A Grave Business: Ghost Stories Collection, #1

By Michael Lynes

“It is an auspicious night, don’t you think?"

The spirit gestured out over the mist covered graveyard before them. “Tonight is All Hallows Eve.” he breathed, “Halloween!” Melvin’s eyes widened as he turned his gaze to follow the ghosts’ hand. Distant howling floated back towards them on the chill breeze. “Tonight phantoms rise up from this last plot of hallowed ground. They assume form and substance and walk amongst the living! A shiver ran down Melvin’s spine. “Well Sir Thomas…” he croaked. “…here’s hoping that your idea works, or this may be their last Halloween ever!” 

“It is time…” His eyes blazed as his hands flowed forward, icy fingers tightening around his companion’s neck…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Lynes
• Release date: Mar 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386641162

Michael Lynes

MICHAEL LYNES is the Award-Winning Author of The Blood Series. To date, the series has won the New Apply Literary, Indie BRAG Medallion, Readers Favorite for FANTASY and most recently the IAN Book of the Year Selection for Fantasy. The series begins with the novella "It's in the Blood" and continues with Destroyer's Blood. NEW release Book Two - FIRST BLOOD is due out on November 1st 2019. Book One - "Destroyer's Blood"  Reviewed By Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite Destroyer's Blood: The Adventures of Devcalion: "a gripping fantasy with strong hints of Greek mythology." Meet Devcalion, "Dev," a demigod, son of Prometheus and nephew of Zeus. He has a telepathic sword and a very close friend called Betrayer, "Tray". When we encounter Dev, he and his friend are climbing up Half Dome. An encounter with Hermes changes everything, driving Dev to the last place he wants to be -- Mt. Olympus. Dev and Tray are pulled into a war they never bargained for. With the darkest power in the universe bent on wreaking havoc, do they have any chance of surviving?  Destroyer's Blood has been awarded the Silver Medal for Fantasy in the Readers Favorite Awards for 2019 and has won an Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion for Fantasy. It also won the Solo Medalist in the New Apple Summer eBook Awards for 2019. Book Two - "First Blood" will be released in November of 2019. His short story collection, "The Fat Man Gets Out of Bed", was chosen solo Medalist Winner in the 2017 New Apple Summer Indie Book awards.  His memoir, "There Is A Reaper: Losing a Child to Cancer", was an Indie B.R.A.G. Gold Medallion Honoree , a silver-medal winner Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards for Memoir, a medalist in the New Apple Book Awards for Memoir, and a finalist in Independent Author Network Book of the Year award and the Beverly Hills Book Awards. Most recently Mr. Lynes has been a Contributing Author to the 2019 Ghostly Rites Anthology. Mr. Lynes was awarded a BSEE degree in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and currently works as an embedded software engineer. He has four sons, has been married for over thirty years, and currently lives with his wife and youngest son in the beautiful secluded hills of Sussex County, New Jersey.

Book preview

A Grave Business

Ghost Stories Collection, Volume 1

Michael Lynes

Published by Michael Lynes, 2018.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

A GRAVE BUSINESS

First edition. March 8, 2018.

Copyright © 2018 Michael Lynes.

ISBN: 978-1386641162

Written by Michael Lynes.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

A Grave Business (Ghost Stories Collection, #1)

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A Grave Business

Mister Mortimer Burrows, President and Head Undertaker of Burrows, Burrows and Klodhs, was depressed.

Business is just terrible! he moaned, his dark eyes grim. Why less than twenty years ago, people were dying to get into my establishment. Now I practically have to go out and recruit!

Yooo think thaaat’s badddd? a disembodied voice echoed softly from behind his left shoulder, What abooout meeee?

Mortimer rolled his eyes, No! I am not dealing with this now. Not today... he thought. Pretending not to hear, he stood up from behind his beautifully polished, black mahogany desk. Ohhhh... he groaned, stretching his stocky arms wide. I’ve got such a headache! I’m just going to close up shop early and head home.

Without looking back, he fished for his conveyor pass with one chubby hand and drew on his suit jacket with the other. Miss Templar! he called into the air.

Yes......Mister Burrows? came the halting electronic reply. Miss Templar made her shaky way into the office, navigating her golden hued metallic body in a zig-zag pattern across the room. Morty scowled as she came to a quivering halt and swiveled her glowing yellow ‘eyes’ in his direction.

Open SCHEDULE! he commanded.

He pushed back his overstuffed leather chair, tapping his foot in time to her soft clicks and hums. I’m sorry......I did not get that! she replied brightly. Did you say SCHEDULE? 

He sighed in controlled frustration. Yes! CHECK SCHEDULE! he enunciated, stressing the command words with care.

More hums and clicks ensued. Please clarify. she announced. Please say ONE for PERSONAL schedule or say TWO for BUSINESS schedule.

Gaahh! What a frustrating creature! he seethed under his breath.

I’m sorry. I did not get that! she replied in a sweet tone. "Please say ONE for PERSONAL schedule or