Her 13th Hour: Monstrous Short Tales

By YD La Mar

Some days are unforgettable because they burn a memory into the fiber of our souls.

The legend of the thirteenth son born to a witch and demon. No one believed me when I saw the Jersey Devil. At the tender age of five, they said that it was my imagination. He was just an urban legend, a myth around these parts. My brother, my protector, was there too—saving me from a demon who broke into our basement.

It's been years since that moment and life went on.

I've picked up the pieces. Had a decent job. A best friend I adore.

Until we found each other again.

But this time, it wasn't him standing over me but me standing over him.

It took the past coming back and seeing it through new lenses for me to finally understand why I was never able to let it go.

Will I be able to give up my world and everything I know for a beast that's claimed my heart? Will I be able to make the right decision when the hour tolls?

• Language: English
• Publisher: YD La Mar
• Release date: Jun 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223887911

Book preview

Prologue

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The footsteps above our roof sends a shiver down my spine as my brother and I hide in the smallest corner in the basement we could find from the moment it started: beneath the stairs.

Mom and Dad will be home soon. We just have to hold on, my older brother tries to reassure me, but I can feel his body trembling too.

I-I’m so scared, Desmond.

Shh. I got you, Brody. Keep quiet.

The footsteps shake the walls of the house as the creature continues to sniff around audibly. It reminds me of that crazy dinosaur movie Desmond made us watch together one night.

The glass window in the basement breaks with a crash and I scream, burying my face into my brother’s chest so the shards don’t hit me. The tinkling of the glass would almost sound magical if it wasn’t for this nightmare-ish moment.

Holy… is all my brother says when an ear piercing, feral scream erupts from the creature. My ears feel like they're bleeding. The warm liquid trickles down the side of my face as my brother releases my tight hold and jumps up.

No! Desmond, don’t leave me!

Braving it with my five-year-old heart, I lift my eyes to find my brother’s back blocking me. He’s holding one of his old, beat-up baseball bats, standing there ready to swing. Is he crazy?

At this moment, my fourteen-year-old brother is my hero. The darkness in front of him grows and plunges the entire room into blackness as it expands its wings and exhales with a bestial growl that rattles through my bones.

His eyes glow red then shift to green the moment he opens his giant jaws, with saliva stringing from his teeth, and lunges for Desmond.

I scream.

I scream bloody murder, covering my ears and asking for mercy from this creature we’ve all only heard about in rumors. They are only supposed to be legends. Stories told around town to scare people. It isn’t supposed to be real.

Get away from here! Leave us alone! My brother’s roar makes my heart stop. I watch him leap over the beast’s swipe of claws, roll and shoot back to standing, swinging his bat right at the creature’s face.

The sound of the bat crunching against the beast’s jaws reverberates in the room. It roars and stands on its hind legs, hitting the ceiling with a rumbling crash, bringing dust down onto our heads. I cough, waving my hand in front of my face, caught like a deer in headlights as I continue to watch my big brother leap once more with determination, bringing down the bat right inside the open mouth of the Jersey Devil.

Chapter One

Brody

H aven’t you heard about the creature that lurks here? Everyone knows about it.

Stop trying to scare me, Jimmy. I know they’re just stories!

Didn’t you hear about the last sighting? It wasn’t even that long ago! I’m not lying!

I walk by the playground and hear some of the kids whispering to each other about the beast that terrorizes this place. I haven’t thought about him in a while. My brother and I never spoke about it again, not after explaining to our parents and the authorities about what happened.

There wasn’t any evidence to our story besides the broken window and side of the house. When the creature slammed into our ceiling, all of his footprints were disrupted and couldn’t be deciphered anymore.

Desmond and I have never been the same. I grew more introverted while Desmond grew more protective.

It wasn’t long ago that I was just like these little boys. Maybe it was. At thirty-two, I’m walking toward my best friend’s house to grab some drinks on our day off. I never told her about that day, and she never connected enough of the dots from the local news to ask.

A breeze picks up and sends a chill down my body. Fall is here. Despite it being one of my favorite seasons, it’s cold as hell. Pulling my jacket closer, I make it to Sarah’s and knock on the door.

Come on, come on. I know you’re in there, ho, I grumble. I can see my breath come out in visible clouds in front of me.

The door opens swiftly with a brightly smiling Sarah. Girl, what are you doing out here in the cold?

Shouldering my way in, I tell her, You know exactly what I’m here for. Why aren’t you ready?

The door shuts and warmth starts to seep into my marrow through my clothes from the heat of the house. I let out a sigh and shrug my jacket off to hang on her coat rack.

I was getting ready until there was a knock at my door. Geez, relax. I’ll be done in about five more minutes. Sarah leaves me to go to her bathroom where I can see most of her makeup strewn about on the counter.

She’s so girly. Why do you need to put on a full face when we’re just going to one of the local areas? Everyone knows us there.

I can hear your thoughts from here! Sometimes I just want to look pretty, all right?

I lift an eyebrow as she comes back out of the bathroom. Bright red lips and black eyeliner, compliment her beautiful heart shaped face. I’m reminded of how plain I am as I stand here in my combat boots, but I think I’ve done all right for myself considering the crap I went through. It took Sarah a few years to convince me to even go out for drinks. Now, it’s become our little routine.

You look beautiful, as usual, I tell her. I sincerely mean it.

Thanks, Brody. You look beautiful as well.

I scoff.

You know what I mean! She comes over and gives me a tight hug. She’s a touchy-feely type of person. Me, not so much. Since she’s my best friend, I’ll allow it. I wouldn’t have you any other way, she whispers against my ear and my eyes tear up a bit.

She always does this. She always says the right words when I don’t know I need it.

Gently pushing her away, I discreetly wipe the corner of my eyes. All right, all right. Enough of that sappy stuff. You’re going to ruin your makeup. Come on, let’s get out of here. I need a drink.

She throws her head back and laughs as she walks to her bedroom to grab her jacket. I walk toward the front hall and grab my own as we head out together into the cold.

Sarah’s keys jingle as she locks up behind us. I shove my hand in my coat pockets and look around. It’s not even noon, but you know what? I don’t care. I’ve had a tough week at the office. Who knew a bunch of geeks and nerds would have so much drama with one another? I guess that’s what happens when you have too many people