American library books » Science Fiction » Brightside by Mark Tullius (story books to read txt) 📕

Read book online «Brightside by Mark Tullius (story books to read txt) 📕».   Author   -   Mark Tullius



1 ... 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
Go to page:
the truck, but the roll-up door clangs down. They bang on the back and beg to be let in, but their cries fade as we pull away. Their chances aren’t good on foot, but they have ten hours of darkness. If they split up and hide, some should slip away.

Sara eases me into her arms, careful of my shoulder. She kisses my head and tells me not to close my eyes, that I have to stay awake.

I think about the ones we left behind, lost and wandering this desert valley. Most are probably cursing us, but as I look around, I know we couldn’t have fit more than one or two. The others would have flipped the truck, torn us to shreds.

I pray they see the sunrise, that they live long enough to tell the tale to their grandkids. I pray the Brightsiders that stayed behind aren’t punished for our sins. I hear my prayers echoing in the minds of everyone around me. We’re the lucky ones. Sharon’s special club.

But I realize it’s my club too as Becky slides her foot against mine and Sara pulls me into her arms.

Sara whispers, “You did good.”

I nod and try to tell myself she’s right, but I can’t stop thinking about Rachel and Wendell and Krystal and...

“Shh,” Sara says. She’s pointing at Danny, sitting by the door, eyes closed, humming along to the sound of the tires. He’s not thinking about anything, just humming. His mind as tranquil as the farthest reaches of space.

I don’t even realize I’m laughing, but I can’t stop. My head flops back and Sara has to move out of the way.

The others stare at me like I’ve lost my mind. Maybe I have, I don’t know, but I’m not alone.

Sara’s chest is shaking into my back. She’s trying to control it, but I hear her giggle. It spreads around the truck.

Becky starts to ask what’s so funny, but it takes her too. She covers her face and throws her head into Danny’s arm. He snorts and what started as a little stream is now a raging river. All of us doubled-over, wiping our tears. Cackling like maniacs. And no one has any idea why. All we know is that right now there’s not one single thought in this truck.

For once, we’re actually free.

The End.

To continue the Brightside series:

Beyond Brightside

Try Not to Die: In Brightside

Before Brightside: Mandy

Your Free Book is Waiting

THREE SHORT HORROR stories and one piece of nonfiction by Mark Tullius, one of the hardest-hitting authors around. The tales are bound to leave you more than a touch unsettled.

Get to know: 

an overweight father ignored by his family and paying the ultimate and unexpected price for his sins a gang member breaking into a neighborhood church despite the nagging feeling that something about the situation is desperately wrong  a cameraman who finds himself in a hopeless situation after his involvement in exposing a sex trafficking ring  the aging author paying the price for a reckless past, now doing all he can to repair his brain 

These shocking stories will leave you wanting more.

Get a free copy of this collection

Morsels of Mayhem: An Unsettling Appetizer here:

https://www.marktullius.com/free-book-is-waiting

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I OWE SPECIAL THANKS to the following people:

Tom Spanbauer and Michael Sage Ricci, who taught me to believe in my writing and embrace my true voice. I will forever be grateful.

Anthony Szpak, the genius editor I plan on working with for as long as he’ll have me. Every time someone tells me they can’t put down Brightside, I feel the need to credit Anthony. He’s great at understanding what I’m attempting to do then working his magic until that’s what I’m doing.

My classmates at UCLA Extension Writers’ program and the dedicated readers who suffered through early versions of Brightside. Your input has been invaluable and I hope the wait has been worth it.

My wonderful wife, Jen, for her constant support and unwavering love.

SINCERE THANKS

TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE who showed support early on and let me know what Brightside meant to them.

“Wow!!!! I was gripping the couch as I read the last chapter...I felt like I couldn't read fast enough. Brightside is absolutely amazing!!!!” Olivia Hillcoat

“My faith has been restored, great story tellers are still alive! Brightside grabbed me from the first page and kept me to the end.” Laura L.C. Williams

“It was an amazing exhilarating book that I was not able to put down. Filled with twists and turns and horrible sadistic things...” Gerardo Aguirre “Jerry”

“I'd recommend this book to anyone! Amazing thriller that will keep you engaged to the very end!” Shari Lindsay

“The tension builds with every risky encounter with another thought thief until you're frantically churning through pages to reach the ending - which comes not with a whimper but a wailing scream.” Stephanie Heath Price

“An excellent book on all levels. It tapped into many feelings and emotions... so many real truths pertaining to real life.”  Marie Hensche

“Truly couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to end. Page after page of suspense.” Suzette Morris

"I really enjoyed not only the story but the idea of thought readers and how that would change communication and life." Rolando Delgado III

“I couldn't put it down, I always had to read it no matter what." Zachary King

“All I can say is INCREDIBLE!!! The style and flare make the material impossible to put down.” Liz Ann Levesque

“Darker than Dean Koontz.” Nancy White

“Most exciting, thrilling conclusion of any book I’ve ever read. I found myself racing to the finish.” Michael Tullius – (My dad. The coolest review I’ll ever get.)

