The Black Train

And then the silence between the line began to get scratchy…and so did the voice…

“And, Jiff, about that old iron forge in your backyard? You use that for a barbecue sometimes, don’t you?”

Jiff’s mouth stretched open. “Well, yeah, but what’s that got to do—”

“And I happen to know that your mother wants you to get it fired up so you can start smoking some ham hocks in it, isn’t that right?”

“How…can you know…that?”

More scratching over the line. “Start thinking about some other things to put in that barbecue once you’re done with the ham hocks, all right?”

The phone was hot against Jiff’s ear.

“You won’t understand it all right now, Jiff, but believe me, in time, you will.” Then the crackling faded, and clarity came back to the line.

“—for example, a 4.4 percent interest rate on a ten-month CD for starters. So please feel free to come down to the bank at your convenience, Mr. Butler, and I’d be happy to discuss a solid, protected investment package with you.”

“Uh, uh, yeah. Sure.”

Jiff hung up.

He stared out the window for a long time, and the thing he stared at the most was the old forge.

The man on the phone was right: Jiff didn’t understand it all yet, but he did have a strange feeling he’d be calling J.G. Sute back in the very near future and maybe even inviting him out to the inn.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This is a revised edition of Gast, originally published as a limited-edition hardback by Camelot Books, and for that original edition, I’d like to especially thank Tony and Kim Duarte, and artist extra ordinaire Glenn Chadbourne. I also need to thank, among others, Wendy Brewer, Don D’Auria, Bob Strauss, Tim M., Liz, Karyn, Bill, Christy, Alicia (who is a YANKEES fan first and foremost), Tim and Anda, Charlie, Tim Fogarty, Ken Arneson; Nick and Rhonda from Wild Willy’s Bar in Largo; Tom Moran, Judy Comeau and Count Gore; Amy, Paul and Kirk at Ricky T’s; Art at Sweet Bay; Geisenhuth, Travis Deputy Theinsatiablebookreader, Nanci Kalanta, Mark Justice; Scott Bradley, Del Howison and Amy Wallace of Book of Lists; Ian Fischer, Miranu Lepus, Lefteris Stavrianos, Nick Nick Roussos, Kathy Rosamilia; dutiful fans Linda Reed and Caroline Vincent of States Saving Bank; Josh Boone, Thomas Deja, Jeff Funk, Ryan Harding, Pam Herbster, Monica Kuebler, Michael Ling, Michael Pearce, Shay Prentiss, Terry Tidwell, Tom Weisser, Aaron Williams at Wheels of Terror; Christine Morgan and Nick Yak from HFR; lthrby1, Chris aka flahorrorwriter, bateman, jpoleka, jonah, Trever Palmer, onemorejustincase, godawful, harleymack, serra, GE65, babaganoosh, horrorfan, Andrew Myers of the 1st Armored Division, Bobby “Smitty” Smith, Brandon Lee Spitler, darkthrone, xrascalxkingx, mrliteral, psychomule, VT Horror Fan, Dathar, Aaron2010, Boota, Harvester, Lazy, madtrav, RabidDecay, sjmsy, Jimbo1168, Jack Staynes, Mille Umbra, Smokey-101, vredebyrd and Wetbones.

HIGH PRAISE FOR EDWARD LEE!

“The living legend of literary mayhem. Read him if you dare!”

—Richard Laymon, Author of Flesh

“Edward Lee’s writing is fast and mean as a chain saw revved to full-tilt boogie.”

—Jack Ketchum, Author of Cover

“He demonstrates a perverse genius for showing us a Hell the likes of which few readers have ever seen.”

—Horror Reader

“Edward Lee continues to push the boundaries of sex, violence and depravity in modern genre lit.”

—Rue Morgue

“One of the genre’s true originals.”

—The Horror Fiction Review

“The hardest of the hardcore horror writers.”

—Cemetery Dance

“Lee excels with his creativity and almost trademark depictions of violence and gruesomeness.”

—Horror World

“A master of hardcore horror. His ability to make readers cringe is legendary.”

—Hellnotes

Other books by Edward Lee

THE GOLEM

BRIDES OF THE IMPALER

HOUSE INFERNAL

SLITHER

THE BACKWOODS

FLESH GOTHIC

MESSENGER

INFERNAL ANGEL

CITY INFERNAL