Dan's Sci-fi & Fantasy Blog

 

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Here is an excerpt from Phantom Algebra

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | iBooks

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Zuri and Luis stood before the expansive woodland behind Pinedale Central. The trees were a mixture of deciduous ones, barren of leaves, and evergreens, all stirring in the breeze. A narrow path almost overgrown by encroaching shrubs and branches wound along the forest floor and was soon lost in the murk. A rich pine scent floated from the trees, declaring the lushness of life, but there was an undercurrent of decay reminiscent of the stench sometimes accompanying Rose. Given the gloomy clouds hiding the sun, daylight would soon subside in the coppice long before darkness fell outside its bounds.

 

The chill Zuri felt was not due to the wintery breeze or moribund aroma alone. As she had noticed before, the trees beckoned with dozens, no, hundreds, maybe thousands of children’s voices to frolic beneath their branches. Zuri shook her head to dispel the interminable singsong but to no avail.

 

Come play beneath our branches and cavort through our fallen leaves.

 

“This trail doesn’t see much use,” Zuri remarked, hoping her voice might drown out the ditty.

 

Come play beneath us. You want to. You want to.

 

“I told you people who enter don’t always come out,” Luis said, his gaze nervously alternating between the trees and sky. “At least, that’s what everyone says.”

 

You want to come play. You want to come play. You’ll want to play forever!

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