The entire Tullius clan.

Jason Stanley

Eugene Inozemcev

Ian Vollmer

Andy Birskeugh

John Holland

Glenn Cantillo

Krisserin Canary

Karl Dominey

Anthony Caso

Brian Esquivel

Dan Wills

Mattie Leto

Lorraine Gonzalez

Evan Scott

Richard King

Cheyann Reagan

Houston Stout

Monique Johnson

Brandie Light

Sabrina Lee

Chris Zanderholm

Joe Worden

Darryl MarcAurele

Carrie Cressy

Lisa Lindsay Tooley

Paul White

Mat Santos

Diane Farmer Watzek

Dana Schneider

Ryan Couture

Michael Polvere

Motu Ili

Bruce Boyington

Dave Curtis

Terri Riker

Jason Gallagher

Florante Ortaliza

Daniel Teach

Nena LB

Rob Cipriano

Andy Law

Velma St. Pierre

Andy Hillcoat

Joe Chavez

Vic Torres

Ru-Yi Yalich

Ademo Freeman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARK TULLIUS IS THE author of Unlocking the Cage: Exploring the Motivations of MMA Fighters and dark fiction which includes Ain't No Messiah, Untold Mayhem, Twisted Reunion, 25 Perfect Days: Plus 5 More, Brightside, and the Try Not to Die series. He is also the host of the podcast Vicious Whispers with Mark Tullius which you can find on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher and other places podcasts are played.

To follow and connect with Mark you can click: https://youcanfollow.me/MarkTullius

To sign up for Mark’s no-spam newsletter go to his website: https://www.marktullius.com/

Be the first to know when Mark’s next book is available! Follow him at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mark-tullius to get an alert whenever he has a new release, preorder, or discount!

Podcast - https://viciouswhispers.podbean.com

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6115084.Mark_Tullius

Website - www.MarkTullius.com

Instagram - @author_mark_tullius

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMarkTullius

Twitter - https://twitter.com/MarkTullius

Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/MarkTullius

OUT NOW

Beyond Brightside

The exciting conclusion to the Brightside saga.

Try Not to Die: In the Pandemic

MARK AND JOHN PALISANO take readers on the most intense hour they will ever spend on a cruise ship in this non-stop interactive adventure.

Try Not to Die: In Brightside

Mark and 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu teammate Dawna Gonzales continue the Brightside saga, bridging the gap between the first book and sequel, this time from the eyes of a female teenage telepath.

Twisted Reunion

“Time-honored frights with innovation infused throughout.”- Kirkus Reviews

Plunge deep into darkness with 28 terrifying tales. Explore heartache, happiness, and horror in this collection of all the stories in Each Dawn I Die, Every One’s Lethal, and Repackaged Presents, plus two bonus stories.

Ain’t No Messiah

The coming of age story of Joshua Campbell, a man of death-defying miracles, whose father proclaimed him the Second Coming of Christ.

This psychological thriller takes us through Joshua’s childhood of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his earthly father, and into adulthood as Joshua attempts to break away from his family and church in order to find happiness.

The entire world is watching as Joshua prepares to finally show the world who he really is.

Untold Mayhem

24 unique stories of madman and monsters. Crime stories filled with suspense, horror, and mystery. Immerse yourself into the world of untold mayhem.

Try Not to Die: At Grandma’s House

It’s Grandma’s house – quiet, cozy, nestled on a little mountain in West Virginia. What could possibly go wrong? A lot, actually.

So watch your back. Choose wisely. One misstep will get you and your little sister killed.

To survive, you’ll battle creatures, beasts, and even your grandparents as you unravel the mystery of your older brother’s death in this interactive,

1 ... 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
Go to page:

Free e-book: «Brightside by Mark Tullius (story books to read txt) 📕»   -   read online now on website american library books (americanlibrarybooks.com)

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment