Howard Phillips Lovecraft....What more do I have to say!

"That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons even death may die."

It was this quote that actually sent shivers down my spine when I first read this. I actually put the book down for a moment, allowing my imagination run wild with the imagery Lovecraft had so eloquently conveyed. I pictured the characters in their turn of the century setting. Rows of houses stretching out every which way. The Atlantic offering some respite from the suffocatingly dark narrow alleyways, plagued with societal dregs. At the center of this was the narrator, and his quest for answers to the bouts of madness that have plagued this town recently. The compiled research in his uncle's journal leads the narrator through a tale of the impossible. The demonic dreams of an artist, the police and their encounter with a primitive cult. The harrowing struggle of a Norwegian sailor, how he and shipmates encountered terror incomprehensible to common man. This quote gave me shivers because it added to the mystery of the monster that plagued the characters in this story. "The Call of Cthulhu" was the first story I read by Lovecraft. Actually I had known about his monsters due to Metallica, but it was not until years later in 2001 that I finally was convinced to read him. I loved Metallica, and their first four albums are all that I cared to listen to through the years. They referenced Lovecraft twice with "The Thing That Should Not Be" and "The Call of Cthulhu." I was intrigued by these monsters referenced in the lyrics and music but years passed and my interests moved on. It was not until I my brother introduced me to Electric Wizard that my interest was rekindled. I was reading the liner notes from their album "Dopethrone" when I came across references to Lovecraft. The first being the lyrics to "Weird Tales" which captured the essence of Lovecraftian myth and paid homage to the Great Old Ones:

From ancient Yuggoth, black rays emit
Evil narcotic cyclopean pits
In dark babelian towers await
Lie dreaming until the time will awake
Black chant mirrors the song of the stars
Open the abyss dreamt from afar
Abominations drawn to our dimension
Feed black desires, aid human ascension
Black chanting grows
From caverns below
Echo through time
Reveal the sign
From ancient Yuggoth, black rays emit
Evils narcotic cyclopean pits
In dark babelian towers await
Lie dreaming until the time will awake

Yuggoth being a planet found in various works of Lovecraft, that had me somewhat intrigued. What really captured my imagination was the word cyclopean. I figured from reading Homer, that it had something to do with the cyclops, massive in size. Then my imagination ran wild, I remembered Metallica's "Call of Cthulhu." The riffs painted an image in my mind of a massive creature awakening from years of slumber. This was the final push I needed, I had to read Lovecraft that instant! I had been in a slump in regards to reading horror. I only liked two books by Stephen King, "It" and "Salem's Lot." I tried some other authors that I can not even remember, but was very disappointed. I had a feeling though, Lovecraft was going to be perfect for me. I sped off to the bookstore and selected the compilation that had a satisfying weight to it as I recall. That meant more pages, more pages meant more monsters and such. I was definitely not disappointed! I sat in the parking lot, too excited to go home, turning the pages until there it was "The Call of Cthulhu." I remember finishing the story late into the night and pulling an all nighter to read it again. This was it! Horror salvation, it had everything. Turn of the century, eerie towns with equally eerie people, giant monsters waiting to destroy humanity, cosmic horror, the unfathomable depths of the ever expanding universe. I stood at the mountains of madness, and wanted nothing more but to press on. Lovecraft's stories enveloped me, from then on I refused to read no one else besides his contemporaries. Save for William Hope Hodgson, who apparently influenced Lovecraft. He is next on the list by the way, an extraordinary man and author. If this has you intrigued, if you want for something more in the world of horror, I strongly urge you to start with "The Call of Cthulhu." I found a wonderful audio book version read by Wayne June, here is a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVaqblXwp-Y

                                                           F'tagn, that water is cold!

Work Experience: National Acrobat, Spiral Architect...

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=MsSSn3vaPJI

Nobody will ever let you know
When you ask the reasons why
They just tell you that you're on your own
Fill your head all full of lies

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath! When I first heard it, I was fucking blown away! I had the privilege to have grown up with parents fresh off the boat from Italy. That means they were Nazis about what I did and what I thought. I am so fucking thankful I turned out the way I did, the exact opposite of what they wanted. I had a lot of help along the way. No matter how much bullshit I was fed, Black Sabbath was there to say "Well mate, you're gonna have to figure it out for yourself because nobody knows what the fuck they are talking about!" It rang true with the verse I quoted above. I am actually listening to this song as I type. It still sends chills down my spine. The riffs, the lyrics and the imagery on that album which I proudly have a gate fold copy sitting on my shelf. The images were diametrically opposed. One was demons surrounding a bed and trying to claim someones soul. The other, a more heavenly scene of a person dying in bed and angels surrounding said person. This album is so incredible, I remember when I bought my first guitar over a decade ago i had to learn this song first!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n-ELw-1lrk&feature=related

I wanted to mention some other songs from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. A National Acrobat is so fucking incredible! I love the stoner groove in the beginning and when Ozzy's vocals come in, the sounds coalesce into an experience equivalent to three day Viagra sex with Satan's daughter. Yeah, it is THAT good. The lyrics are about living life to the fullest, and the questions we have not answered regarding what happens after death. Apparently Ozzy wants you to listen, and he's talking to you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ESFH1gNsARw&feature=related

That arpeggiated riff in the beginning was another must learn on the guitar for me. It is a perfect introduction to this epic song. This is feel good music, it talks about how fucked up the world is yet there is still good. No matter how ugly we are to each other there is still a faint glimmer of hope. This song helps me keep my center. I mean I have a horrible fucking temper, it has gotten me into so much trouble in the past I am surprised I am not rotting in a cell. When I listen to this though, I stop and consider the good people I know in my life. I also think about being a father and how much of a gift that is. It's funny, people are so adamant about saving the earth and I wonder what about ourselves? The earth would just begin a reclamation process when we are gone. The point being that when we are gone, that is it. Just like the millions of species that are extinct, they're never coming back. See, this is what Black Sabbath does to you. You get thoroughly rocked and rolled and ponder the universe at the same time.
This album was and still is a favorite. I am so glad I wrote this, it has put so much into perspective. I hope this album means as much to you as it did to me. Black Sabbath's first four albums are essential to all metal collections. I started out of order, but I will give you my take on the other three albums. You know that I should
You know that I should
You know that I should
etc...
Now if you listened to Spiral Architect ,you'll get the above joke.

The Creeping Flesh

I remember years ago catching this late night while my wife was at work. I was so damn bored and after going through pages and pages of mind numbing pop culture titles on the Ondemand service I found this title. The summary sounded ok, and the title resembled A Metallica song back when they were good. You know, Creeping Death, anyway moving forward...
I decided on it, I mean it was free and it had Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in it. You younger people will recognize Christopher Lee in his great portrayal of Saruman in the Lord of the Rings film adaptations. The movie is basically about a scientist who brings a skeleton back from Papa New Guinea. Strange occurrences begin and our protagonist begins to suspect the skeleton is actually the remains of a malevolent being. I do not want to give away too much, but I have to discuss this scene because it sent a chill down my spine.That had not happened since I was seven years old when I first saw Night of the Living Dead.
Now I have to do this of those of you seeking out this great film:
Huge Spoiler Alert! Do not click the link before seeing the movie!


Ok, my good deed is out the way time to get to the part that had me up all night relishing in the fact I was actually scared.
This scene is incredible to say the least in my humble opinion. There is Peter Cushing with a horrid look on his face as he realizes what has finally come for him. I love this! This is real fucking horror people, I mean get past the fact that it is an old movie and the effects are not million dollar computer generated crap. Who cares? This is true terror building up slowly inside the protagonist as he tries every last effort to escape the creature. The reveal was amazing, the whole scene coalesced into terror perfection. Cushing is at the top of the stairs looking down and his reaction when he realizes what is happening is acted wonderfully. The shots that showed Peter Cushing at the top of the stairs and the creature's shadow are delightfully terror inducing. Before the creature comes up the stairs, you see Cushing thinking hard about where to run and the way his face and body trembles is an incredible display of talent. The look of horror almost to the point of madness as he stares wide eyed was so incredibly done I was on the edge of my seat. Then the creature makes it's way up the stairs slowly each step producing a dull thud. The rest you will see in this short clip, one final thing I would like to point out is the effect it had on me. This was the horror I was looking for! I mean, I have been so disappointed with the bullshit Hollywood tries to pass for horror. I was so excited for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake and in the end it was a festering pile of shit. Of course they did not stop there, Hollywood panders to the lowest common denominator which is insulting to people who want more. Over the top gore is not horrifying and not shocking at all. There is not substance, not like you would find in this movie. I was so delightfully terrified if that makes any sense. It had been a long time since a horror movie had me so thoroughly entertained and anxious to see how the protagonist would survive, if he did. I love this movie, I am so glad I found it by accident. I urge you to check it out and get the full story to better appreciate the elements of suspense and terror that truly had me on the edge of my seat!

Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKvaJiTBHNs

Hold on, I need to answer the dull thud at the door.....

Shifting Gears for a Second

I have been meaning to post this for a few weeks but got derailed, here goes:
 Lets begin with how much I love martial arts. It's right up there with Horror and Metal all three sharing the same passionate intensity. I finally decided to train again after a much too long hiatus. Let's face it, I'm not getting any younger. I worked construction for years that did a number on my bones. My knees make sounds like castanets in a flamenco ensemble. I had a lot of reservations about going back, especially taking something intense like Muay Thai. Sure enough, the beginning months were hell, I could hardly breathe let alone keep up with hitting the Thai pads. In time I felt myself getting stronger and my endurance lasting longer and longer. Looking back, how pathetic I felt and how many times I wanted to quit, it's almost pathetic the defeatist attitude I had. A new challenge arose though, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I used to watch the class that was on right after the Muay Thai one I attend. Holy shit is was unreal! I mean we do crazy shit in Muay Thai for conditioning, don't get me wrong, but fuck this was so unreal. There were break falls which almost looked like gymnastics, cartwheels, picking your buddy up onto your shoulders and carrying him across the mat. All the while doing lunges when the instructor called out to do so. Hardcore, to say the least. Well, after much deliberation I finally told my chicken shit self to throw on a Gi (uniform) and jump in. The first class was amazing! Of course I had to tap out left and right but I put up as good of a fight as any newbie could. I tried my hardest to employ things I learned in magazines and from watching fighters that I admire. Some of it worked, yet most of it did not. Who cares? I did not expect to be promoted to black belt the first day and having to tap out is no big deal. It is, in my opinion, a lesson in humility. Having honorable people as partners that really want to help is a huge bonus too. This brings me to my most recent class which was a personal victory. Towards the end of class we have a sparring session (called rolling) where we try to employ techniques we know, and try to defend against our opponent's submission attempts. After a month of classes and getting thrown around and tapped out left and right, it was all starting to make sense. I held my own pretty good against my first opponent which was a big improvement compared to when I began. My second opponent was what eliminated any negative thoughts about my progress. We basically started on the ground, I got away from him and we ended up in a standing position. I took a basic Judo grip on his Gi and tried for a Seoi Nage. The aforementioned word is actually the name of a Judo throw, one that I picked up at a Judo dojo I need to return to ASAP! I almost completed the throw but stopped due to my opponent's resisting. I ended up with my opponent behind me standing and he was about to trip me and apply a choke. I heard my instructor say "Go man, you're not finished yet!" That is when I reacted and with my arm still locked under his I attempted to finish the throw. I lifted my leg to try and get him over but my knee gave out being I had his weight and my on it and we went to the ground. I scrambled up, and took the opportunity to get side control on my opponent. From this position I finally got my first submission in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The very awesome Kimura technique, one that is growing on me as my favorite submission technique. I love Judo, Masahiko Kimura is a personal hero to me and I made a goal to have my first successful submission to be a Kimura. Now, of course it is wrong to keep track of who you tap and who taps you which I totally agree with. I can not help but feel such a sense of accomplishment though form this personal victory. I know it is going to be a very long and very tough road, especially for me since I am in horrible shape, but I have these small victories to fuel my desire to succeed. I live for this, words seem weak in conveying the intricacies of my elation when I put a Gi on or sixteen ounce gloves and a mouth piece. I strongly recommend it to anyone, young or old. Shit, my buddy that I usually train with is like 43 and was in horrible shape when he started. You can do it, most places cater to your needs as they want you to keep coming back and most of the instructors give a shit about your success...It is their job as a coach/sensei/Kru/master.
Here is some videos if your scratching your head and saying "Kim ur a -who?" "Say o' naggy what the fuuuu?" "I thought Thai pad was a dish?"
Seoi Nage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m8Qf3X-eW4

Kimura from Side Control:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCdn80UT5eQ

Muay Thai:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8kbZhZVIyU

Buakaw is a bad ass fighter! Look him up, those round house kicks are sick!

