ENIF

As a registered democrat I can definitely say I was better off 4 years ago!

Bring our citizens home!

I

Jerry’s old pickup shimmied and rattled as it crawled up a narrow dirt road, bouncing on the corrugated washboard trail as though he were in a rock tumbler. Thirty minutes later, his truck slowed to a stop, the gravel road terminating in a dead end. The eyes of the mountains squawked above him. He looked up. Red-tailed hawks circled high on the updrafts, screeching at each other. He paused to reflect on the mountain’s majestic beauty, a wonderland of rocks, a cradle of stillness where superstitions and legends contended with ghosts from the past. Throughout his life, he’d been fascinated by the supernatural lore, but the truth remained a mystery. Would this be the day he unlocked their secret, a secret that could help free him from his past? Just one of the many quotes from my book Enif.

The cavern’s breath rushed by him, rustling the bushes, making it hard to discern any real physical movement. A flash of light whizzed by him and struck the ground at his feet, scattering debris everywhere. Jerry dropped to the earth and covered his head. Just one of the many quotes from my book Enif.

Jerry paused to stretch his back. For a heartbeat, there was a flash of emotion for a world since gone—a glimmer of nostalgia that still flirted with the edges of his dreams—but he blinked and it vanished. His hopes now rested on making it to the portal. He had accepted the reality of his quest and knew matters were going to become more challenging. After what Julean had told him about Totenkop, he knew it was a careful line he had to walk from here on out. He couldn’t make hasty decisions or careless choices. To do so would jeopardize his chances of reaching the portal. Now more than ever, the need for increased awareness grew with each step.

Hidden inside Jerry’s heart, a spark of doubt still smoldered, but every pore of his body said he was ready. But what about Andromeda? After his experience at the enchanted wall, he wondered, was it truly his destiny to be united with her? Just one of the many quotes from my book Enif.

Jerry grew quiet, pondering Julean’s words. Easy for you to say. I’m the one who must confront this ... evil. He looked down. How terrible was this Totenkop? Would his abilities have matured enough to command the powers of heaven? What would happen to Andromeda if he failed? No, he couldn’t think like that. He had to succeed!

The sound of trickling water drew his attention to the stream. Jerry rose, dipped his nix into a lagoon of aqua color, and returned the container to his pack. He sat for a moment, immersed in the quiet solitude of the murmuring brook. Peacefulness replaced anxiousness; desire replaced lethargy. He began to relax, and the thought of being united with Andromeda burned deep in his chest.

Suddenly, his mind exploded with visionary creatures and places he’d viewed in the Book of Illusions. Never did anything feel so real, so tangible, so natural. The smells, sounds, and tastes were more vivid than his waking reality. It was as if he could reach out and touch them. He rubbed his eyes fiercely, trying to get a grip on reality. Then all activity ceased. Jerry forced his shoulders to relax and took slow, calm breaths. Exhausted, he lay down, consumed in his thoughts.

Suspended high above him, translucent stones twinkled like star sapphires, pulsing bright rays of light into the raindrops of seeping water, splashing the rainbow’s colors through the misty chamber. Flashes of greens, yellows, and blues created a visual wonderland among the dripping calcite crystals. A distilling spirit brought peace to his soul. Just one of the many quotes from my book Enif.