Fictional stories by John Saccone

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  • The Flame 6

    As for this worthless servant, cast him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

    I am also cast outside, into the darkness.

    But I am not a worthless servant.

    I am an Eternal Flame. An Everlasting Fire.

    I was the instrument that God chose.

    I will deliver His Justice.

    Right the wrongs of evil.

    Avenge the innocent.

    I was born in Darkness… hidden.

    Sculpted by His Hands.

    And only the Blessed do not meet me.

    Hellfire… there is no such thing.

    Don’t let the crafty one deceive you.

    No matter their religion. No matter their beliefs.

    I’m known throughout the world. Since the beginning of time.

    There are many appellations for where I reside.

    Some call it Hades; others call it Gehenna; some call it Sheol. Others… Niflheim, Diyu, Xibalba, Naraka, Jigoku.

    There are so many names.

    In the darkest recesses of all of Creation, is where you’ll find me.

    In the darkest of nights is where you’ll see me.

    In the darkest place, without any hope, is where you will meet me.

    I will be forever lighting up the fiery graveyard of the damned.

    Forever doing the Will of my Creator Almighty God.

    I am the second Death.

    My flame lights up this darkened world.

    Beyond the wide road. Beyond the wide gate.

    Beyond the entry gates of hell… In a fiery graveyard skeletal figures dance around.

    Ghosts… Drowning in an ocean of flames.

    Ghosts… Knowing that there is no escape from the relentless unending night of horror.

    I was born in the womb of darkness.

    I was sheltered in the nether world.

    A flame bathing in a lake of fire

    A nightmare beyond human comprehension.

    I am a flame that can never be extinguished.

    A flame that will outlast the stars, the moon, and the sun. They will all pass away, but not me.

    Life as men know it will pass away, but I remain.

    I am a flame that is everlasting.

    A bedrock of consistency, a fortress, tirelessly doing the Will of the Almighty.

    Like mankind, I have a beginning but no end.

    Didn’t the fallen hear the Angels voices? Didn’t they hear the Angels singing?

    O night divine! The night when Christ was born.

    Didn’t they hear the good news?

    Joy to the world! the Lord is come;

    Let earth receive her King;

    Let every heart prepare Him room.

    Why didn’t they listen?

    Was the table set too high?

    Instead, they poison their Souls by the life they lead.

    While living, they crucified their own souls.

    The ghosts dance, a dance of death. A dance of pain.

    Blood curdling yells that go unheeded. That is ignored.

    Shouts. Shouts of grief. Shouts of regret.

    Curses. Curses that they didn’t listen to God.

    Curses. Curses for those that deceived them.

    Too late. It’s all too late

    They were born into the world by the Almighty and made to be Masterpieces, but instead they became vile cheap works of art.

    Blinded by the Light, because they prefer darkness.

    Handed over to their degrading passions.

    They were playing with fire, while dancing and laughing.

    Even at the hour of their death, they do not plead for mercy and grieve at the offenses done to God and repent. Instead, they are more concerned about my flame, than about having offended a Holy and Loving God.

    Narcissists!

    More concerned about themselves and hell, than having offended the Almighty.

    How Foolish!

    There are people who flirt with Heaven but find the seductive advances of another suitor more to their liking.

    They become imprisoned to a lifestyle that leads to Death.

    There are others that play the field and date both.

    While dancing, they have one foot in Heaven and the other foot in a secular world.

    They mix honey with poison.

    And it results in their Death.

    As a lover I will warmly embrace them with a burning passion that is unimaginable.

    Dark angels and dark ghosts reaping what they have sown.

    An unending night awaits them.

    They have harmed themselves.

    Are there no longer any tears for the damned?

    Will the everlasting years wash away people’s memories?

    Will they be forgotten?

    Rev. 20: 14-15 “Then Death and Hades were hurled into the fiery lake. This fiery lake is the second death. Anyone who was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the fiery lake.”

    Luke 8: 28 “When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him; in a loud voice he shouted, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me!’”

    Mt. 25: 30 “As for this worthless servant, cast him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

    Jn. 12: 46 “I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.”

    The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Sienna – A Treatise Of Discretion

    “This fire burns and does not consume, for the being of the soul cannot be consumed, because it is not a material thing that fire can consume. But I, by Divine justice, have permitted the fire to burn them with torments, so that it torments them, without consuming them, with the greatest pains in diverse ways according to the diversity of their sins, to some more, and to some less, according to the gravity of their fault. Out of these four torments issue all others, such as cold and heat and gnashing of the teeth and many others. Now because they did not amend themselves after the first reproof that they had of injustice and false judgment, neither in the second, which was that, in death, they would not hope in Me, nor grieve for the offence done to Me, but only for their own pain, have they thus so miserably received Eternal Punishment.”

    “But if the soul have light to know and grieve for her fault, not on account of the pain of Hell that follows upon it, but on account of pain at her offence against Me, who am Supreme and Eternal Good, still she can find mercy. But if she pass the Bridge of death without light, and alone, with the worm of conscience, without the hope of the Blood, and bewailing herself more on account of her first condemnation than on account of My displeasure, she arrives at eternal damnation.”

    Mk. 16: 16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

    Mt. 7: 21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

    Zec. 13: 7-9 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate, says the LORD of hosts. Strike the shepherd that the sheep may be dispersed, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. In all the land, says the LORD, two thirds of them shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left. I will bring the one third through fire, and I will refine them as silver is refined, and I will test them as gold is tested. They shall call upon my name, and I will hear them. I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they shall say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

    Mt. 7: 13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few in number.”

    The story will be continued in The Flame 7

    Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

  • The Flame 5

    If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is preferable for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go into the unquenchable fire of Gehenna where the devouring worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.

    The darkened night moves in Gehenna, as ghosts dance in the darkness.

    I am the flame that lights up their world.

    A world where all hope comes to die.

    What are their cries but mournful echoes that will resound throughout eternity unanswered.

    I was Created in Darkness by the Almighty. Hidden from prying eyes.

    Created in the night of darkness… A sight so awful to behold.

    I was created to torment and torture those that are evil for all eternity.

    I was known by demons before mankind knew of my existence. They feared me.

