The ghosts in the Hollywood hills

this is an excerpt from my published paperback novel Hollywood Sinners

Let me set the scene.

Mama Gravy (the "dance hall" owner) is taking Carol (our farm girl turned star wanna-be) up to a canyon camp to visit a bunch of ex-dance hall hostesses (drop-out hookers).  The camping hookers have been going more "native" in the wild of the Hollywood hills, over the years, living in grass huts and hunting wild game.

But now, the camp seems empty, and gone to weeds:

It grew dark.  There was an eerie silence over the land until the sun was completely gone and the sky was a dark purple splattered with winking stars.  Then percussive yipping exploded from the east.  Mama Gravy hugged herself.  "Oh, no!  Coyotes!"

Carol assured her. "They won't bother us if we stay at the fire.  I'm glad I don't have to worry about any sheep herds right now."

"You had vermin troubles with your sheep?"

"Of course.  Wolves and coyotes always wanted a sheep snack.  We wouldn't let them, of course, but it took some work.  Especially in the winter when everything got desperate."

"I wonder if they'll get close enough to see."

"Maybe." Carol explained, "But then they goofed.  They don't like to be seen. So if you really want to upset them, let them know you're looking right at them when they get too close."

Mama Gravy rubbed her arms.  "You're giving me the frights!"

"It was your idea to go camping.  Where are you going to go camping where there ain't no vermin?  Vermin don't scare anybody.  It's just vermin."

"Let's talk about something else."

Carol gasped.  "I saw eyes over there!  The fire caught the whites of their eyes!  Eyes of at least six people."

Mama Gravy yelled, "Hey!  Who's there! If you got some moonshine, you better share it with me or I'll go punch your lip!"

"No.  They're gone."

"How do you know?  Maybe they just stepped back out of sight."

"No.  They lights of their eyes just went straight up."

"Up into the sky?"

Carol looked up into the stars.  "Yeah, I guess so."

"I better stop blowing my reefer smoke in your face."

"No.  I really did see it."

"It was just the reefer making you dizzy.   That's all.  And making you stupid.  That's what reefer does best."

Carol asked, "Then why smoke it?  Why make yourself stupid?"

Mama Gravy looked thoughtfully at her smoldering cigarette.  "I often get tired of hearing myself think.  I just want to stop the voices in my fool head.  Reefer helps.  It puts a thick pillow between me and the voices and muffles them out a bit.  Reefer is God's way of helping us slow down when we're too worked up to do it all for ourselves.  Reefer is God's way of letting us know he cares about us."

They heard a stick break.  Carol said, "Did you hear that?"  A light flashed in the sky. "Did you see that?"

"Just a little heat lightning, I bet.  Don't worry.  Enjoy nature when it's a light show in the sky.  I think I need to blow a lot more of this smoke in your face."

A strong wind picked up.  Carol and Mama Gravy moved into the hut that was in the best condition.  Carol said, "I hope the roof doesn't blow off."

"It hasn't yet and I bet there's been worse windstorms."

"What's that sound?"

"Is that the wind?"

Carol said, "I hear singing.  Or chanting.  A bunch of women!"

They ran out and looked around and didn't see anybody, but they still heard the women and the sound was coming from straight above them in the sky.

Carol asked, "What are they singing?  Is there a hot air balloon up there?"

"In this wind?  It wouldn't hover.  There's no hot air balloon.  It's just singing up there above the wind."

"That's impossible!"

Mama Gravy asked, "What are they singing?"

"Are they?"

"I can't make out the words.  Is it raining?  I feel something on my cheek. It's wet."

"I don't feel any rain.  The air is so dry.  Oh god, I'm scared.  Let's go back home now."

Mama Gravy pointed out, "We'd fall going down the canyon.  We have to wait until the sun comes back out."

"I can't wait that long!  I'm terrified!  I just peed on my leg!"

"You'll break your leg if you go anywhere right now."

They hurried back to the hut and hoped they wouldn't be murdered.

When the sun rose, they stepped back outside.  In the yellow glow, it was like nothing had happened.  A small brown songbird flew from bush to bush, happily chirping. But then Carol noticed Mama Gravy's face and she jumped.

Mama Gravy asked, "What?"

"Your cheek!"

Mama Gravy rubbed it.  "What is it?"

*****************************************

END OF EXCERPT!!!  Mwah-ha ha HA HA!!

 

 

GO to Amazon and read the fabulous and sometimes fanatical reviews!!!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Sinners-Tinseltown-Trilogy-Swanson/dp/1600760414/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1288101943&sr=8-2

 

 

 

Reviews

[Doreen]

Like a potato chip - you can't have just one. A nice teaser. Makes me want to grab the whole bag, sit on the couch and munch the rest. :) Thanks for sharing.

[.]

. outwardly simple ... but pretty profound ... the narrative is engaging ... seems like your book has a lot of surprises ... :) ...

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

what Brad said!!! LOL LOVE IT!!!!

[Brad]

oh you crafty bastid