground, glancing up only momentarily at Quancho before drifting into unconsciousness.
"Weak constitution," Griswald commented dryly to Tom.
"Yeah, I guess," Tom answered, as he knelt down to help his brother.
Quancho, who up until now had been rather unemotional, let out a loud roaring laugh. "I love when that happens!" he roared, between gasps for air.
"So, Griswald. What brings you here?" Quancho asked.
"Curiosity, I guess. That and the need to reconnect with my past; to see if I really didn't dream all this."
"I believe your lack of rapid aging should have suggested that you dreamt nothing and experienced what few others ever do," Quancho suggested.
"Yes-Of course you are right about that, Quancho. Still in all-I needed to see it all again," Griswald said, smiling at his old friend.
As Griswald and Quancho talked, Tom was tapping John's cheeks trying to bring him back to the here and now.
"So, Griswald. Why have you brought these boys along with you?" Quancho asked, squinting at Griswald in anticipation of his answer.
"We just ran into one another on the desert. It wasn't planned, but I got to thinking that for once I'd like to have someone to share this experience with. It's hard to bear the knowledge of Melas alone. I can't explain it, Quancho. I just got to thinking it would be nice if someone else knew about my experiences here. I guess I didn't want to take the secret to my grave with me," Griswald answered.
"Perhaps that's how we would have preferred it, Griswald. Did you give that any consideration?"
"Yes-Yes I did, but then again, what harm can their knowing do?" Griswald asked.
|