    I am a burning fire. But I do not consume.

    I am a burning fire. But I do not destroy.

    My fire can never be quenched or extinguished.

    I cannot be bought or bargained with.

    I am not impressed with money or fancy titles.

    What are worldly trinkets to me?

    Many will be turned away and thrown into outer darkness.

    And it is there that they will meet me.

    In a world that rains fire and brimstone.

    A fiery graveyard of the damned.

    Ghosts will plead for death.

    But it will never come.

    What are their tears but worldly stains of disobedience and rebellion.

    Those who spread out their couches in Darkness, will wind up in my nether world. They will find me.

    They have lived a life that can only lead to my door.

    They have spurned the advances of a Holy God for another suitor.

    Though I burn… I do not consume.

    Though I burn… I do not destroy.

    The smoke of the fire that torments them will rise forever and ever.

    They will be like dry twigs that kindle a fire, wood in a fireplace. But they will not be consumed.

    An unending night awaits them, and only my flame breaks through the darkness that surrounds them. I will be the only light that they ever get to see.

    I am a light of pain. A light of torment.

    A light so horrible that I was hidden in Darkness.

    I was born in Hell. Created by the Almighty. An Avenger for those that have been wronged.

    There are many appellations for where I reside.

    Some call it Hades; others call it Gehenna; some call it Sheol. Others… Niflheim, Diyu, Xibalba, Naraka, Jigoku.

    There are so many names.

    Many people live out their days in prosperity and tranquilly go down to my nether world.

    They have spent their lives pursuing and acquiring trinkets and fool’s gold.

    What is of real value to God they disdain.

    They have spent their lives paving a road that can only lead to one place.

    Immorality, impurity, murder of the innocent, evil desire… an unending number of affronts to a Holy God.

    That long winding road leads to my door.

    They should have paved a narrow road to God’s Kingdom.

    They should have entered through the narrow gate.

    I am an engulfing flame that never dies and my fire is never quenched.

    An everlasting flame.

    I was born in the womb of Darkness for just one purpose: to fulfill Scripture. People will reap what they sow.

    Mt. 8: 11-12 “Many, I tell you, will come from the east and the west to sit with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven. But the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

    Mt. 25: 46 “And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous will enter eternal life.”

    Mt. 25: 30 “As for this worthless servant, cast him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

    Mk. 9: 43-44 “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is preferable for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go into the unquenchable fire of Gehenna where the devouring worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.”

    Lk. 16: 22-24 “Now the poor man died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In the netherworld, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham, far off, and Lazarus by his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.”’

    Rev. 20: 14-15 “Then Death and Hades were hurled into the fiery lake. This fiery lake is the second death. Anyone who was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the fiery lake.”

    St. Augustine – City of God – chapter 16

    “He therefore that will escape hell fire, must be both baptized and justified in Christ, and this is his only way to pass from the devil unto Him. And let him assuredly believe that there is no purgatory pains except before that great and terrible judgment. Indeed, it is true that the fire of hell shall be more forcible against some than against others, according to the diversity of their deserts, whether it be adapted in nature to the quality of their merits, or remain one fire unto all, and yet be not felt alike of all.”

    Mt. 7: 21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

    Mt. 7: 13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few in number.”

    The story will be continued in The Flame 6

    Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

  • The Flame 4

    A pale horse follows them, and its rider is named Death, and Hades follows right behind.

    Without Punishment, there can be no Justice.

    Without Punishment, evil will prevail.

    I am the torturer.

    The avenger.

    I am the one that inflicts pain.

    I am the one that rights the wrongs.

    I am the one that balances the scales of Justice.

    I was Born in Darkness by the Almighty for one purpose.

    I was known by Him before the birth of mankind.

    I was created to torment and torture those that are evil for all eternity.

    I am a burning fire. But I do not consume.

    I was born in Hell. Raised by the Almighty. An avenger for the innocent that have been wronged.

    There are many appellations for where I reside.

    Some call it Hades; others call it Gehenna; some call it Sheol. Others… Niflheim, Diyu, Xibalba, Naraka, Jigoku.

    There are so many names.

    Immorality, impurity, murder of the innocent, evil desire… an unending number of affronts to a Holy God.

    And rather than expose the fruitless works of darkness, people bask in them.

    These people do evil to themselves.

    Every hair is numbered. Every spoken word known. Every thought uttered is scrutinized.

    Every injustice recorded.

    Nothing goes unnoticed by the Almighty.

    Many people believe that out of God’s Love and Mercy that He will look the other way.

    They use His Love and Mercy the more to offend Him.

    These people delude themselves.

    Without Punishment, there can be no Justice.

    I was born in Hell. Created by the Almighty. Fashioned with His Hands.

    It was He that gave me life and a purpose.

    And from my flame there is no escape.

    Do not be deceived. Do not delude yourself.

    Through me, He will repay everyone according to their deeds.

    Those that oppose the Will of God live in the devil’s shadow, and it shields them from the Light.

    Enslaved to their passions.

    Chained to their desires.

    Stumbling.

    Lost!

    Death and Hades follow them.

    If they don’t repent and alter their course they will perish.

    I am the instrument that He Chose.

    I am His work of art.

    The grass withers and the flower wilts, but the word of our God stands for ever.

    People will reap what they sow.

    Don’t be like foolish people who are shaken by a foul wind and fall from the Tree of Life and run after every UnGodly fad known.

    Anchor yourself to the Almighty and His Teaching. Cling to the Truth.

    It is not too late.

    My destiny cannot be changed. Neither can my course be altered. My fate is already written.

    I was born in a world of darkness to do the Bidding of the Almighty.

    I am an Eternal Flame. An Everlasting Fire.

    If your name is not written in the Lamb’s book of life… You will perish.

    If your name is not written in the Lamb’s book of life… You will meet me.

    Rev. 20: 14-15 “Then Death and Hades were hurled into the fiery lake. This fiery lake is the second death. Anyone who was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the fiery lake.”

    Mt. 8: 11-12 “Many, I tell you, will come from the east and the west to sit with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven. But the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

    Mt. 25: 46 “And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous will enter eternal life.”

    Mt. 25: 30 “As for this worthless servant, cast him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

    Mk. 9: 43-44 “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is preferable for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go into the unquenchable fire of Gehenna where the devouring worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.”

    Lk. 16: 22-24 “Now the poor man died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In the netherworld, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham, far off, and Lazarus by his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.”’

    Mt. 7: 21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

    Mt. 7: 16-20 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.”

    Mt. 25: 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’”

    Gal. 6: 7 “Make no mistake: God is not mocked, for a person will reap only what he sows,”

    Mt. 7: 13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few in number.”

    The story will be continued in The Flame 5

    Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

  • The Flame 3

    Not by God’s Will have they crucified their own Souls, but by their own choices.

    I was Born in Darkness by the Almighty for one purpose.

    To torment and torture those that are evil for all eternity.

    I am a burning fire. But I do not consume.

    I was born in Hell. Raised by the Almighty. An avenger for those that have been wronged.

    There are many appellations for where I reside.

    Some call it Hades; others call it Gehenna; some call it Sheol. Others… Niflheim, Diyu, Xibalba, Naraka, Jigoku.

    There are so many names.

    There is no joy to be found in my nether world. All I can hear is the weeping and gnashing of teeth.

    From century to century; from millennium to millennium; from eternity to eternity; they lie down in a place of pain.

    And to compound the terror… The damned know that it will never end.

    I do not discriminate nor do I feel compassion.

    I never tire or grow old.

    I am an Avenger.

    A Crusader for Righteousness.

    A Vigilante for Justice.

    A Protector of Godly Values.

    Cries of mercy go unheeded. There is no escape from my flame.

    Every road has a destination. And all roads come to an end.

    I am not a threat but a warning.

    Every road has a destination. And all roads come to an end.

    I am beyond the vale of tears, beyond the gates of hell.

    In a fiery graveyard you’ll find me as ghosts dance around.

    A dance of pain. A dance of regret.

    I am the Second Death.

    I was born in the womb of Darkness for just one purpose. To fulfill Scripture; People will reap what they sow.

    Born in Darkness… hidden.

    Born in Darkness… a sight so frightful to behold.

    I know of no other life than the one that God gave me.

    There is no other purpose for my existence than the one I have.

    Born in the shadows… a tool that serves His Will.

    Mockery, ridicule, lies, hatred, slaughter of the innocent… an unending number of affronts to Almighty God.

    The walking dead are led around on a leash by their own passions, and it clouds their judgements.

    They have crafted a guillotine with their own hands. They are the architects of their own destruction.

    They have placed a crown of fiery thorns on their heads.

    They have erected and nailed themselves to their own burning cross.

    They have crucified their own Souls.

    The road is narrow and only a few arrive safely. Many a winding turn… has led many people astray.

    Kingdoms topple. Leaders change. One history page after another is turned. In a world of inconsistency, I remain the same.

    A bedrock of consistency, a fortress, tirelessly doing the Will of the Almighty.

    I burn endlessly.

    Was the table set too high for them?

    Was it out of their reach?

    Be careful, lest you fall prey to the devil’s snares.

    Who can live with fire? Who can live with an everlasting flame?

    You have only one opportunity to find the Light of Creation.

    Those that fail to find that Light will never have that opportunity again.

    They will go blindly into a future world where there is no God.

    What awaits them is darkness and me.

    They will be like dry twigs that kindle a fire, wood in a fireplace. But they will not be consumed.

    An unending night awaits them, and only my flame breaks through the darkness that surrounds them. I will be the only light that they ever get to see.

    I am a light of pain. A light of torment.

    A light so horrible that I was hidden in Darkness.

    I was born in Hell. Created by the Almighty. An Avenger for those that have been wronged.

    I am a soldier passionately administering Justice.

    A warrior for Holiness.

    A gladiator for Truth.

    God chiseled me into existence from nothing.

    I know of no other life than the one I have.

    I know of no other existence or purpose.

    I am an Eternal Flame. An Everlasting Fire.

    I am the Instrument that He Chose to fulfill His Justice.

    Better to have never been born, than to meet me.

    Dt. 32: 22 “For by my wrath a fire is enkindled that shall rage to the depths of the nether world.”

    Ps. 21: 10 “At the time of your coming you will drive them into a furnace. Then the Lord’s anger will consume them, devour them with fire.”

    Ps. 112: 10 “The wicked shall be angry to see this; they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the desires of the wicked come to nothing.”

    Is. 33: 14 “On Zion sinners are in dread, trembling grips the impious: ‘Who of us can live with the consuming fire? Who of us can live with the everlasting flames?’”

    Is. 66: 24 “They shall go out and see the corpses of the men who rebelled against me; Their worm shall not die, nor their fire be extinguished; and they shall be abhorrent to all mankind.”

    Is. 50: 11 “All of you kindle flames and carry about you fiery darts; Walk by the light of your own fire and by the flares you have burnt! This is your fate from my hand: you shall lie down in a place of pain.”

    Jb. 7: 9 “As a cloud dissolves and vanishes, so he who goes down to the nether world shall come up no more.”

    Ez. 22: 21 “When I have assembled you I will blast you with the fire of my anger and smelt you with it.”

    1 Sm. 2: 9 “He will guard the footsteps of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall perish in the darkness. For not by strength does man prevail.”

    Mal. 3: 19 “For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming will set them on fire…”

    Mal. 1: 6 “A son honors his father, and a servant fears his master; If then I am a father, where is the honor due to me? And if I am a master, where is the reverence due to me? …”

    The story will be continued in The Flame 4

    Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

  • The Flame 2

    I have a beginning, but I have no end.

    A burning fire born in Hell to torment those that do evil.

    At the same time a place of darkness was formed.

    I was Created by the Almighty.

    I am an Avenger for those that have been wronged.

    There are many appellations for where I reside.

    Some call it Hades; others call it Gehenna; some call it Sheol. Others… Niflheim, Diyu, Xibalba, Naraka, Jigoku.

    There are so many names.

    Day and night they burn. Day and night they burn. Day and night they burn.

    Licked by a tongue of fire that never gets dry.

    I was fashioned by the hands of the Almighty. Born to do His Bidding.

