Mad Tales

By Joseph Mazzenga

Join in four compelling tales as nature, time, and space all collide to bring you from the teetering edge of reality to the darkest hours of the night…

Pepperell: 
Spike wanted power and control. He and his gang, Bonnie, Moose and Skink, found it in the form of the sleepy town called Pepperell. But this town has a secret…a secret they want to keep forever.

Invasion of Blood:
The human race had come to an end. That much was certain. Centuries of culture, ingenuity, and bloodshed were all gone. Erased. A mere fabrication of universal imagination. 

This was the final campaign for V’ry Captain M’Tal and his crew. A definitive conquering point to his celebrated career. What he didn’t count on was the last stand from a band of beings left on a sloppy little planet called Earth.

M’Tal hated humans. They should have been eradicated by the V’ry onslaught. He would make these humans pay for surviving the V’ry genocide. 
There was just one troubling aspect…the survivors weren’t human.

When the Music Dies:
Dana is single, beautiful, professional law enforcement officer and deeply disturbed. With her body losing life slowly, her demons are in the playground of her mind intent on torturing her last days. Her friends and family are temporary salves to her inner wounds but in the end, only Dana can save herself. She’s looking for a fight and the battleground is in her mind.

Bloody Depths:
Maren’s home was the ocean that she loved. An oceanographer, she lived her dream of being one with the sea until the day an ill fog rolled in to change her life forever. 

She lost everything she knew - her family, her friends and her humanity. 
All that remains is her love of the sea, and a fading hope that the humanity within her can be saved by the caretakers of the ocean that no one knew existed.


Plus all new epilogues...the maddening story continues…..

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joseph Mazzenga
• Release date: Jun 14, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386853749

