Some time ago, I mentioned that I was about to embark on one of the darkest Test of Mettle stories to date, titled "Twisted Sister." As it happens, I just finished page seventeen of this sinister story.
And, yes, it is DARK!
I envision every detail as I write, holding my breath during certain parts and listening intently to the household solitude that envelops me in a false sense of security.
I admit that I am not rattled; that has happened only twice and both times occurred while writing "A Horror in Amityville," which appeared in "Cataclysm", the first novel in the 11:34 series.
No, it is not fear. At its core, it's the foreboding, ominous bleakness of the new story. I mean, holy shit, this is a rollercoaster ride into Hell with all the loops and jounces and puking, screaming patrons.
Want to know more? Okay, don't say I didn't warn you!
A woman located in Eastern Europe has been held captive in a stone-walled basement with only a fortified steel door, a bed, and a shower for company. Freya has no idea how many birthdays she missed. She can't recall what the sun, sky, and stars look like. Imprisonment pales in comparison when you find yourself forced into devious acts and occasional physical abuse.
Could it possibly get any worse?
At 11:34, Pythius, the Prince of Despair and ruler of the Eighth Circle of Hell, pays Freya a visit, and it does, indeed, get a whole lot worse.