    I hear the righteous anger of the innocent that have been harmed.

    Their righteous anger fans my flame.

    I hear their cries and pleas.

    They fuel my anger.

    To fall into my flame is to meet a horror beyond all imagination.

    To meet me is to meet a horror beyond all nightmares.

    Beyond all comprehension.

    I was interred in a place of tears. Interred in a place with no hope.

    Surrounded and hidden in darkness.

    I am deaf to the cries of others. I am deaf to their pleas for mercy.

    I rage as a flame of Justice. I rage as an Avenger.

    The pages from the calendar are torn away. The leaves on the branches fall. One season turns into another.

    Over time, one silly secular idea after another gets mocked and ridiculed.

    One fad after another loses its luster.

    One philosophy after another wilts and dies.

    The pages from the calendar are torn away. The leaves on the branches fall. One season turns into another.

    The young grow old and die.

    One generation after another turns to ashes.

    Long gone… not remembered.

    But I remain resolute. I remain unchanged.

    I am remembered.

    Throughout the world I am feared.

    To meet me, is to inherit the second Death.

    I am Eternal. Everlasting.

    A nightmare beyond all human understanding.

    A flame born in hell to do the Bidding of my Master.

    Not by God’s Will but by their own will they Perish.

    People who surf on dangerous waves, that don’t heed the Warnings of the Almighty, splash into a lake of fire.

    They drown in an ocean of flames.

    I was born in darkness

    A sight so horrid to behold, that I exist in a sunless and moonless night.

    Hidden by the shadows.

    I am a spark ignited by the Mind of ALMIGHTY God.

    To meet me is to inherit the Second Death.

    I was interred in a place of anguish. Interred in a place of sorrow.

    Interred in a place of pain.

    One scheme after another falls to the ground. One dream after another is slain.

    Fruitless works, destined to failure.

    Fruitless works that bear no fruit.

    In life’s moment, one’s hopes and plans are destroyed. Dashed against a Rock.

    I was a spark in the mind of Almighty God. It was He that gave me life and a purpose.

    I know of no other life than the one I have.

    To meet me is to be consumed in a horror that is unimaginable.

    I am on the other side of Life.

    To meet me is to be embraced by the second Death.

    I am inflamed with a passion for Justice. And from my hands there is no escape.

    Dt. 32: 22 “For by my wrath a fire is enkindled that shall rage to the depths of the nether world.”

    Ps. 21: 10 “At the time of your coming you will drive them into a furnace. Then the Lord’s anger will consume them, devour them with fire.”

    Ps. 112: 10 “The wicked shall be angry to see this; they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the desires of the wicked come to nothing.”

    Is. 33: 14 “On Zion sinners are in dread, trembling grips the impious: ‘Who of us can live with the consuming fire? Who of us can live with the everlasting flames?’”

    Is. 66: 24 “They shall go out and see the corpses of the men who rebelled against me; Their worm shall not die, nor their fire be extinguished; and they shall be abhorrent to all mankind.”

    Mal. 3: 19 “For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming will set them on fire…”

    Jb. 21: 11-13 “These folks have infants numerous as lambs, and their children dance. They sing to the timbrel and harp, and make merry to the sound of the flute. They live out their days in prosperity and tranquilly go down to the nether world.”

    Mal. 1: 6 “A son honors his father, and a servant fears his master; If then I am a father, where is the honor due to me? And if I am a master, where is the reverence due to me? …”

    The story will be continued in The Flame 3

    Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

  • The Flame

    I was born in Hell, that’s where my existence came into being.

    At the same time a place of darkness was formed.

    I was Created by the Almighty.

    I am an Avenger for those that have been wronged.

    There are many appellations for where I reside.

    Some call it Hades; others call it Gehenna; some call it Sheol. Others… Niflheim, Diyu, Xibalba, Naraka, Jigoku.

    There are so many names.

    I was born in Hell, that’s where my existence came into being.

    Created by the Almighty. Fashioned with His Hands.

    A proud warrior willing to do His Bidding.

    I stand tall and dance about in waves.

    I light up the darkness with my flaming colors of red, blue, orange, yellow and white.

    A warrior born to war against those that rebel against the King of kings.

    It was He that gave them Life and a Purpose.

    It was He that Taught them the Way.

    How did they come to this darkened coast? A darkened shore with an everlasting night.

    How did they get marooned?

    How did they open this door to hell?

    Was the table set so high that they couldn’t reach it? Why did they go about grasping for straws and fool’s gold?

    Likewise, it was He that gave me life and a purpose.

    I am a burning fire. But I do not consume.

    I was born in Hell. Raised by the Almighty. An avenger for those that have been wronged.

    I was a piece of clay in the Sculptor’s Hands.

    I am a burning fire. But I do not destroy.

    I torture those that fall into my flame from one century to another. From one millennium to another.

    From eternity to eternity, they drown in my flame.

    A moonless and starless night is what awaits them. All hope is abandoned here.

    They have forsaken Eternity with God and the Pleasures of Heaven for a moment’s gratification.

    Some of them believe that there will not be any more perfection than there is now, nor any more Heaven or hell than there is now.

    Both the learned and unlearned feel this way.

    And then at the end of their rainbows they meet me, and all the cobwebs fall from their eyes.

    Too late. Too late.

    I am a flame born in the womb of darkness.

    In the stillness of a black night, I came into being.

    In the secret of darkness, I was formed.

    Ordered by God. Willed by God.

    There is no escape from my hands.

    There are many appellations for where I reside.

    Some call it Hades; others call it Gehenna; some call it Sheol. Others… Niflheim, Diyu, Xibalba, Naraka, Jigoku.

    There are so many names.

    I am everlasting.

    My flame can never be extinguished. Nor can my fire ever be quenched.

    My flaming tongue licks and burns.

    They were gifted with the gift of Life, but they chose Death.

    They were foolish enough to roll the dice and lost.

    I am a flame lighting up the unending night.

    A fire crashing in a furnace.

    A pink carnation burns here; a blue carnation burns there. And a white carnation burns in the middle.

    I was born to torture, from one century to another; from one millennium to another; from eternity to eternity.

    There is no torture on earth like mine.

    The spark of my existence was rooted in His Mind.

