Mr. Penny-Farthing
PENNY-FARTHING WILL TAKE YOU FOR A RIDE
All Armand wants is to share his life with his girlfriend Vonnie. But money is tight, their relationship is 
fizzling, and not even a monster-hunting side gig is paying off.
When a mysterious drifter named Mr. Penny-Farthing blows into town on his antique high- wheeler, Armand thinks his troubles are over. Penny Farthing offers Armand and Vonnie enough money to cover their expenses with one condition: they must locate and return the soul of a serial killer who escaped Hell.
Completing Penny-Farthing’s contract won’t be easy when demons appear all over the city and bodies start piling up. Overwhelmed and pushed to the brink, Armand realizes his greatest fear isn’t demons or shadowy murderers: it’s losing Vonnie forever. Can Armand stop a killer and save the woman he loves, or will Hell take everything from him?
Nail-biting and visceral, Mr. Penny-Farthing is a high-octane horror story about escaping your comfort zone while fighting for love.
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Book Excerpt
Infernal creatures use cunning and manipulation after they’ve embedded themselves in a host. At least that’s what the book said. After all, if somebody told you to vacate your new home, would you leave or resist? Vonnie runs out of the house and grabs my hunting knife from Velma’s saddlebags. The gleaming polished silver catches light and shines with an almost otherworldly effect. When she hands it to me, the arcane symbols engraved in the blade shine in the darkened room. I grip the carved hilt and advance towards Kevin. My head still throbs from my tumble, but I shake it off and focus.
Kevin drops down to the bed, panting like a thirsty dog. His head lolls to one side and drool gathers on his bottom lip.
“Let’s try this again,” I say to the demon. “Whatever foul creature is squatting in this boy’s brain, you’re getting evicted.”
Kevin stops panting. An oily black tongue rolls out of Kevin’s mouth like a wriggling tentacle. “I am Aguzath, Remover of All Locks and Barriers. This vessel is mine,” it says in a deep, inhuman voice.
“Aguzath. You’re out of your league, son.” I brandish the knife and the blade catches the light. “I’ll draw you out and bind you.”
The thing heaves foreword. Kevin’s mouth curves downwards, with elongated jowls that a small boy could never have. With the demon focused on my knife, I start reciting the incantations from the Legion of the Lamb book. Vonnie pulls out the Mason jar filled with holy water and douses Kevin’s face. The kid howls, shaking the house.
“I exorcise you away from this child and bind you under my power!” I shout.
Kevin claws at his face. “I’ve seen that before,” Kevin wheezes. His jaw unhinges and stretches like it’s elastic. A terrible creature slides out of Kevin’s mouth, its shape amorphous for a moment before it takes on a humanoid form, pushing the boy off the bed. The thing’s skin is flayed and red. Kevin collapses on the floor, his arms and legs limp. I can’t tell if he’s still alive.
The demon pulls itself up to its full height. The two massive curved horns atop its head nearly graze the ceiling. The demon’s arms hang down, almost to the floor, and end in sharp talons. Its face looks like a crimson human skull covered by emaciated and taught flesh. Its fang-lined mouth opens and the long tentacle-like tongue flops out. Its black eyes stare at me. It stinks. A foul, nauseous stench, like decaying, sour meat. I charge forward and slash the sanctified knife downward. The sharp blade penetrates the demon’s leathery hide, splitting a huge gash in its chest. Thick ochre oozes from the fresh wound.
Aguzath bellows in agony and swipes at me. Its claws graze my shoulder and send me tumbling to the floor. I get up quickly and drive the blade towards the demon again, slipping the blade between the demon’s ribs. I try withdrawing the knife, but the blade won’t budge. The demon opens its mouth and hits me with an acrid stench I’ll probably smell in my nightmares. Overpowered, I try to roll away but its infernal talons latch onto my torso. I desperately try breaking free, but Aguzath has me.
About the Author, Eric Avedissian
Eric Avedissian is an adjunct professor and speculative fiction author. His work includes the novels Accursed Son and Gargoyles & Absinthe, and the science fiction/pulp role-playing game Ravaged Earth. His short stories appear in several anthologies and literary journals. He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) and has an M.A. in Writing from Rowan University. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and a ridiculous number of books. When not chained to his writing desk, he hikes the Pinelands and wastes too much time on social media.
