Do you want to know what Lizzie Anne is working on next? Book 3!!!

I had an epiphany about where this book was supposed to go and not where it was going. That was both discouraging and exciting! I’m having to cut nearly 8,000 words from the story, but don’t worry, I’ve archived them to use in book 4. Yes, you heard me right. There’s going to be a book 4, maybe even a book 5. And I have a couple of ideas for children’s stories for my grandkids that are spinoffs of Book 1. You know, Miri? That mischievous dragon who likes to fix things?

Anyway, I’d like to offer you the first part of chapter one as a teaser!

THE DRAGON’S REALM-a matter of time             

Chapter 1

Anthony

 

Know what sucks worse than dying? Dying twice. Both times, totally not my fault.

I blame the first time on that ginormous winged thing Arietta called a netherbeast, but the second time from a unicorn? Seriously, I thought they were supposed to be all rainbows and prancing, not some murdering monster.

So, one minute I’m just standing there, trying to get the demon out of my head, and then the next thing I knew I’m heading toward this light. At that moment I could hear Mom in my head. “Anthony, if you ever see a brilliant light, head toward it. God will be there waiting for you.” I don’t know if she was kidding or forewarning me.

Yeah, that’s what really happened. That unicorn shot a laser beam out of its horn and BAM!

Then, the next thing I knew is I’m lying on my back staring up through the branches of a tree. Bright sunlight speckled through yellow and red leaves like the ones about to drop during the fall.

So, heaven’s got trees. Cool. I like trees. I’ve grown up with them all my life living on the edge of a forest. As a little boy, I remember something about being lost in the woods until some hikers found me and took me to my parents. I was so young I might be remembering it right.

The ground under me was soft and damp and seeped through my jeans. Yuck, the chill running up my legs was super uncomfortable. I still had my backpack which pressed into my spine, and my hand gripped my staff. At least I still had those. I tried to sit. My head throbbed—my ears had a slight ringing in them. I rubbed my eyes and stared around me. Sitting cross legged on the ground, put my finger in my ear, trying to rid the noise there. It was like that time I helped dad in his woodshop, and the sound of the skill saw buzzed in my head for a moment after he turned it off.

A meadow lark sang in the branches overhead. They have this melody unlike any other bird. With a soft whistle, I copied the bird’s tune and waited. She trilled back to me.

They say animals in heaven can talk. “Hey pretty bird, where should I go?” She flapped off the branch, disappearing over the trees. Apparently, they were wrong.

A crunch in the underbrush startled me. Barely breathing, I tensed my shoulders. A cloud passed over the sun, dimming the forest where I sat and the dampness in my jeans grew colder. Somewhere near, a wolf howled, long and high pitched. Since I was already dead, and nothing could harm me, I shouldn’t be scared, right?

I stood and took a few steps away from the tree. A streak of gray whizzed past me on the right, and something growled behind me. I spun around.

The wolf’s teeth snapped.

I remembered church sermons. The lamb and lion shall lie down together. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You can’t kill me. I’m already dead.” A child shall play in the cockatrice’s den. Whatever a cockatrice was. Where did the Bible mention wolves? If large cats and baby sheep could hang out together, surely an oversized dog, man’s best friend, wouldn’t hurt me.

I clutched my staff trying to remember what abilities Miri had given it. Shockwaves, fire blasts, and levitation. I thumped the end on the ground. The energy should have sent the wolf flying back. He kept advancing toward me.

With my staff aimed, I pressed the switch. Again, nothing happened. Even the levitation wasn’t working.

Backing up, a stick snapped under my foot. Dogs love sticks. I inched to a crouched position and wrapped my hand around the stick.

“Hey, wolfie . . .  here ya go.” I flung it as far as I could.

His grey eyes never wavered from mine. Several smaller wolves joined the hefty male.

So maybe I wasn’t in heaven. But I hadn’t done anything that bad to deserve hell. I mean the worst things was playing those dumb pranks on Arietta and Jayme, but those were in good fun, right? I didn’t do drugs; I didn’t smoke or drink or have sex. Heck, I hadn’t even kissed a girl until yesterday. Well, except for that one back in second grade, but that one didn’t count, right?

Suddenly, another thought crossed my mind. One even more terrifying than the idea of facing the devil himself. What if I wasn’t dead?