Mirrors: Haunted Coal Ridge, #22

By Chuck Sperati

A series of intertwined supernatural stories that will make you wonder where the darkness ends and the light begins. All small towns keep secrets, but in Coal Ridge when the secret gets out, it begins to feed…again.

Story 22: "Mirrors"

As far as Shawn is concerned, a solid exercise routine and eating right are the keys to a long and healthy life. New to Coal Ridge, he's just settling in and starting to get to know the locals, but there's something not quite right about the town's newest resident.

Coming from the insanity of DC, Shawn didn't choose Coal Ridge because it's peaceful and quiet, he chose it because it's a place from where people mysteriously disappear.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Writing Distracted
• Release date: Mar 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646390489

Chuck Sperati

Among other things, I'm a writer--with some published experience--whose been mostly quiet for the past few decades, mostly because I let life get in the way. I've long had a creative outlet at the gaming table and recently found another when I started building a website. With this new outlet also came inspiration. Right now I'm working primarily on a series of short stories that has received some very positive feedback, so I'm sharing. If you enjoy anything I've written, check out my website at https://www.chucksperati.com, where you can find more things that have crawled out of my imagination.

Book preview

Dedication

Coal Ridge is based on Ohio's Finest Village. It was a great place to grow up and continues to be a remarkable community to which I enjoy returning to see friends and family. For those who live there, take a moment, look around, and be wary of the shadows.

Preface

A series of intertwined short stories that will make you wonder where the darkness ends and the light begins. All small towns keep secrets, but in Coal Ridge when the secret gets out, it begins to feed...again.

Set in a small, somewhat geographically secluded town in the Midwest, the blue-collar people of Coal Ridge are friendly and laid back, enjoying block parties, gossip, and the simple joys that come with being a close-knit community. Because everyone knows everyone else, secrets are hard to keep, but some are so well hidden that they've been forgotten.

These short stories explore a supernatural awakening that will test the bonds of family and community.

Mirrors

For Shawn Michael Harper a daily dose of exercise had never been a thing he had to do so much as something he got to do. His workouts changed constantly, but the routine remained the same. Three days a week at the Iron Works gym in McMahon Township for two hours and the other three jogging for two hours, either at the high school track or on residential streets around town.

And as the good book says, on the seventh day he rested.

Although a spiritual man, he didn’t do church. His body served as his temple of worship, and he treated it right. Everyone needed a solid exercise regimen, but anyone who cared about it knew that the key to good health could only be found in the kitchen.

Good afternoon Mr. Harper, the cashier at Red Rider Grocery greeted him. An older lady in her late sixties, maybe early seventies, her pleasant smile and energetic demeanor were always welcoming. Although still new to Coal Ridge, Shawn no longer had to look at the tag on her chest to remember her name.

Putting on his most friendly smile, he replied. Hello Theresa. It’s pleasant to see you today.

I see you found the squashes we got in this morning. Her grin reminded him of Estelle Getty from the Golden Girls. It made his smile easier to maintain