Lost Souls: Imperfection – Episode 2
“I highly recommend this exciting paranormal thriller!”
– Curse of the Bibliophile
“Resurrection and Imperfection are short books that pack a major punch!”
– Cat’s Thoughts Review
LOST SOULS
“Imperfection”
Episode 2
“Imperfection” is the second episode in the exciting new urban fantasy series: Lost Souls. Only $0.99 cents!
Sam and her brother Ben, along with their new friend Christian, have just defied the leader of the Lost Souls. Outcast from their former group, the three of them battle the dark forces of the Changed on their own. With the help of their old friend, Eugene, they investigate the mysterious disappearance of one of their Lost Soul brethren.
As the investigation deepens, they come to the chilling realization that their nemesis, Scala, has escaped his centuries-old prison with revenge on his twisted mind. A demonic possession leads to grave consequences and the Lost Souls must make a difficult choice between life and death for an innocent victim.
~~~
Only $.99 – Lost Souls: Imperfection Purchase Link:
Excerpt from Lost Souls – Imperfection – Episode 2
As Ryan Johnson caught the basketball and began dribbling down the court, the crowd roared, standing to its feet as one. The Madison High School gymnasium was filled to overflowing with people packed shoulder to shoulder on the bleachers. Many more Hornet fans were forced to watch the game from the hallways. The cheers were thunderous as Ryan dribbled around one of the blue uniformed players of the opposing team.
Ryan chanced a glance at the electronic scoreboard on the wall just beyond the basket: Home 36 – Visitors 38. A three pointer would cinch it for his team. Piece of cake. That was his specialty. Three seconds left. He had won the three point shooting contest three years in a row. Two seconds. His shooting percentage in the tournament was at the highest it had ever been in his entire high school basketball career. Ryan stopped at the edge of the three point circle and went up for the jump shot…
…suddenly, he opened his eyes. He was on the floor looking up at the gym lights. What had happened? The gym was silent. Strangely quiet. He sat up and looked around. All the spectators in the stands were still on their feet, students and adults alike. There were no cheers, no excited clapping. Just an eerie silence.
Confused, Ryan stood up slowly and looked at his team’s bench, but it was empty, all of his teammates gone. A basketball rolled to a stop against the empty metal bleachers where his team should have been. He looked down at his hands for the basketball, but that too had disappeared.
He glanced up slowly to see all of his teammates standing in a circle in the middle of the basketball court, looking down at something. He glanced back into the crowd where he had seen his Mom and Dad earlier. Their spots were empty.
Slowly, he looked back at the crowd in the middle of the court. He moved toward them. Silent. The gymnasium was so very quiet. Even Blake McCormick, the prankster, was still and somber. He moved past him, around his teammates. Dominick, Henry, Frank. They all stood staring down at something, their brows furrowed with concern and disbelief.
Something really bad had happened.
Ryan moved forward. His coach was bent over someone. He lifted his balding head to look at one of his teammates. And suddenly the sounds of the world returned and Ryan could hear his coach clearly shout, “Henry, get the defibrillator from my office!”
“Call 911!” someone hollered.
Nervousness fluttered inside of Ryan as he approached. Who was it? Who had been hurt? Had he run into someone? He craned his neck to peer down past his coach. A white uniform. A Hornet. It was a teammate. Urgently, he moved forward. “Let me through,” he demanded. It was strange how he didn’t touch anyone. Or that no one jostled him as he moved through such a thick crowd of people. No one even seemed to notice his presence whatsoever. Sounds buzzed around him now, people murmuring, their voices filled with alarm.
He saw his Mom kneeling beside the fallen teammate, her faced filled with utter terror. She was saying something but Ryan couldn’t hear what it was with all the noise filling his head now. “What happened?” he called out.
Mitch. Was it his best friend, Mitch? It couldn’t be! He surged forward to the front of the line, dropping down to his mother’s side. “Mom, who is it?” She didn’t answer. Ryan glanced down at the body lying in the middle of the court, and froze. Familiar dark hair lay swept aside from the boy’s forehead. The boy’s familiar eyes were closed. His familiar lips were slightly parted. It couldn’t be. He stared down at his own face! His own body!
Startled and horrified, Ryan shot to his feet. For a long moment he couldn’t move. It couldn’t be. He backed up a step in disbelief.
Henry passed through him, the defibrillator in his hand. The room shifted and queasiness churned Ryan’s stomach. Henry had moved right through him! He took a shaky step back. What the hell? What was happening?
The coach ripped open the packaging of the defibrillator and placed the pads on his body, on his chest. His chest!
Ryan shook his head in shock. How could he be laying there? He was standing right here! “Hey!” he called.
No one turned to him; no one acknowledged him.
He turned to see his friend Mitch standing close to him. “Mitch! Mitch, I’m right here!” He reached out to grab Mitch’s shoulder, but his hand moved through him. Ryan quickly pulled his hand back. He looked at it in disbelief, as if it were not his.
“Okay,” the coach called. “Everyone stand clear.”
The metallic voice of the machine pronounced, “Stand clear. Delivering shock.”
Ryan looked at his body laying there on the floor, all hooked up to the defibrillator. He expected the body to spasm with a giant jolt like in the television hospital shows. But nothing happened. The body, his body, didn’t jerk, didn’t move.
Suddenly, the instinct to turn, the feeling of being beckoned, came over him. Something was silently calling him. He scanned the room passed concerned faces and finally stopped on a woman standing near the gym doors. While all the other eyes were gazing at his fallen body, she was looking at him. She was a lady he had never seen before. She was beautiful, with golden blonde hair cascading over her shoulders in perfectly shaped waves. She wore a white summer dress. A blinding white light seemed to shine from behind her. An inviting grin curved her lips and her warm smile drew him.
Ryan fought the call as panic gripped him. What the hell? Who was she? Was she looking at him?
The woman lifted her hand, palm up to him, her smile ever serene.
Warmth flooded through him and with it a sense of relaxation. Ryan turned to look back at his body. His Mom was leaning over him, screaming something. He couldn’t hear her words. The world seemed distant somehow, as if it were fading away.
He looked at the faces around him. Blake scowled in concern. Henry leaned forward trying to see over the coach’s head. Mitch wiped away tears from his eyes.
No. Ryan shook his head. This couldn’t be happening. He wasn’t leaving his friends. He looked at the beautiful woman. No. He shook his head. No. Confused and frightened, he whirled and raced away through the locker room. He had to get away from here. He had to figure out what had just happened to him. He had to keep running.
~~~
Only $.99 – Lost Souls: Imperfection Purchase Link:
Reviews for Lost Souls: Imperfection
“In the follow-up episode to Resurrection, Laurel O’Donnell continues to grow her world of the Lost Souls… We also meet Sam’s former husband and technology friendly soul, Eugene. The possibilities of this world are abundant… I hope we get to see more Eugene. I liked his character a lot. It was definitely a good addition to the cast of characters. Overall it was another great read with definitely more information being revealed to propel the story and world along. I can’t wait for the next episode.”
– Read the full review on The Book Maven
“This story is a continuation of the first Lost Souls. It has so much potential! I love the characters. Sam and Ben are great! Can’t wait to read the next one!”
– B&N Review
Back to Lost Souls Main Page
Back to Home
