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Fiction Supernatural

The Ground That Grows Roses

by (author) Elizabeth Hirst

Publisher
Renaissance Press
Initial publish date
Oct 2022
Category
Supernatural, Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic, Nature & the Environment
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781990086342
    Publish Date
    Oct 2022
    List Price
    $20.00

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Description

More Singers have risen, and they're about to unleash chaos.

Denny has put her father to rest, solved the mystery of the screamers and become a national hero. On the surface, she is living a dream, but her problems are far from over. In order to end the screamer crisis, she and Verity will need to find more singers to help calm the restless dead, but so far none have been found.

Meanwhile, in downtown Hamilton, a traumatized teen named Tessa and Lorian, an out-of-luck musician, discover singing through a friend's death, but as they use their powers, they leave a trail of chaos and destruction behind them. In order to win them as allies, Denny will have to find a way to reach Tessa before she self-destructs under the weight of her past, but Denny is still struggling with demons of her own.

About the author

When she was a small child, Elizabeth Hirst's school principal had to give her an award to get her to stop making books and focus on literally anything else. Her focus has improved since, expanding to punk rock, animation and the textile arts, but she still produces a disturbing number of books, such as The Face in the Marsh and Distant Early Warning, and short stories which have appeared in A Quiet Afternoon I and II and Halldark Holidays. She has been described as cheeky, highly intractable, exceedingly stubborn and as Canadian as saying sorry.

Elizabeth Hirst's profile page

Excerpt: The Ground That Grows Roses (by (author) Elizabeth Hirst)

Tessa pushed herself to her feet, dazed, enraptured by the escape of this charismatic abomination that she had held inside her for so long. It poured from her like the tar in her story, wrapping around Courtney's body. A red glow, like a thin smoke from a cooking fire, spread around the room, causing Tessa's skin to break out into pinpricks of pain. A thrill ran through her. She felt release.

For the first time in forever she could let all of the ugly things inside her out to play. She started another verse, pushing harder as she noticed the mist coalescing in the air above Courtney's body:

Rise up!

Make it right.

Rise up!

You're mine tonight.

Rise up!

And be seen,

For now is the time to make what could have been.

A wave of red fire exploded through Tessa, pushing her hair back and burning her skin, her nerves, her soul. For a moment, she knew what madness felt like, reeling through infinity without a handhold for her mind to grab on to.

From somewhere behind her, she heard Lorian cry out, and a thump, but she shoved it out of her mind for the time being. There, floating in the air before her was Courtney, wreathed in flame. She looked out the window, stretched out a hand to the setting sun peeking out through the rainclouds.

No! Tessa wailed,

Don't go!

Your place is here with me.

You have to make it right,

Be Courtney, brave and bright,

Only then will I set you free.

Until then...

I BIND YOU TO ME!

More searing heat, from her core, black, tarry smoke streaming out of her heart. She breathed in deeper than she had breathed in her life, in and in, and the fire and light that made up Courtney's soul streamed into her, pushing on her veins, her ribcage, the expanses of her mind. She breathed out again and put a hand to her chest. Something burned now, inside of her, like a sunburn on her guts.

Lorian.

Oh my God.

Lorian had been here. Had he seen it? Was he hurt?

She reeled around, still breathing hard. Lorian was splayed out against the wall, face pale, tear tracks glistening on his face. He looked up at her, questioning, confused.

"I thought I was the only one," he said.

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