Opus

As you may know I’ve spent some time recently correcting Limbus and Azazel, the next two novels of the Jeremiah Stone series. Though it was a daunting task, I must say I really enjoyed reading the stories again. Though I remember what happens, I forgot the details, action, and excitement the stories have to offer. I also forgot the ending which choked me up a bit (and I wrote the darn thing – LOL). Anyway, as I’ve discussed before, there are two characters within the story which really pull the book Limbus together, Opus and Jebediah.

Here is a quick snippet of the character Opus out of Limbus. I hope you enjoy his cruelty. (By the way, this is the unedited version.)

The conversation dropped into small talk for the next thirty minutes until the doorbell rang. Without even thinking about it, Frank stood, while motioning everyone to stay seated, and answered the door only to find a small man pointing a gun at his face.

“Don’t say a word,” Opus stated, as he pushed the gun into the man’s chest forcing him backwards. “You’re Frank White, correct?” Opus asked.

“Yes,” Frank nodded.

“Well, Frank, I think you need to invite me to dinner,” Opus said, as he closed the door behind himself and motioned Frank back to the dining room.

Frank nodded, turned, and carefully walked back to the dining room. Upon entering, Candice saw the gun and immediately gasped as Frank moved to his chair, though remained standing.

Limbus, who had his back to the Opus, turned his head at Candice’s gasp and knew things were not as his father wanted. Limbus then turned his gaze back around to Frank, who nervously gripped the back of his chair.  Immediately Limbus recognized there was a problem while sensing Frank was no hero as the man twitched in long repressed anger. Then Limbus circled his head around further until he took in the one man his father feared. At first glance Limbus thought Opus appeared fatigued, frustrated, and pushed to the edge despite the man’s easy stance. And though Limbus had heard what this man could do, he doubted it until he now stared into the cold eyes of death.

Dad, Limbus called out within his mind hoping his father would hear him, Opus is here at the White’s.

“Oh, by all means, your honor, take your seat,” Opus said casually.

“What is the meaning of this?” Candice demanded, rising from her seat.

“Candice!” Frank yelled forcefully. “Sit down!”

Candice, both shocked and appalled, looked befuddled for a few seconds before she finally lowered herself back in her seat.

“Thank you, Frank,” Opus said pleasantly.

“Limbus,” Opus said plainly, “please move your chair around beside your girlfriend’s and take a seat.”

“Limbus?” Candice stated, not understanding even as Limbus cautiously rose from his seat.

“Oh, yes,” Opus replied. “Limbus Connor Stone, son of Jeremiah Stone and Isis Sinon, or didn’t you know that?”

“What is going on here?” Candice demanded, rising from her seat again.

“It’s okay, Mrs. White,” Limbus said, trying to remain calm. “Isn’t that right, Opus?”

“So your father has told you of me? How nice,” Opus replied smoothly.

“You know this man?” Candice accused incredulously, before turning to her husband. “I told you he was…”

Her last words were cut off as Opus put a bullet into her forehead causing Melissa to scream and Frank to stand up. Quickly, Limbus pulled Melissa into his chest to muffle her now realized fear, along with the unexpected loss of her mother, who toppled sideways onto the floor.

“Frank,” Opus tsk’d, using his gun to signal the man to sit back down. “How did you put up with her annoying voice for all these years?”

As I re-read Limbus, I actually made several adjustments to the story giving Opus a more severe and harsher quality even this example doesn’t demonstrate. In addition, a friend commented to me after just reading Jeremiah Stone that I should do a story just on Opus, which I’ve started. So far the story has an eerie quality to it and I’m only a few pages into it. And as most of my stories start, you’re thrown into the action right away. After all, I’d hate to disappoint. One other tidbit to bring it all together, Hades joins Opus in those first few pages. It’s killer, literally.