The Lightning-Struck Wood

By Kari Kilgore

When You Can't Imagine Saying Goodbye

Paul's best friend Sadie lived a life worth celebrating. Bringing safety and comfort to troubled souls.
Now Paul faces carrying on her work without her. Wishing to talk to her one more time.
Paul never suspects Sadie left a secret just for him.
A secret that changes his life forever.

 

Also available in Kari's collection Stepping Out of Reality: Short Spells of Appalachian Magic

 

An excerpt from The Lightning-Struck Wood:

Gayle worked her way around to Paul and squeezed tight enough that his spine crackled. He relaxed into her warmth and strength and soothing lavender fragrance.

Almost like one final, much-needed hug from Sadie.

"I know you've lived up here for a long damn time," Gayle said, "and I still say I don't like you spending tonight alone. One of us can stay, or better yet, you grab your toothbrush and go on a little vacation with us. The gods know you've earned it."

Paul shook his head before she let go, and her rueful smile let him know she wasn't surprised.

"I appreciate the thought and the invitation, I really do. But this is one of those saying goodbye things, you know? Gotta take my chance to visit with Sadie's spirit while I can."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Spiral Publishing, Ltd
• Release date: May 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393902225

Kari Kilgore

Kari Kilgore started her first published novel Until Death in Transylvania, Romania, and finished it in Room 217 at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, where Stephen King got the idea for The Shining. That’s just one example of how real world inspiration drives her fiction. Kari’s first published novel Until Death was included on the Preliminary Ballot for the Bram Stoker Award for Outstanding Achievement in a First Novel in 2016. It was also a finalist for the Golden Stake Award at the Vampire Arts Festival in 2018. Recent professional short story sales include three to Fiction River anthology magazine, with the first due out in the September issue. Kari also has two stories in a holiday-themed anthology project with Kristine Kathryn Rusch due out over the holidays in 2019. Kari writes fantasy, science fiction, horror, and contemporary fiction, and she’s happiest when she surprises herself. She lives at the end of a long dirt road in the middle of the woods with her husband Jason Adams, various house critters, and wildlife they’re better off not knowing more about. Kari’s novels, novellas, and short stories are available at www.spiralpublishing.net, which also publishes books by Frank Kilgore and Jason Adams. For more information about Kari, upcoming publications, her travels and adventures, and random cool things that catch her attention, visit www.karikilgore.com.

Book preview

The Lightning - struck Wood

For friends I wish I could talk to

---

one more time

The Lightning - struck Wood

Kari Kilgore

Spiral Publishing, Ltd.

The Lightning-struck Wood

Paul Murray always thought it was people that made a house feel like a home.

Especially at his best friend Sadie’s house.

Even now, at the end of what most people would have considered a sad occasion, a handful of Paul’s closest friends in the world lingered in the cozy living room. The last loyal holdouts from crowds that had passed through all day long, paying their respects.

Sprawled across two hand-made sofas, with simple wooden arms made from a tree downed in a long-ago lightning strike. Years after they were sewn and stuffed, the paisley fabric cushions were still far more comfortable than anything from a factory.

Reclining on huge matching beanbag chairs, large enough that Paul had slept there on several occasions after late-night talks. Or even sitting cross-legged on thick braided rag rugs scattered around the ancient hardwood floor, close enough to the workhorse black wood stove that kept the whole house comfortable on the coldest winter nights.

Like this one in the melancholy depths of January.

When the deep-freeze outside made Paul’s bones ache, and the dry air inside made what was left of his brown hair hopelessly staticky. A cast-iron pot of water on the stove and a big humidifier helped, but the season