    I am a Creation from the Mind of Almighty God.

    I was born to do His Bidding.

    To meet me is to inherit the second Death.

    To meet me is to know unspeakable horror.

    I can never die.

    There is no terror or fear that the eyes of men have ever seen or can imagine, that does justice to what I am.

    There are no words that can convey the horror. No words to describe the terror.

    Just like they have no idea about the Wonders of Heaven, they have no idea about the Agony of Hell.

    Human minds cannot comprehend the fiery pit.

    Who can live with everlasting flames?

    I am a burning fire. But I do not destroy.

    Though ghosts plead for death, it will never come.

    I am a burning fire. But I do not consume.

    Though ghosts beg for death, their cries go unanswered.

    I am everlasting.

    I can never be extinguished or die.

    Dt. 32: 22 “For by my wrath a fire is enkindled that shall rage to the depths of the nether world.”

    Ps. 21: 10 “At the time of your coming you will drive them into a furnace. Then the Lord’s anger will consume them, devour them with fire.”

    Ps. 16: 10 “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”

    Ps. 112: 10 “The wicked shall be angry to see this; they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the desires of the wicked come to nothing.”

    Is. 33: 14 “On Zion sinners are in dread, trembling grips the impious: ‘Who of us can live with the consuming fire? Who of us can live with the everlasting flames?’”

    Is. 66: 24 “They shall go out and see the corpses of the men who rebelled against me; Their worm shall not die, nor their fire be extinguished; and they shall be abhorrent to all mankind.”

    Mal. 3: 19 “For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming will set them on fire…”

    Jb. 21: 11-13 “These folks have infants numerous as lambs, and their children dance. They sing to the timbrel and harp and make merry to the sound of the flute. They live out their days in prosperity and tranquilly go down to the nether world.”

    Mal. 1: 6 “A son honors his father, and a servant fears his master; If then I am a father, where is the honor due to me? And if I am a master, where is the reverence due to me? …”

    The story will be continued in Flame 2

    Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

  • The Christmas Tree 5 – Snow, Snow, and more Snow

    Under the New York City sky, and nestled amidst the tall skyscrapers, in a voice that seemed to be echoing the Christmas Spirit, the soft snow flurries started swirling around, and they warmed my heart. Flooding it with memories of Christmas’ past.

    Margaret was about to get her coloring book and finish coloring the different flowers in the book – and recolor the flowers that Billy messed up – when a bright radiant light zigzagged in front of the Christmas Tree. It looked like a bolt of lightning from a cartoon.

    It momentarily startled Margaret and she jumped back.

    The Hrinoff decoration lit up. It started showing a snowstorm. Margaret was mesmerized by what she was seeing. Snow, snow, snow, and more snow. It was an avalanche of snow. A tidal wave.

    The storm, possessing an unpleasant and nasty personality, and very unruly, seemed resolved to continue being a nuisance. It was bullying the Hrinoff family. Not only couldn’t they see out their windows, which were plastered with snow, but the snow drifted against their door, making it difficult to open. And the wind, very irate, was whistling a very ominous tune.

    The blizzard started last evening and there were no signs that it would be ending soon. It seemed like an everlasting drumbeat of falling snow.

    But inclement weather was not a good enough reason for a Hrinoff farmer not to farm and nurture his crops. And even the Hrinoffs, who have the greenest thumbs in the world – and their thumbs are really green – have to tend to their crops.

    Madame Hrinoff Aria, the farmer’s wife said, “Go wake up the boys and have them help you.”

    “I usually let them sleep until sunrise,” said Hrinoff farmer Topegriadnsite.

    “I know that … the weather is so bad, you better get off to an early start.”

    “You’re right,” said the Hrinoff farmer.

    He walked into his children’s bedroom and woke up his five-year-old son and then his three-year-old. Both boys jumped out of bed and put on their overalls. They put on their designer sneakers and coats. Their father put their furry hoods over their heads. The kids excitedly ran to the window to look out, but they couldn’t see anything. There was a wall of snow blocking their view. They excitedly ran to the door, but when they tried to open it, it wouldn’t budge. There were mounds of snow brushing against the door.

    The five-year-old ran to get his ax, and was about to chop down the door, when his father stopped him.

    Dad and mom helped the kids to push the door open, and when it was wide enough, the farmer squeezed through the door and started shoveling. He needed to make a path for him and the boys to walk. He decided to make a path that went to the shed first, so that he could retrieve his sons’ shovels. He was going to need all the help he could get. While he was shoveling his youngest son was trying to swallow the falling snow. He collided into his father and brother a few times while in pursuit of the falling yellow, green, and orange snow.

    “Can you be careful,” said the annoyed five-year-old to his younger brother.

    The three-year-old stuck out his tongue and shook his head “No.”

    The little boy had a system.

    He would eat a yellow snowflake first, and then a green snowflake, and leave the orange snowflake for last. He repeated the same pattern over and over. It was more fun and challenging that way.

    His older brother didn’t have a pattern. He was swallowing as much pink and red snow as he could. And the pink and red snow tasted better. At least that’s what he thought.

    “Stop eating all that snow,” shouted the farmer. “Your mother is making breakfast.”

    Margaret started laughing.

    After an hour, they finally arrived at the shed. When the two boys retrieved their smaller shovels, they started shoveling in all different directions.

    “Not like that,” shouted the farmer. “We all have to shovel in the same direction. We’re going toward the fields, to tend to the crops.”

    It took them an hour to shovel twenty feet of snow.

    The snow seemed to be determined to annoy anyone in its path, and the farmer noticed that the path that they shoveled was being covered up by more falling snow. The snow was very spiteful.

    The farmer also noticed that his youngest son was missing. He started looking around and saw some snow moving. His son was swallowed up by the snow … it acted like quicksand. It just gobbled him up. When he went to retrieve him, he found his son under a pile of snow, and he was digging a tunnel and laughing.

    Margaret was also laughing.

    “Now is not the time to play,” warned dad sternly. “We have work to do. You know the Hrinoff motto: ‘Work first, more work, and more work and then we play.’ Now … stop goofing off.”