My brother introduced me to them back in 2002 if I remember correctly. I remember being blown away by the album cover alone. I stared at it for a while taking in all the imagery, this was my first foray in the world of stoner metal. I mean, just like any other metal head I loved Sabbath, just the first four for me thanks and I couldn't get into Ozzy's solo stuff. It was too depressing to see him with a Goldilocks perm. Black Sabbath was the root of it all, when I first heard that song it was the soundtrack to the world ending. That slow crawl, the three note riff which was chilling in its simplicity, the lyrics of eternal damnation all coalesced into a masterpiece. It was this masterpiece that paved the way for future generations to be inspired to take it to the next level. Electric Wizard was on another level for me, let's go back to 2002 and discover them together... After taking in the imagery found outside the case and within I popped the Cd into my car stereo. I remember thinking I wished I had this in gate fold vinyl, like the Black Sabbath reissues I found that remind me of my childhood. The intro to Vinum Sabbathi hits me "If you get into one of these groups, there's only a couple ways you could get out. One is death, the other...Mental institution." Boom the fucking bass hits like Godzilla advancing on Tokyo. My brother and I just looked at each other like "What....The.....Fuuuuuuuck!" I had to turn the bass down fast or risk blowing the windows out. Then the guitar joins the sonic assault, the riff I found to be easy to play since I was seriously into guitar back then. Just because I found it easy to play, it did not mean it was so incredible to hear. Then the lyrics came in, Jus Oborn's voice had some seriously awesome effects on it that remain throughout the rest of the album. When I first heard this song I was blown away, it was so fucking heavy! I urge you to check out the rest of the album, it's out there trust me you will not be disappointed.

Check out http://www.facebook.com/electricwizarddorsetdoom 

I'm going to destroy what's left of my hearing now with this album again.

Paging Dr. Tongue...

Look at this guy, just look for a minute. Done? Did you last the whole minute? To this day, this particular zombie from Day of the Dead still has the power to make make my skin crawl. I have my mature sensibilities about me, I know zombies could never happen. Still this one freaks the hell out of me to this day. If you have not seen this movie yet, I strongly suggest you do. The scene leading up to this creature's reveal is incredible in my opinion. I have included a video link to see for yourself. Trust me, if you are a true fan of zombie movies, you will relish in the atmosphere created by this scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAp_-0vbOwY

See what I mean?

Excerpt From "The Pit"