Book preview

Dedication

To my family and friends, colors to my palette.

~~~~~~~~

Acknowledgement

For Kasey Miller, who kept the madness…

Table of Contents

Dedication & Acknowledgement

Pepperell

Chapter 1 - The Burning Tree * Chapter 2 – Trouble * Chapter 3 - The Devil’s Sun *

Chapter 4 - Banker’s Hours * Chapter 5 - Bar None * Chapter 6 - The Tree Burns Again

Bloody Depths

Chapter 1 - Bloody Depths * Chapter 2 - Bad Company * Chapter 3 - Skull Man * Chapter 4 – Don * Chapter 5 – Escape * Chapter 6 - To Breathe * Chapter 7 - Open Water * Chapter 8 - All At Sea * Chapter 9 - Depths of Blood * Epilogue - Tides

When the Music Dies

Story Begins * Epilogue - Silence

Invasion of Blood

Story Begins * Epilogue - After Blood

About The Author * Other Books by Joseph Mazzenga * Copyright

Pepperell

Chapter 1

The Burning Tree

The fire reached for the sky.

Good one Jack! Ned nodded with approval as the evergreen tree roared in a sea of amber.

Sheriff Jack Saunders kicked a stick into the flames.

Beautiful night for a barbeque, he said staring up at the stars. Clear as a bell.

He smirked at his good friend. Oh I’m not going to sleep well tonight, Ned. These midnight festivals always wear me out.

Ned let out a belly laugh. Come on old man. Let’s grab a beer and some food before it’s all gone. The whole damn town is here. But wouldn’t you know it, I can’t find my wife.

Ned and Jack picked through the circle of people who stood around the burning tree. Sparks danced unevenly and the fire’s heat radiated into the sky with plumes of smoke hugging the moon momentarily.

Sheriff Saunders looked over the food line. Damn I’m always last.

He took one step and nearly ran into a small form that was darting in and out of the crowd.

Carla, you behave, you hear? he shouted to the diminutive girl.

She peered back with a gap-toothed smile and sang a cute song. Sweet. Sweet. I love it all so sweet!

The girl burst into a spontaneous skip and disappeared into the throng once again.

Oh leave her be, Jack. Kids never get to stay up past midnight. She’s just excited, Ned prodded the sheriff. Hell, we all are. This is all about enjoying the good life, man.

You mean she’s overtired. If her mother were here she’d be yelling across the field to bring her home. The sheriff’s chagrin was palatable. Grabbing a plate he spoke no further.

Sorry, Jack. You’re a good man and father to that little girl. Ned patted his old friend on the shoulder. Let’s celebrate and get on home. Tomorrow is still coming whether we’re awake in the morning or not.

Yup, after I get my fill, I’ll scoop up Carla. And Ned?

Yeah Jack?

Here’s to a good long life.

The two friends shook hands and went through the food line. They did their social rounds with the townsfolk all while the evergreen bonfire turned to ash.

Another beautiful night in the books, Jack. You and Carla sleep well, Ned said. He checked that the fire embers no longer glowed. Satisfied he nodded to his friend and headed home.

Saunders turned to see his little girl running towards him.

Daddy! I wish we could burn the tree every night! she squealed.

Laughing he caught her and said, Now Carla, you know this is a special celebration. If we did it every night, it wouldn’t be special, now would it?

The wind turned for a brief moment. The town of Pepperell was smack dab in the middle of a shallow valley. One road came through. Just a main drag. No highways, no turn offs. It was small town America at it’s finest.

The one main street that split Pepperell suddenly reverberated.

Saunders looked at his watch. Just past midnight. In the distance, he glared at the specs of light and the rumble that rode the wind into town. Years of experience told him what was coming.

Bikers.

Chapter 2

Trouble

The chopper bikes roared in from the edge of the valley to the town’s main street. Their headlights choked with swirling dust even as the darkness swallowed the faces of the riders. The popping exhaust grew deafening as the troop followed the single, unlit road into the park.

Saunders counted two choppers and a third old war bike with a sidecar.

Carla, head on home now, he said. His hands rested on his gun belt.

Aw, Dad.

No more sass. Head home. Tell Mrs. Archer to sit with you while you get to bed. Go now. I’ll be home shortly.

The little girl knew enough not to argue with the sheriff when he had business on his mind and this was serious business for sure.

Sheriff Saunders was a patient man. He would wait for the newcomers to come to him and reveal themselves.

There was always a leader.

The first chopper sputtered off and the rag-adorned front forks sagged to the right. Saunders did his thing. He waited.

The other motorcycles kept their lights on, dimming when the engines turned off. On cue, they dismounted once the leader was off his bike.

The first man unraveled a worn out skull rag from his chin. His face was almost as tatty as the rag he just pulled off. Even in the darkness, Saunders could see the cracks at the side of the biker’s eyes and the unfriendly grin paired with them.

The biker’s throat rang of too many cigarettes or worse.

You the sheriff of this…place? It was more a demand than a question.

Sheriff Jack Saunders and yes, welcome to Pepperell.

Spike, where the hell are we? The other biker was shorter than the leader with large goggles and a tight wrap around his head. He was every bit the ferret that he resembled with a lean face and a nervous energy.

The two other bikers formed up the rear of the small band. One was a large, looming gorilla and the other was a smaller woman. Both pulled their helmets off with the woman spouting indignations.

Yeah Spike. Where the hell did you drag us to? she said, tossing her hair over her shoulders. What is this pit?

Spike, is it? I suppose you and your members here will be wanting to stay in our town? Saunders continued. We have a small mot-

I’m sure you do, Sheriff. I’m sure you do. Spike replied.

The sheriff shifted and gave Spike a flat line voice. Plan on staying long?

Don’t you worry about us, Sheriff. We just want to see your town a little bit. Spike’s eyes squinted and his smile vanished. You wouldn’t have a problem with that now would you?

Saunders ignored the gauntlet that was thrown before him. Well, now, Mr. Spike. The people of this town don’t cause anyone any trouble.

Spike pulled his gloves off and slapped them against his arm. Funny little place you got here. It wasn’t on any maps we saw, was it gang?

After a few chirps from the other bikers, the sheriff said, Well you are welcome to stay a while. Just make nice with the locals here and we’ll get along just fine.

Spike broke into a gold-toothed grin once again. Now we appreciate that, Sheriff. We will make camp here in your quaint little park if you don’t mind.

Suit yourselves, Sheriff Saunders replied. I’m just a few houses over. You need anything you just call.

Saunders strolled from the open field. His gait was purposefully slow. He had a sense about these new people.

Spike watched the sheriff disappear into the dark. He kept his stare into the stygian evening.

Skink, he growled. You sure this place isn’t on a map?

The smaller biker tugged up his pants that dragged on the ground. Wiping his nose across his sleeve, he replied, Yeah Boss. Craziest thing. Can’t even search it. Like I said, I saw the town lights five clicks from here. Surprised the crap outta me. I think it was that fire over here in the park that you could see for clicks. Not even on the GPS. Weird, huh?

The raven-haired women tossed her braid over her shoulder and patted her leather jacket to remove the road dust. You’re kidding me right? We stumble onto Coma Town and you guys go all gaga? We’re not talking Vegas here.

The largest biker simply turned his nose into the wind and grunted his disapproval.

See? Even Moose thinks this is a dead end, she said.

Moose. Skink. Bonnie. All of you. What you lack is vision, Spike rumbled. Vision and ambition. Spike opened his arms and reached in the air for nothing.

Bonnie played with her hair more. Spike what the hell are you talking about? This place is the butt-end to nowhere. Stop being weird.

Spike cackled in the darkness. Perfect place for a power trip, don’t you think?

Chapter 3

The Devil’s Sun

Gerome attempted to open the door to Kay’s Diner like he did every day of the year at 6 am. And every day, he was one minute early.

Hold off old man, you, Kay shouted through the locked doors. God sakes, you are early every damn day. When will you learn?

The old man grunted and slid into his regular stool at the counter. With each unravel of his scarf, another toothless space in his smile was revealed.