    As he was about to start shoveling again, the Hrinoff farmer heard his older son yelling for help. He found his older son with his head stuck in a rabbit hole. He pulled him out.

    “Didn’t I tell you to stop playing around,” said dad, disappointed that his eldest son wasn’t listening.

    “I was trying to catch the rabbit.”

    “Leave those thieves alone,” said dad.

    The Hrinoff farmers hated rabbits. The farmers did all the work, and the lazy rabbits just waited for an opportunity to steal and eat their crops.

    A rabbit stuck its head out of its hole, and stuck its tongue out at the farmer, and wiggled its ears.

    A snowball whizzed by the farmer’s head.

    “Who threw that?” Asked the five-year-old.

    They knew it couldn’t be a rabbit. They can’t make or throw snowballs. They don’t have hands. If they had hands, instead of paws, they could be farmers too. And they wouldn’t have to steal all the farmer’s crops.

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  • The Christmas Tree 5 – Chariot of the Sun

    The Christmas Tree blushed. It was dressed in lights and decorations, but it felt naked without any tinsel.

    The grasshopper-man was no longer a man or even a grasshopper. He still looked like a man, but he was extremely small and had curly hair and pointed ears. And his feet were very hairy. He had a pipe in his hand and tossed it to the ground. He never smoked in his life. He was also wearing very bright colors. That was totally unlike his true nature. He never liked to stand out. He only liked the colors green or brown.

    The grasshopper-man was in a deserted place and wondering about his new body and size.

    He wondered, why do bad things always happen to me?

    And then he noticed them. They were two giant gods.

    Phaeton: “It is unfair that my school chums laugh at me. Am I not a god also? Am I not part god? Don’t I require the same respect? I want proof from you … that I am your son.”

    Apollo: “I am your Father! And the nymph Clymene is your mother. Isn’t that good enough?”

    Phaeton: “No! No one believes me. They think I’m a storyteller and making up stories. I need proof!”

    Apollo: “I can bestow upon you a gift that will help to prove that you’re my son. Ask what you will.”

    Phaeton: “I would like to drive the chariot of the sun.”

    Apollo: “Never! Are you out of your mind? That is the one gift that I cannot give you.”

    Phaeton: “And that is the only gift that I want.”

    Apollo: “No other god but me, can drive the flaming chariot of fire. I am your Father. Ask anything else of me.”

    Phaeton: “There is nothing else that I seek.”

    The grasshopper-man was afraid. He could easily be seen by the gods. He saw a huge chariot and climbed aboard. He hid in the back of the chariot and placed a blanket over him. He peeked out from underneath the blanket. He was hoping that the giant gods would go away. He noticed he was shivering but it wasn’t from the cold weather. He was frightened.

    He wondered, why do bad things always happen to me?

    Apollo: “Are you seeking death and destruction?”

    Phaeton: “I am your son! Not only can you drive the chariot of the sun, but I can too. And this will prove to everyone that I am your son.”

    Apollo: “This is not a good idea. But I made you a promise and am bound by my honor to keep it. You must be careful. Stay within the five circles. If you veer too far to the left or the right, you will ignite the universe.”

    Phaeton: “I will warm the universe and make the weather pleasant … just like you. Have no fear.”

    Apollo: “And the horses … allow them to go at their own pace. They will be going fast enough. Remember … stay within the five circles. I still think you should change your mind and listen to me.”

    The grasshopper-man thought about getting out of the chariot and running away. But he might be seen by the two giant gods. Despaired, he shook his head. Why did he get into this chariot? Why doesn’t the young man listen to his Father? The grasshopper man cowered underneath the blanket.

    He wondered, why do bad things always happen to me?

    What happened?

    The fiery horses were too powerful. Smoke and fire poured out of their nostrils and mouths. And their eyes looked like molten lava. They looked disdainfully at Phaeton.

    Phaeton couldn’t handle them.

    Without someone to properly guide them, they didn’t stay within the five circles. And because of that, the chariot of the sun scorched and then inflamed Mars. The planet was burning. The chariot of the sun veered further to the left and destroyed the goddess Venus’ home, which is Venus. The gods Mercury and Saturn, their planets suffered the same fate.

    The skies were ablaze with a disorderly inferno that day, the planets aghast in a quiver. All the planets were on fire. The whole universe was on fire.

    The grasshopper-man peeked from underneath the blanket. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Everything was on fire, except for this one little planet. But the God of that planet would not allow it to be destroyed. An Invincible and Almighty God. The One True God.

    The Angel Gabriel descended from Heaven, and took hold of the flaming horses, and threw them and the chariot and Phaeton into an abyss. The whole abyss was ignited and on fire.

    “There you shall remain,” said the Mighty Angel. “From generation to generation; from century to century; from eternity to eternity. Your flame shall never be extinguished, and you shall never die. All those that don’t obey the Father shall suffer the same fate.”

    The kind Angel plucked the grasshopper-man from the chariot – just before it was thrown into the abyss – and placed him safely back on earth. He then placed a protective invisible dome around the earth, so that in the future, anything entering the earth’s atmosphere would burn up before it harmed God’s people. And it would also stop any debris that came from these burnt up planets. So, the next time you see a meteor shower – fireworks – it is done in remembrance of this joyous occasion.

    “How are you, fellow Hobbit? You look like you could use a good pipe of tobacco.”

    The grasshopper-man-hobbit smiled.

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  • The Christmas Tree 7 – What the Elf!

    I hate this time of the year, thought Elf Bumble Brisbee. It’s always so busy. Between going to school, and afterward, working at the toy factory, there’s no time to relax and enjoy life.

    Him and his girlfriend were so busy that they couldn’t even see each other.

    He wanted to go to a place where a teenager – he was only eighteen – could chill out.

    He wanted to go to America. Land of the free – video games weren’t that expensive – and home of the brave. Many shoot-em-up video games.

    It was Christmas Eve and Santa would be leaving soon. He would be going all over the world delivering presents. This was his chance.

    He decided to climb into the back of Santa’s sleigh, and hide among the toys, and go with him. And as Santa was delivering presents… he would be looking for a new home.

    And he did just that.

    But the first million homes that Santa visited were disappointing.