That night I struggled with the events of the day. Sleep was a fleeting desire unobtainable no matter how desperate my attempts. Looking out the window I replayed everything in my head pertaining to the house. I concentrated so intensely and tried to make sense of what happened. Why had I felt an uncontrollable urge to enter the structure which went against all common sense? How could anything so dark and depressing be so inexplicably enticing? I recalled the terrifying laughter and the unseen pull towards the house as I tried to leave. So much made little sense, my head aching with each recollection. The cool air from the window was refreshing and I returned to my senses. Amy, Paul, and I decided to meet in the morning and dawn had crept upon me. To even try and sleep was useless, I quietly moved to the basement and gathered what I felt useful for our first foray into the unknown.
 I gathered tools which I thought would be useful to forcibly enter the structure. Most were old and rusted, saved more for the memories of my grandfather they produced than for practicality. He was a mason by trade, there were various chisels and hammers piled on an old workbench in our basement. Old lime stained shovels stood in a corner serving as convenient stability for an arachnid’s artfully crafted death trap. I shuddered and reached for the large hammer through the thick web, I absolutely  despised spiders. Collecting what else I saw as practical for breaching the old structure, I proceeded to exit the basement. Upon my exit I saw Paul waving for me to come over quietly. Without a word I waited and noticed he seemed slightly distressed. Upon seeing his parents leave for work, Paul reached behind his back and produced his father’s revolver. Any protest I attempted was quelled with a reminder of how dangerous our undertaking was. I told him I wanted nothing of it, I had no experience with firearms to which he replied it was time I learned. He made sure the cylinder was empty and handed the pistol to me to practice dry firing. He suggested this to get a feel for how much force it took to squeeze the trigger and to examine more closely the loading process. After the brief practice session I felt my confidence increase and felt more and more relaxed carrying the firearm. Paul suggested firing live rounds as that would allow me to practice aiming and grow accustomed to the torque after firing. There was an abandoned gas station nearby and we decided there would be best for target practice.
 The report from the pistol was shockingly loud, I recall before firing seeing Paul covering his ears and at first wondered why, yet now understood. My equilibrium completely thrown off from the sound and the recoil I felt disoriented until Paul tapped my shoulder to get my attention. He proceeded to show me a proper technique for shooting a pistol, this learned from his father who was an amateur marksman. Paul explained how to hold the pistol and how to stand to reduce the effects of recoil, he also had me take notice of his breathing. All this formed a cohesive technique that proved invaluable regarding proper usage of a firearm. I fired a few rounds and found myself more and more confident in my ability, although not an accomplished marksman I still could prove to be effective if the situation needed. We grew wary of possible police response to our practice session and proceeded to stealthily take leave of the area. Much to our surprise there was no response as the local police must have been tired of chasing other aspiring marksmen using the abandoned lot as a proving ground. There was no other property around so the risk of injury from stray bullets was non existent. Upon closer inspection, one could see police grade spent shells on the ground amidst the shredded paper remains of silhouette targets. Apparently the local law enforcement appreciated the solitude of this run down junk yard and saw it as an opportunity to blow off steam, and car emblems. Paul and I returned to his house and it was there we would meet Amy and decide how to go about our first expedition.
 We thought of all possibilities on how to explore the house without drawing too much attention to ourselves. It was mid-day now, the sound of the wind intensified with the rustling of the sparse dying leaves still clinging to their dormant masters. We decided to go immediately and seize the opportunity. A majority of the adults were at work and we ran little to no risk of being discovered, and more importantly, missed. We only had a few yards to cover and thus done at a fevered pace. Our curiosity almost a tangible element as we individually crossed onto the structure’s foreboding lot. There it was, almost mocking us in our desire to enter. The house seemed to come alive as soon as we crossed onto its property, and took an even more enchanting appearance with each step closer. We decided it would be best to move to the south end of the house and try to enter from there. That being the best point of entry for secrecy as we would be unseen to any passer by thus allowing time to enter the structure unhindered. Amy had been looking constantly at a fixed point on the structure and I became worried that some metaphysical hold had encumbered her. She would constantly shift her focus to the uppermost level of the structure and would blankly stare until one of us requested aid or a tool from her. There was two opportunities to enter from where we stood, an old rotted door that led into the basement and a back door that was missing its handle, equally in horrid shape. There was a film of greenish slime coating the both of them possibly from neglect and weathering yet we were still unsure of its origins. Paul decided to work on the door leading to the basement as the one we originally tried would not open. We then went to work trying to pry the heavy double doors off by their rusted hinges. Amy was still concentrating on the upper level of the house when she suggested something. I was to place my hands on my knee in order to boost her to the lower lying roof allowing her to gain access to the upper levels. It was then the one door gave way with a groan and a resounding thud, this making the other door easily removable as Paul and I grabbed hold of it. With little effort we removed the other door and now had a perfect entrance to the basement.
