Click here to buy this book! Amazon Lulu Click here to buy! Heavenly Trinkets Category:  Horror Publisher: Publish America ISBN-10:  1413721699 Type: Fiction Pages: 209 Copyright: July 2004 Aunt Claire had a secret... A secret she only felt safe sharing with her favorite nephews. There was something about the house... Something un-natural... Something evil. Dane was thrilled when he'd learned he'd inherited the old family home, hoping to stay, but his older brother, Jeremy, had different ideas. He wanted to rid himself of the monstrosity, and the negative memories that went with it. It would only be a few days into it, when the brothers would learn it wasn't their choice to make. The house had ideas of its own  The field was larger than it appeared, but Dane had to find her. He had to ease his brother’s mind. He walked for over a half-hour before he finally spotted the small wooden cabin hidden behind the old tall pine trees. Everything around it was quiet. Dane spotted an old well in the front yard, standing a few feet from the door. He stopped to examine it as he neared it, feeling the dryness of the water bucket hanging over the deep hole. It was obvious it hadn’t been used in some time, but he reasoned that electricity and plumbing had taken over the need for pulling water from a well. He studied the dilapidated cabin. The dark wood showed signs of mold from weather and age. He looked toward the four steps leading to the front porch, noticing how warped the wood appeared, fearing if he stepped on them they’d cave in, but he motioned forward anyway, cautiously moving up the steps, feeling them bend beneath his feet. He looked toward the old swing hanging poorly by a rusted chain, blowing a breath from his lips when he noticed the ripped screened door in front of a thick wooded one. The wood porch bowed from the strain of his weight as he moved toward the front door. He pulled the squeaky screen door open, knocking three times on the wooden door, then he waited. Knocking again a bit harder than the first time. It was apparent if anyone was there, they weren’t going to answer the door. ‘Perhaps, ‘he might find someone around back.’ He jumped the steps and trotted around to the back of the cabin. An empty clothesline and an old tire hanging from a tree; were the first things his eyes spotted. The tire circling from the strong breeze, gave it an apparent lifeness, but it was the only thing that seemed that way. He stepped on to the unstable back porch, vigilantly moving toward the blue colored door with four small squared windows on it’s upper half. He cusped his hands to each side of his face, peering into the kitchen, quickly pulling himself back when he spotted a rat running over the counter. “Surely, she couldn’t live here,” he resolved, stepping back on the porch, nearly tripping over the top step. “What do you want?” He heard a stern gruff voice say from behind him. Dane quickly turned to see a tall, slender elderly man, standing a few feet away from the house, pointing a shotgun at him. Dane recouped his composure, brushing the window’s dust from his hands. “I’m looking for Jamie,” he explained. ”Jamie Forrest?” the man questioned, his eyes squinting as he unsteadily pointed the shotgun at Dane. “Yea,” Dane nervously stuttered. “You know where I can find her?” he hopefully asked. The man nodded as he relaxed the gun and moved closer. “There ain’t been no one lived here for seven years,” he told Dane. “Who are you anyway?” he probed. “I’m Dane Nash. I inherited the place over the hill,” Dane relayed. The man gave a knowing nod. “You mean Claire’s place?” he guessed. “Yea, she left it to me and my brother,” Dane explained. “You a relative of hers?” the man pried. “She was my aunt,” Dane informed. “You fixin' to stay?” The man curiously questioned, still with a standoffish tone to his voice. Dane nodded. “I’d like to, but my brother has roots elsewhere,” Dane said. “Well if I wuz you, I’d give it a second and a third thought before I decided to settle in there,” the man warned. Dane kind of chuckled. “Was there anyone in this town who liked my Aunt?” he asked with a sigh. “Oh I liked her all right, it’s just that dang house. It did things to her. She used to go out to socials. She was the best dancer...” He smiled with the memory, shaking his head as he faced the ground. “Then she started spending more and more time in that house,” his voice lowered. “She said she heard voices,” he revealed. “Voices?’ Dane questioningly repeated, giving a quick thought to what his brother had earlier said. “Yep, that’s what did her in,” the man insisted. “Have you ever been in that house Mr...” “Brown, Louis Brown.” The man finished for him, “and yeah, I’ve been in there. It was dark and cold like death. I tried to get her out of there, but she was a stubborn one your aunt was,“ Louis sneered. “Do you know how my aunt died?” Dane cautiously asked, hoping for some inside information the legal papers hadn’t mentioned. Louis scratched the side of his nose with his finger. “They say...” He began with a pause, “she fell down the basement stairs, and I recon she could have. She was getting on in years, but I believe there was more to it than that,” he speculated. “What do you mean?” Dane persisted. “I think them damn spirits pushed her,” Louis asserted. “Spirits?” Dane doubtingly repeated. “How long have you been there young man?” the man asked, looking like Dane had missed something. “Three days today,” Dane informed. Louis nodded his head as he considered what Dane said. “It shouldn’t be too much longer before you hear from them,” he snickered. “Did you ever hear