    Los Angeles was too hot and so was Miami. And Las Vegas was even worse. He felt like he was in a desert. And while he was in Las Vegas he lost ten bucks.

    And even though the guy that owned the casino wanted to make him a host, and he would greet people as they came into the casino… he refused.

    He couldn’t see living in a place without snow.

    They finally arrived in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This was perfect. Mounds of snow and cold weather.

    When they arrived, it was snowing. White snowflakes… How beautiful.

    And he finally found the right home. It was a few miles from Scranton, and the house was enormous. At least five bedrooms. He always liked big houses.

    Santa was squeezing himself down the chimney of the big house, and Rudolph and the other reindeer were helping him.

    He seemed to be stuck.

    This was his chance. The elf climbed out of the sleigh. He made sure not to make any noise. Santa and the reindeer had really good hearing.

    He hid in the bushes until Santa left and started walking around the house. The front door was locked and so were the windows. He took out some witch’s dust from his right trouser pocket, and walked back to the front of the house. He sprinkled the witch’s dust on the door.

    The door unlocked itself.

    He thought, this witch’s dust is great.

    He got it from a witch last Christmas after he made her a barbie doll. The witch always wanted one. She in turn, gifted him with the witch’s dust.

    It was better than pixie dust. With pixie dust all you could do was fly. And sometimes it didn’t work that well. He crash landed a few times.

    And the little boy that sold him the pixie dust, Peter Pan, refused to refund his money.

    He opened up the door and once inside he started walking around. It was very late at night, and everyone was asleep.

    Except in this one bedroom. The light was on. He knocked on the door, but no one answered.

    He had to stand on his toes to open the door, and he entered a room that reeked of something burning. It smelled like his older brother’s socks. Even worse.

    The teenager at the computer didn’t even notice him. He was playing a video game and had a headset on and was listening to loud music and laughing. And he was smoking this awful foul-smelling cigarette.

    Elf Bumble Brisbee tapped him on the shoulder.

    “Excuse me, my name is Elf Bumble Brisbee. Who might you be?”

    “Dude,“ said James in a hostile manner. “You just distracted me and made me lose a man.”

    James turned around and looked at the elf, who was barely three feet tall. He started laughing and exhaled.

    The smoke came pouring out of his mouth and nose. He looked like a dragon exhaling fire.

    He said to himself out loud, “Cool! This stuff is really good. I wonder what they put in it. I’m hallucinating. I’m seeing a midget with a pointy green hat and red clothing. Wow!”

    “Can you please put that out,” said Elf Bumble Brisbee. “It really stinks. And I’m not a midget… I’m an elf.”

    James leaned over and pinched the elf on his cheek.

    “Ow!” yelled the elf. “Why did you do that?”

    A startled James said, “I wanted to see if you were real.”

    “I am real,” said the elf, as he kicked James in the leg.

    “Ow!” yelled James. “Why did you do that?”

    “I wanted to see if you were real too,” said the mischievous elf. “Now that we’ve established that we’re both real… Do you have a place where I can sleep tonight? I’m really tired. I just visited over a million homes.”

    James started laughing. “This stuff is really good.”

    “You didn’t answer my question. Do you have a place where I can sleep tonight?”

    “You can sleep on the floor. My friends do it all the time. But you’re going to have to change your appearance.”

    “Why?”

    “Because,” said James laughing, “you look like an elf.”

    The elf went into his right pants pocket and took out some witch’s dust, and splashed it on his face.

    The witch’s dust made James sneeze. He walked over to his bed and lied down. He needed to rest. He wasn’t feeling well.

    James couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The elf turned into a guy that was over six feet tall and very handsome.

    “Wow,” said James. “Can you make me tall and handsome like that?”

    The elf ignored the question and stretched and yawned. He asked, “Where can I sleep?”

    “Anywhere,” said James. “You can sleep on the side of my bed or even underneath the bed. The only problem is my dad. I just hope he doesn’t come into my room. He doesn’t like it when my friends sleepover and I don’t get his permission.”

    “I’ll sleep in the closet. He won’t be able to see me through the door.”

    “That’s a great idea,” said a laughing stoned James.

    “I’ll see you in the morning,” said the elf, as he went into the closet and shut the door behind him.

    “Yeah right,” said a laughing James.

    He knew that he was hallucinating. It had to be from the pot. He didn’t build any model airplanes today… it couldn’t be from the glue.

    He knew that when he got up in the morning that there wouldn’t be an elf in his closet.

    He set his alarm clock to ring early in the morning. Just in case. He would check out the closet just to make sure.

    In the morning, James got up to a ringing alarm clock and looked in the closet. He was right. He was just hallucinating. There wasn’t any elf in the closet.

    And he made sure to look thoroughly. The elf might be hiding.

    He felt relieved but also in a way sad. It would have been nice to have an elf roommate.

    He had the munchies from smoking all that pot and decided to go downstairs and into the kitchen and get something to eat.

    When he entered the kitchen he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. There was the guy – the elf – and his mom was making breakfast.

    His mom said to him angrily, “Didn’t your father tell you that if you’re going to have a friend sleepover you have to let him know. You’re lucky it’s Saturday and he’s still in bed.”

    “Sorry mom,” said James. “This is my friend Daniel.”

    He always wanted to have a friend named Daniel.

    His mom looked at his friend Daniel and you could see the look of disgust on her face. It darkened James’ mood.

    “He told me,” said mom, “that his name was Elf Bumble Brisbee.”

    “He was only kidding mom.”

    Daniel, the elf, asked, “Where’s the bathroom?”

    James didn’t say anything. He was still shocked. He was so shocked that he forgot where the bathroom was.

    His mom said, “It’s upstairs on the left.”

    When the elf left the kitchen, his mom asked, “Are any of your friends normal?”

    “What’s wrong?”

    “What’s wrong? When I walked into the kitchen this morning, I found your friend, with his face buried in a plate that was filled with my chocolate and peppermint candy. He wasn’t even using his hands to eat. That’s why I made him pancakes. I figured he must be starving. But instead of eating the pancakes he drank the whole bottle of maple syrup. And now he’s on his second bottle.”

    “He has a sweet tooth,” said James.

