Goddess Fish Promotions Presents
Dread Watch
by Jared Agard
A randomly drawn winner will receive a $10 Amazon/BN GC – Enter Below
(plus 2 more giveaways – one for readers, one for writers!)
A secret fear.
An antique pocket watch with a tragic past.
When 8th grader Caleb Meyer stumbles upon the old watch at an abandoned railroad museum, he’s sure that if he has it, all his fears will vanish.
But the watch is more than just spindles and gears. A twisted ghost lives within, a Dreadmonger, feeding off the fears of his victims.
And Caleb, seeking to finally be rid of his secret, is walking right into the Dreadmonger’s trap.
*** Note: This book has a fun companion Reading/Literature Course especially for those who homeschool.
Excerpt
The man held it out to me. It swung back and forth on its gold chain as I moved closer. The air around me became thick like cement, slowing me down as I approached the dangling gold. I reached for it, gravity fighting me back.
Just as my fingers were inches away from wrapping around the sleek body of the watch, the man slipped it back into his suit coat pocket.
I charged at him. He couldn’t leave. I needed the watch.
His body faded, almost transparent. I could see the watch, beating like a heart, through his suit coat. I reached for it again, but his body dissolved into a hissing black puddle. The group of children evaporated into pools of silvery water. The puddles seeped into the floor and disappeared without a trace.
I dropped to my knees. They couldn’t leave. I had to go with them.
I needed the watch!
I tried to shout after them, beg them to stay. My jaw loosened, like it had been welded shut. My voice croaked out unintelligibly. A blast of orange light cut through the haze. I shielded my eyes.
“Come on, Caleb!”
I blinked and sat up in my creaky bed. I was in my room, but there were no dark mists or old men. Just my mom flicking the light switch on and off like she usually does when I don’t respond to her first and second wake up calls in the morning.
“Get up! You still have to go to school today,” my mom said from the doorway, her finger still on the light switch. Raindrops pelted my window, obscuring the gloomy sky outside. There was no way I was going anywhere.
“I can’t go. Too much emotional trauma last night.”
“You will go, young man, and you will apologize.” She waved a finger tip at me.
“Mom, I’m not apologizing. Those guys are jerks. They deserved what they got.”
“I think you deserved what you got, too.” She planted one hand on her hip and shook her head. “That eye of yours doesn’t look any better. Put some ice on it before you leave.”
“I’m not going to school, Mom.”
“Get up, NOW!”
“Fine,” I grumbled. I sat up and rubbed my eyes.
“Ouch!”
Even barely touching my eye hurt like crazy. Blake had gotten me pretty good. Despite my shiner, the memory of Blake’s face when he had met my ghost made it all worth it.
I kicked the blankets off of my feet and stumbled to the bathroom to examine the damage. My eye was surrounded by a crimson-splotched purple ring. It looked a lot worse than it had last night. When my mom had shown up to get me, I told her the truth about what I’d done. She would’ve found out anyway, and I was kinda proud of my prank despite its tragic ending. So, I told her everything and she came unglued.
I splashed water on my face and looked into my own eyes. My brown hair was flattened on one side and standing straight up on the other. I almost laughed at my reflection, but I couldn’t. There was a lingering feeling of dread, a cold shadow in my heart.
I remembered the dream. And the watch.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jared Agard was writing and illustrating books as far back as he can remember. His mother was a school librarian and knew all the best books to read. Now, he teaches Art and Film at the Beaverton Academy of Science and Engineering in Beaverton, Oregon, which is his dream job, besides being an author. He values creativity and always has a new idea rattling around in his brain. He loves watching cartoons, goofing off with his boys, and chili dogs. He is married to the most gorgeous woman on the planet and has three amazing boys, two tiger oscars, and the most pathetic dog you’ve ever seen.
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
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4 Comments
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Thanks for hosting!
I liked the excerpt.
This is great! Thanks!
Great excerpt sounds like a good read.