Realms of Darkness is a collection of stories by E.H. James
The Lamp
Two friends try their hand at the Ouija with unexpected results.
The Late Shift
When straggling customers make you late for your bus, and the next one doesn’t come for an hour…and there’s a serial killer on the loose.
The Furnace
When your husband has left for work before you get up, and a repairman shows up at your door…What do you do?
Excerpt
The following excerpt cannot be shared, printed, or duplicated without permission from the author and/or the publisher.
Part of the story The Lamp
The Lamp
“Did you bring it?” Sandra stood in the open front door.
“Got it right here.” Jennifer held up her backpack and gave it a pat.
Sandra grinned. Stepping aside, she tossed her hair from her eyes with a flip of her head.
Jennifer came inside, and Sandra gave the front door a shove.
“Don’t slam the door!”
“Sorry, Dad.”
Both teenagers giggled and ran up the stairs.
Pulling Jennifer into her room, Sandra leaned into the hallway. The hall was empty, and she closed her door quietly and locked it. “Show it to me.”
Jennifer dropped her backpack on the bed. She unzipped it and reached in. Withdrawing her hand, she revealed a board with numbers and letters.
Sandra plunked herself onto the bed. “Is that it?”
“Yep. That’s it.” Jennifer sat on the bed, placing the board between them.
“Ouija.” Sandra studied its surface. “And it really works?”
“It has for me.”
“But how do you know it works? I mean, how do you know the other person isn’t pushing it?”
“Easy.” Jennifer rested her elbows on her knees. “Ask it questions that only you know the answer to. You know you’re not pushing it. And as I don’t know the answers, there is no way I can be pushing it.”
“And it answers?”
“It’s worked every time. Beats me how it knows. Heck, we’ve even asked it a question about someone who wasn’t even touching the board, and it answered correctly. Neither one of the people touching the planchette knew the answer, but it spelled it out.” She shrugged. “I don’t know how it does it. Only that it does.”
“Planchette?”
“Oh, this thing.” Jennifer reached back into her pack and pulled out a small heart-shaped, wooden board. It had three short legs with felt tips. She placed it onto the middle of the board. “This is what you use to spell out the answers to your questions. Each of us puts our fingertips lightly on its edges, and when you feel it moving, you just go along with it. The pointed end points to the letter or number for your answer.”
Sandra bounced up onto her knees. “Let’s try it.”
“What, now?”
“Sure. Why not?”
Pulling her short brunette hair back over her ears, Jennifer glanced at the door. “You don’t want to be interrupted.”
“The door’s locked. No one can come in.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t stop them from knocking and wanting to talk. Like your little sister. And what if your parents want to come in?”
After Satan negotiates a pact with God and unleashes his army of demons, a secret sect battles a diabolical prophecy that threatens humanity.
Release Date: November 21, 2018