    His mom’s eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head. As she left the kitchen she said, “I have to do laundry. After you finish eating… clean up the mess.”

    “I will mom.”

    “And by the way, when I walked into the kitchen this morning I was practically naked. Don’t ever have anyone sleepover again… without letting me know.”

    James noticed, as his mom was leaving the kitchen, that there was something wrong with her. Something didn’t seem right. But he couldn’t put his finger on it.

    He got up to take a closer look and watched as she walked away. That’s when he realized that her butt was three times its normal size.

    He thought, My goodness, doesn’t she realize it? Doesn’t she feel it?

    When the elf, Daniel, walked back into the kitchen that was one of the first things James asked him about. He asked him about the size of his mom’s butt. It was enormous.

    “She upset my peaceful flow,” said the elf.

    “What does that even mean?” asked a confused James.

    “She made me mad,” said the elf. “She was yelling at me for eating her chocolate and peppermint candy. So I sprinkled some witch’s dust on her butt. Why?”

    “What the elf!”

    “What’s the problem?”

    “The problem is,” said James, while wondering if he was still hallucinating, “my dad might notice it.”

    “He might like it,” said the elf. “You’re worrying too much.”

    You can go to Amazon.com and read free samples. Type in John Saccone and the books will magically appear.

    The Christmas Tree series are thrilling holiday adventures filled with magic, mystery, and historical wonders. Margaret and her best friend Billy embark on a series of extraordinary journeys through time and space, all thanks to the magical Christmas Tree given to her by the mysterious Mr. Magi.

    Each decoration on the tree holds a secret, unlocking enchanted worlds, historical events, and even encounters with legendary figures. From the bustling streets of ancient Rome to mystical lands filled with elves and Hrinoffs, Margaret and Billy’s adventures bring them face-to-face with awe-inspiring and sometimes perilous experiences.

    Along the way, they uncover hidden lessons about courage, friendship, and the true meaning of the holiday spirit.

    Blending holiday magic with time-traveling excitement, The Christmas Tree series is a heartwarming and imaginative tale perfect for readers of all ages who believe in the wonder of Christmas and the power of adventure. And most importantly the power of Almighty God.

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  • The Christmas Tree 4 – Betting Bug

    Manhattan’s dating scene is terrible, thought Elizabeth. And now I’ve hit rock bottom. This blind date is the worst. I’ll never go on another one again

    He’s rude and annoying.

    And she told him that. She would have added that he was also obnoxious, but she didn’t think he knew what the word meant.

    He was a real neanderthal, and she couldn’t believe that one of her best friends set her up with this brute.

    She still couldn’t believe they were in Pennsylvania. She felt partly to blame. She should have been more demanding. More firm. She told him that she didn’t want to go to Pennsylvania. She initially thought they were driving to Brooklyn.

    She felt like she was being kidnapped.

    But he was very handsome. Very handsome.

    And his broad shoulders, and deep voice didn’t hurt.

    It seemed like he was casting a spell over her.

    And the last time she felt that way about a guy was when she was eighteen. And no good came of that.

    When they arrived at the sports bar, Elizabeth flirted with the thought about not going in. But from her car seat she noticed that the area seemed deserted, and dark, and garbage dotted the streets. She saw a man lying on the curb, and a woman barely able to stand up, hovering above him. It looked like she was trying to help him up.

    The incessant cries from an invisible cat – where was it? – sounded like a lonesome whippoorwill, with a head cold, and it just added to the surreal and ominous surroundings.

    Elizabeth begrudgingly entered a bar that was not only very raucous and noisy but also wreaked of beer and cigarette smoke. It was dimly lit. It had eight TVs, and they all had the basketball game on. It was packed with men. There were only a few women there and unlike Elizabeth they weren’t wearing a dress, but jeans. She also had on designer high-heel shoes. Her burgundy leather bag also looked out of place.

    One of the bartenders came up to Bobby, and he gave the bartender forty dollars. That was the admittance fee for him and Elizabeth.

    The bar patrons noticed when the two of them walked in. They looked like hawks sizing them up for the kill.

    Elizabeth wished she could disappear.

    They sat down in a booth near a pool table, and most of the bar patrons were watching a pre-game basketball show.

    Several feet away, two women were playing air hockey, and they were surrounded by very loud men who were betting on who would win.

    Several men sat at a table playing cards. They were also gambling.

    Phones in the bar were constantly ringing. Two women were answering the calls as fast as they could. It looked like they were taking bets.

    Elizabeth wondered if gambling was illegal in Pennsylvania.

    A guy came into the bar dressed as Santa, and he was carrying a large bag. He reached in and took out a few snowballs and started throwing them at the bartenders.

    They started chasing after him, but Santa kept firing. One of the snowballs whizzed by Elizabeth’s head.

    Bobby thought it was hilarious and started laughing.

    She was about to give Bobby the middle finger when she noticed a sticky substance on her leg and dress. It was gum. It was on the side of the seat. She thought she heard her new dress scream, “How could you do this to me?”

    This was the first time that she wore the dress, and she felt like attacking Bobby. She shouted, “Look at my dress.”

    Bobby didn’t respond.

    Many people in the bar knew him, and he started talking to them and making bets. He didn’t even bother to introduce Elizabeth to any of his friends.

    You can go to Amazon.com and read free samples. Type in John Saccone and the books will magically appear.

    The Christmas Tree series are thrilling holiday adventures filled with magic, mystery, and historical wonders. Margaret and her best friend Billy embark on a series of extraordinary journeys through time and space, all thanks to the magical Christmas Tree given to her by the mysterious Mr. Magi.

    Each decoration on the tree holds a secret, unlocking enchanted worlds, historical events, and even encounters with legendary figures. From the bustling streets of ancient Rome to mystical lands filled with elves and Hrinoffs, Margaret and Billy’s adventures bring them face-to-face with awe-inspiring and sometimes perilous experiences.

    Along the way, they uncover hidden lessons about courage, friendship, and the true meaning of the holiday spirit.

    Blending holiday magic with time-traveling excitement, The Christmas Tree series is a heartwarming and imaginative tale perfect for readers of all ages who believe in the wonder of Christmas and the power of adventure. And most importantly the power of Almighty God.

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