Beyond The Shadows: A Collection of Short Stories Based On The Shadow Series

By J. Dispenza

Step into the shadows of Monroe, Georgia, where Southern charm meets chilling mystery. Beneath the picturesque facade lies a world of dark secrets and twisted tales waiting to be unveiled.
In "Beyond the Shadows," the gripping companion novel to "The Shadow Dreams," author J. Dispenza unveils ten captivating mini-stories, each delving deep into the lives of intriguing characters from Book 1 in the Shadow Series. From the eerie to the enigmatic, these tales will keep you on the edge of your seat, craving more with every turn of the page.

Dare to unravel the mysteries of Monroe? Join us as we journey through the cobblestone alleyways, peering into the hidden lives of Monroe's residents. With whispered conversations and secrets lurking around every corner, this is a literary adventure you won't soon forget.

Grab your copy of "Beyond the Shadows" today and step into a world where the paranormal meets the pulse-pounding thrill of the unknown.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jade Press
• Release date: Mar 4, 2024

Book preview

Beyond the Shadows

Book 0 of The Shadow Series

J. Dispenza

JADE PRESS

LITTLE ELM, TEXAS

Copyright © 2024 by J. Dispenza.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below.

Jade Press

PO Box 747

Little Elm, TX 75068

www.jdispenza.com

Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

Cover Design by J. Dispenza

Beyond the Shadows/ J. Dispenza. -- 1st ed.

This collection is dedicated

to

Eric Wenick

Thanks for your council, support, and willingness to explore the absurd with me.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

1 The SIXTH CHILD

2 THE WITCH'S HOUSE

3 A GREY-EYED STRANGER

4 NASTY CLOWNS

5 FOR US

6 THE WIDOW

7 ALL THE HARD THINGS

8 WHAT'S YOUR EMERGENCY?

9 HAPPY HALLOWEEN

10 THE PATH YOU CHOSE

The Shadow Dreams

INTRODUCING: The Shadow Dreams

ALSO BY J. DISPENZA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Monroe, Georgia, a town where Southern charm masks a community brimming with dark secrets and bizarre tales. Beneath the allure of antebellum mansions, quaint boutiques, and streets lined with magnolia trees, lie the stories of the creepy, strange, and sometimes sinister townsfolk of this mysterious place.

Standing in as minor characters in Book 1 in the Shadow Series, The Shadow Dreams, Monroe’s inhabitants screamed at this author, demanding their stories be told. With minimal protest, I obliged, and Beyond the Shadows came to light. The ten mini stories in the pages ahead feature the ten characters in the Shadow Series I wished I could have spent more time with, but maybe someday will.

I invite you now to stroll through the cobblestone alleyways of Monroe. Peek behind closed doors. Listen to whispered conversations. Unravel the web of secrets lurking in every corner.

1 The SIXTH CHILD

October 7, 2010

Principle Brother, Sebastian Martinez

Plaça de la Seu, s/n, 07001

Palma, Illes Balears, Spain

Dear Brother Sebastian,

I write this from my post in Section 7, Georgia, USA. While my next report is not yet due, I am compelled to advise you of the darkness that has arrived in Monroe and the urgent need for a change of plan.

Ten years ago, in service of our Order, I volunteered to be a Watcher. Posing as a child-care professional, I worked in nurseries, daycare centers, and even as a nanny in private homes. This role gave me unfettered access to hundreds of children, allowing me to screen them for signs of the curse. Of course, I am referring to psychic phenomena.

My duty is to protect the world from this corruption—supernatural beings who have visions of the past, present, or future. No natural creature on this earth possesses these qualities. Our scripture describes these abominations as evil actors who try to cheat fate and fight against what has already been written by the divine. Where they bring chaos, we enforce destiny.

Over the years in my role, I honed my methods of detection for this evil. In infants, I watched for their reactions to invisible entities in the room. With toddlers, I listened for stories about imaginary friends who gave them knowledge beyond their years. Preschoolers were all too happy to show me the pictures they drew and answer my questions about strange figures who lurked in the corners.

Regrettably, over the last decade, I have identified five children afflicted by this wretched condition. My mission forced me to separate their souls from their wicked flesh, as this was the only way to stop them from exercising their dark power on earth. In the name of our merciful leader, I gave each of them a gentle passing with a poison that lulled them into eternal sleep. I can only hope that I reached them early enough so that their souls could be redeemed in the afterlife.

Brother Sebastian, I write to you now as I have discovered a sixth child. A girl by the name of Ophelia Clark. She is a darling little thing, age 5, with curly dark hair and the largest brown eyes I have ever seen. She is both sweet and clever. While I have denied my own desires to be a mother, if I had a little girl, I imagine she would be much like Ophelia. Over the past few weeks, I suspected this child had the curse of premonition, yet I sensed so much good in her it broke my heart to plan her death. I