SPIRIT STRENGTH

A Prologue To The Horror Of:
SPIRIT STRENGTH

Supernatural horror has a way of drawing itself to similar horrors. Lenny Manson and his traveling partner did not know it yet but they were soon to be thrust into a world of darkness neither one could have contemplated... ever. It did not matter that Lenny's traveling partner was already dead. Even the dead that lives again can meet true horror. Lucky for them, they would soon meet a ghost hunter who would be their only hope of survival! The other player in this emerging drama has... Spirit Strength!

RLJ

SPIRIT STRENGTH  (AN EXCERPT)

(San Francisco, California)

...There you were... standing on the platform enjoying the water spraying up from the boat's forward movement. I was paying a visit to a client who, in typical lifestyles of the filthy rich fashion, insisted that I meet him on his yacht. I stepped out on the deck for a minute to get a bit of air and then the incredible happened.

I really did not know you were here when I looked over the railing. But when I saw you standing there, me watching you from behind, looking like the most beautiful water nymph... with your blond hair blowing in the wind, your skin sparkling in the reflected sunlight, your beautiful blue dress waving in the wind... I was instantly mesmerized by you all over again. Then you looked up at me looking down at you and I was instantly overcome by the shameful realization that I was, in fact, lusting over you.

Marcy, I truly apologize if I made you uncomfortable. You were like my sister. We had grown up together from 4 year old kids until now 29 year old adults. You and me... we've lived through it all, together, as best friends and together through the darkest of time.

Unfortunately for our friendship and our lives, we have been forced apart for the last eleven months by a horror of horrors.

When you were murdered in the home invasion of your apartment, that ultimately is still unresolved, my life shattered like a light bulb. Your horrific death ripped your family apart and I am so happy that your mom and dad embraced me and allowed me to grieve with them. We missed you terribly. And we miss you, so much more than that.

Your murderer is still on the loose. And the police have vowed to find the vile fiend. You parents have complete confidence that whoever killed you will be found and perhaps given a punishment equal to the way you were slaughtered with those sharp objects. They are still working your case, of course.

And months later after we buried you, I got that job in San Francisco that you helped me get back then. I actually consulted with your dad after the offer was made and he gave me his blessing to move out west and start my life out there. And so, I did.

My new job took me away from the most intense memories of your murder. Of course, I would never forget you. But, I needed to take my memories of you to another place. That place turned out to be in California.

I must confess that when I saw you, for the first time in all these months, I nearly fell over. When you stepped off the platform and I watched you basically walking on air toward me, my heart began to flutter as I was reminded of your beauty.

It was my honor to reach out and take your hand to help you onto the boat. It was my honor to feel you in my arms again as you hugged me back. I felt the chills as you said my name again... "Lenny." It was my pleasure to see your smile again. And, it is a fact that I now see you very differently than the last time we interacted almost a year ago. And I am not looking at you through the lens of the ghostly supernatural.

You know I love you. And now I know I will love you forever. Thank you for forgiving me my piece of voyeurism. You are my best friend and I will do whatever it takes to bring you the peace you crave. And thank you for understanding why I never used my supernatural abilities to call to you back from the dead. The pain would have been to great for me if you hated me for calling you back to the land of the living, if you, in fact, did not want to be brought back.

Coming back to me on your own is fantastic news. Coming back to me on your own makes your spirit stronger and more tangible. Of course, humans cannot see you... but, dogs can. So, we will have to avoid them. And I so thank you for asking me to help you exact vengeance on your murderer... you know him and you know where he lives. Because you have not been dead long enough to gain the Spirit Strength to move objects in the living world, you will need me to touch the evil that lives.

Let's go and catch us a murderer, Marcy. I am done down in the saloon, so let me finalize my business and we can fly back to your dad's house tonight. I will have to confess to your dad some of the things about me that you have always known, but... we have a mission, you and I!

I am so glad you are back to me. We have a lot to discuss between here and Buffalo....

LJM