them, Mr. Brown?” Dane pressed. “I could tell you a lot of things, but I won’t. My best advice to you is to get out while you still can,” the man strongly warned. “But I prefer to stay, and you still haven’t told me about Jamie,” Dane reminded him. “Jamie...”Louis repeated. “Why you chasin’ ghosts?” he questioned. “Ghosts?” Dane found himself repeating after the old man more than he was getting answers. “Jamie Forrest died in this house eight years ago,” Louis tenaciously relayed. “I think it was because of her daddy that she did it. He was an abusive man, and he did things to her, if you get my drift. So you might just say he killed her,” Louis decided. Dane was shocked at the man’s words. This couldn’t possibly be the same vibrant young woman he’d met the day before. She was not the usual kind of woman who acted like she’d been abused, he considered, having met many in the past. “You come on over to my place and I’ll tell you about it,” Louis offered, leading Dane through the woods to a small wooden shack several yards away. Dane could see the smoke rising from the chimney, noticing the pile of chopped wood laying a few feet from the house, with an axe buried deep inside one of the logs. “I use to cut wood for a living...” Louis spoke up, noticing Dane’s wavering attention. “Now I just cut wood to live,” he added with a laugh, moving up the five steps leading to the small porch with three worn chairs. “Have a seat,” he instructed. “Can I offer you some ice tea or something?” Louis offered. “Yes, that would be nice,” Dane thankfully agreed, watching as the old man brushed his feet off before stepping inside the shack, coming back a few minutes later carrying two tall glasses in his hands. “Here you go,” he said, handing Dane his lightly tanned drink. Louis rested himself down in a chair next to him with a plop. Dane watched as he pulled a tobacco pouch from his pocket, rolling a cigarette with his shaky hands. “Yep...” Louis started, as if responding to a thought. “I knew them well. Charles Forrest, big guy he was and strong as an ox, but he wasn’t too right in the head. He always wore them suspenders over his dirty white t- shirts. I wasn’t sure if he ever changed or not, but I did know he was cruel to Jamie. In fact he was that way with his whole family. He drank a lot, you see. Jamie’s momma died when Jamie was six, and there was her brother Ross...Don’t know what happened to him, but I think the momma was grateful to leave when she did,” Louis went on. Louis’ words rambled on and on, still not enlightening Dane any more than he’d been before. “Who is it I met then?” Dane asked, wanting to get to the point. “Met?” Louis repeated. “Yea, I met a girl. She was very pretty and very much alive. She was painting in the field. We talked and she came over to my house for dinner...” Louis leaned toward him. “You know sometimes them dead don’t know they’re dead,” he said. “Yea, but you’d think I’d know. I touched her,” Dane reasoned. “And she told you she lived in that house?” Louis questioned pointing toward the woods separating their cabins. “Actually she said across the field,” Dane remembered. “I’ve been here all my life. I was born in this house seventy-eight years ago in three months, and I know everyone who lives around here. The only Jamie in these parts, is dead. I swear to that on what little time I have left,” Louis insisted. “Well maybe she lied about her name,” Dane suggested. “Is there any one else around here that fits her description?” Louis shook his head. “There are the Beth’s. They have a young daughter, but she’d only be about three now. Other than that everyone else is an old timer, like me.” He grinned. “Unless you go into town, but still, who you described to me is just like Jamie, but I ain’t mistaken. I went to her funeral,” he insisted. Dane stood up. His look was discouraged. “Look, boy, this area is full of ghosts. Maybe not the haunting kind, but things that the folks who have lived her for centuries would prefer remain dead. If you go unburying things, you’re gonna make a whole lot of enemies,” Louis warned. Dane stuck hands in his pockets, giving Louis a forced smile. “Well, I thank you for your help,” he said, not knowing what else he could say. “I can give you a ride home,” Louis offered, pointing to an old brown rusted pickup truck, parked a few feet away. Dane gave a nod. “Thanks, that would be great,” he replied, feeling grateful he didn’t have to take the long walk back through the field again. Louis talked the whole way back, while Dane remained quiet. Listening and thinking that for someone who thought the ‘ghosts’ should remain sleeping, as he put it, he was giving out a lot of information about the people who once lived, and still lived in the area. He refused to believe Jamie was a ghost as Louis had suggested. He didn’t believe in ghosts, he thought, remembering what his brother had told him. He exited the truck at the front of the gate, feeling more confused than ever, and not at all looking forward to facing his brother with the information Louis had given to him. “You come by and see me again sometime, you hear?” Louis said, shifting the truck into reverse, throwing out a final wave before disappearing from Dane’s sight. Dane’s attention quickly turned to the squeaking gate as it swung closed then open again. He had before tried to ignore the oddities that surrounded him, because he’d wanted to stay there. He still wanted to stay, despite the arguments his brother and his mind conjured up, and Louis had planted some seeds that made little sense. ‘Crazy old man’ he thought, walking through the gate toward the house.