 We agreed that Paul would assist Amy, being taller and athletic he assisted Amy with ease and she proceeded to tie the rope Paul brought around a chimney allowing him to climb up after. We agreed twenty minutes to just go inside and search as fast as possible for anything that could be considered useful information. Paul and Amy took the upper levels as I peered with curiosity at the new opening created minutes ago. There was a foul stench emanating from within. The fire of my bravado yielding to an icy sensation of pure fear. I looked up to see my companions disappear into the upper level of the house, time was of the essence in order to gather answers to this dark and decrepit structure. I realized I still had the pistol in my back pocket, and proceeded to make my way down the stairs. I had clipped the flashlight to the top pocket on my jacket to allow me to search with both hands, and this proved useful for steadying myself on the poorly fabricated stairs leading down. Descending ever cautiously, the darkness slowly enveloped me every step. A horrid stench unknown to my senses overtook me and at once I felt weak and vomited. The light displayed odd properties as it attempted to break through the darkness. It seemed as if the darkness itself had its own wicked agenda, my flashlight was hindered beyond comprehension. Thus impeding my search in the limited time the three of us agreed on. I pressed on and covered the basement area little by little, besides the horrible stench I noticed a film of greenish slime covering the walls the same that was observed outside. Strangely, It did not have the properties of mold as one would assume it to be, yet it was the source of the repugnant stench. The lack of insects or vermin was another odd observation made, this was not typical of an old house such as this. Deep primordial instinct must have told them to stay away, mine was agreeing. I stumbled some more in the darkness when suddenly my feet stopped my forward momentum and I fell to my knees. Searing pain shot through them and all I could do for a few seconds was lay on my side until the agony subsided. Running my hands along the ground I discovered something smooth and cold to the touch. Shining my light ,the object was revealed to be an old iron handle. A quick glance at my watch revealed that time was nearly up, I discovered the latch was to another door leading to something below the basement. Here is where I felt the same strange pull as experienced outside the house, yet this sensation was nearly uncontrollable. I found my thoughts drifting, almost subconsciously I opened the door with minimal effort. The hole made from the removal of the door was pitch black, my flashlight now struggling from lack of power simply proved useless.
 There I sat, peering into what seemed like an infinite abyss. My imagination produced horrid visions of blackened, wretched creatures clawing their way upwards from the darkness for my flesh. Foul nausea inducing odors formed a tight grip around my lungs impeding my every breath. Horrid guttural sounds unfamiliar to the rational world were produced in unnerving frequencies from somewhere in that infinite darkness before me. It was then that a crushing depression overpowered me, my senses overloaded with horrid visions and sounds, it seemed as if there was no escape. Upon further contemplation I felt the irrational urge to throw myself into the pit, into the gaping ravenous maw of whatever horrid creature awaited my destruction. A few seconds of agony then nothing, the more I gazed into the emptiness the more disoriented I felt. It was as if no matter how far I ran I could never escape the dark clutches reaching for my very soul. A blast of putrid slime sprayed up from the nothing, covering all in its wake including myself. I quickly wiped away my face and upon finishing I saw a faint light drawing ever so near. The faint guttural sounds now becoming horrid growling of the most ravenous of beasts. I could not resist the urge no longer, I was prepared to throw myself into the impending doom and finally be relieved of my terror. I barley noticed the rushing footsteps beside me when I felt the impact, Paul had thrown his shoulder into me sending me stumbling many paces away. He almost lost his balance in the process slipping on the fresh slime that coated the area. I felt hands grab me about my arms and lift me to my feet, upon seeing my face it was clear that I was panic stricken and lost in a cloud of confusion. After a few slaps across my face I had returned to the moment and this is when Amy suggested we make our escape. We were tripping over ourselves to leave the basement and the horror that ensued. The green slime seemed to replicate itself at a rapid pace, it was as if it was if the house had come alive. The pull coming from the pit, the darkness almost impossible to penetrate with artificial light, and now the slime almost predicting our attempted escape. Time seemed to slow as we eventually ascended the stairs into the fresh air of the outside world. As I made my escape I heard a small voice whisper in my subconscious “Forever shall you despair”. Running through the twisted vines that almost seemed to reach for our feet we finally made it across the street and stopped to rest. I was in horrible shape, I heaved in massive amounts of air and tried not to vomit from the putrid stench of the slime that covered me. Paul apologetically suggested we make the short distance to his house to go over what was discovered. I agreed in between deep breaths and forced myself to the point of muscle failure in order to be on safer grounds. We reached his house and I collapsed into the freshly mown grass, the smells helping to alleviate the horrid stench left by the slime which was oddly evaporating in the sunlight. The sunlight felt relaxing upon my skin, my eyelids grew heavy and could not stay awake any longer. I passed out there in the lawn still contemplating my near demise and the words whispered in my subconscious as I succumbed to my exhaustion, Forever shall you despair……

This was an excerpt from my horror short story. If you are intrigued, you may learn more about it at the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Pit-ebook/dp/B004WDZQZ0

This was a labor of love, and somewhat an aid in mourning. I had lost an old friend from my hometown in New York and this just happened out of nowhere really.
I had a lot of fun writing it and I tried to pay homage to my friend by making him a central character. The motif is basically a memoir with a supernatural twist. I also wished to pay homage to my two favorite horror authors, H.P. Lovecraft and William Hope Hodgson. I will elaborate more on these two authors soon, and why they are crucial components of the horror genre. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.