The Great Tree knows everything. An adventurer is hired by a mysterious cult to find this ancient plant, which holds the answers to the world's greatest mysteries. This is a story of ancient gods, secret societies, and the most repulsive acts in human history.

Please enjoy the opening prologue to my first full-length novel, a darkly comic paranormal thriller titled How To Contact The Living.

If you enjoy this excerpt and would like to read the full book, head over to Amazon or check out my website www.bryanfarrellauthor.com

You can also check out my profile here on Penana for more free stories!

I used to be quite content with living life as your classic schoolyard bully, you know, taking what I wanted and always being the strong one tormenting the weaker ones. I thought I was the perfect guy, don't You think so? But all that changed when I crossed paths with the most annoying, stubborn, and yet incredible girl I'd ever met, oh and before I found myself infected by this werewolf virus. Well Shit.

The world is brought to ruins with the sudden emergence of supernatural beings and trials to destroy humanity as a whole, for their corrupted pleasure.

Luna, a normal high school girl with a peculiar past, strives to survive in the harsh reality as a mysterious voice and memories of a war unknown guide her.

Through the sorrows she faces and faced with the bitter truth about her parents, she aims to end these trials plaguing humanity and find clues about the voice.

***"The only hope eh?" muttered a woman with short white hair, as she sat leaning against a wall painted with blood.The lance sticking through her stood tall and proud. It irritated her.

She looked at her broken arm and then at the piles of corpses of short green creatures with pointy ears and noses.

She chuckled at the irony. She was told she was the only hope and yet here she was, dying to a mere thousand goblins.

Her ears perked as she heard footsteps. Through the musty tunnel across her came a hooded man.He was tall, and had a long beard, the only part of his face she could see.He had bandages wrapped around his hands and was covered in piles of cloth armor.He had a large bow in his hand, but he didn't have an arrow in sight.

She once again chuckled at the appearance of the strange man as her painful grunts grew quieter and quieter and to silence.

"Our souls are intertwined within the sky above us. That is why we are called Ethers. Our siblings enhance the powers of god in order to make up for their lack of a soul. While we use their soul they left us to harness the ropes above us in the sky, creating our abilities named: Soul Bonds."Imagine, as I was,

sitting down, thinking of one of my favorite shows, when I got inspiration from a certain aspect of it. Then applying it to a story I wished to flush out into the world.

In a world shaped by Arcanos — mystical symbols granted by ancient beasts — Mey Hell, a blind warrior, possesses sensory abilities that surpass human limits. She senses every presence, reads thoughts, and anticipates movements with terrifying precision. Her quest for vengeance leads her to Caelan Ironhart, a young boy with the most powerful Arcano of all. Together, they uncover new Arcanos and face formidable mystical beasts, forging an unbreakable bond as they pursue their fates.

WARNING: This story contains graphic content and triggers. Viewer discretion advised.

He greeted me with a sweet kiss before heading to the bathroom. Just then, my phone started ringing from another room, and I rushed over to check it, half-expecting it to be Mia calling off our plans. But instead, all I saw was “No Caller ID” flashing on the screen.

I set my phone aside and let it ring- seventeen times- before finally picking up. “Hello?” All I could hear was this heavy breathing on the other end. Then a voice broke through, “Break up with your boyfriend.” My heart raced as my eyes widened in disbelief. “Excuse me?” I shot back, my mind swirling with questions like ‘Who is this?’ and ‘Why do I need to break up with Brendan?’

Without thinking too much, I blurted out, “Who is this?” More heavy breathing filled the silence until a deep, distorted voice delivered eight words that would stick with me forever: “Hello Seo, this is the Hotline to Heaven.”

...

As we reach the bar area in the basement, my mind drifts back to that night when we had a few too many drinks and ended up with hickeys all over us. But this time is different- before I know it, he grabs a bottle and smashes it against my head.I stagger back, feeling warmth trickle down from my scalp. Instinct kicks in, and I grab a shard of glass from the broken bottle. With all the strength I can muster, I hurl it at him while shouting, “Stay the hell away from me!” Clenching my eyes shut, I silently wish this was just some nightmare. Part of me braces for him to come after me again, but instead there’s nothing but eerie silence enveloping me.

When I finally open my eyes, Brendan is nowhere to be seen. Cautiously creeping behind the counter, I glance down to find him gasping for air, the piece of glass embedded in his neck. Panic floods through me. “Shit,” I say, “I just killed my boyfriend.”

What would you do to if the world around you was falling apart? What would you do to prove you weren't crazy. These questions are what Julie May asks herself constantly as the world around her seems to fall apart.

Come along on an adventure of fantasy and horror and ask yourself one question.

"Can you hear the Fairy's song."

Yet another post-apocalyptic marching band story, featuring relatively the same people/names as my other one "ashes of eden" but with a completely different plotline.

There are things no one was meant to see, and darkness that should never have been given living form.

"That the world is coming to an end has long since been a dead issue. Everyone has heard of it. Those who have seen it know what the truth is, those who haven't either believe it or not. Either way, no one really cares. We shattered reality itself to shards, but even the apocalypse could not make a difference. Those who are lucky enough to live well don't care about other people's misery or how the world collapses, not even if their own children will have nothing to inherit but ashes and fear, and no matter how much power they have, they only use it for their own benefit, while bringing suffering to others. And the worst is, no matter what nightmarish old or new ideologies they use to justify their deeds, the flock will follow. In the end, the story is always the same."

This is the story of a broken world haunted by the deepest horrors of the human soul, relentless persecution and superstitious hatred, a fanatic war against everything that is not human, and the damned who oppose and never yield to fate. This is not a fairytale.

What to expect:

A deep dark medieval high-fantasy with elves, dwarves, fairies and demons, magic and swords, romance and hatred, and a post-apocalyptic world. This is not a fanfiction of any sort, it's an original story that popped out from my head, and it's very dear to me. I am really happy if you find it worth reading!

Please read the short "Good to know" chapter before you dive in!

Welcome to my Five Nights at Freddy's musical, a journey through the twisted tale of William Afton. Witness his dream of turning fantasy into reality, and the brutal mistake that transforms his life into a living nightmare. Join us as we explore the dark and thrilling story behind the animatronics and the haunted legacy of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

Enjoy a collection of short stories covering all flavours of speculative fiction.