Behind The Iron Gate/Reviewed By Tracy Farnsworth
After they receive word of their aunt’s death, brothers Jeremy and Dane head off to settle her estate. Stoic Jeremy hopes to sell the house and belongings, pay off his aunt’s debts, and then split the money. Maybe with a little luck, there will be enough money left over to give his brother, Dane, a solid start. Jeremy promised his mother that he’d watch over Dane, but Jeremy has never approved of Dane’s migratory ways.

Once they arrive at their aunt’s former house, Jeremy is shocked to hear that Dane wants to settle down in this house and start a new life, especially after Dane meets a neighbor, Jamie, who he seems to be falling in love with. Jeremy hopes to convince Dane that selling is their best option. After a couple of days pass, that may not be so hard. Something or someone wants to make sure that the brothers never leave the house alive…

BEHIND THE IRON GATE offers fansof ghost stories a fast paced, multi-layered story. I didn’t find it particularly scary, but there were plenty of intriguing ghosts with intriguing backgrounds. They kept me reading from beginning to end.


Behind The Iron Gate/Reviewer: D. L. Wehunt
spellbinding, September 12, 2004
Behind the Iron Gate is the best book I've read this year. Very well written. Couldn't put it down. I think author has got a wonderful imagination that just keeps your interest until the very end.



Behind The Iron Gate
Behind The Iron Gate/Deanna Chrystal
By: Digmesnippidy

Five stars!!!!!
Behind The Iron Gate takes the reader through the trials of two long estranged brothers, after they inherit their deceased Aunts house, leading them into ‘nightmarish’ situations with colorful ghosts and unexpected plots.
Jeremy and Dane Nash, disagree from the beginning over the house’s destiny. Jeremy wants a quick sale, and Dane wants to stay, but as the truth unfolds, it appears that an escape may not be their choice.
This book is filled with unforeseen plots and a surprising ending.
Highly Recommended reading!!!!