Prologue

Katrina Gowen’s troubles began with an ominous dream foreshadowing the tragic developments that lie ahead.

In her dream the fiery sun rose on the mountain top, crisp and hard. The summer sun had long since coaxed its brilliant flowers out and the air was filled with their sweet scents.

She peered over the ridge feasting her eyes on the marvelous beauty below, when something dreadfully unexpected happened.

The sunny morning quickly deteriorated and the sky clouded up. In a matter of seconds a violent tempest of wind picked up, changing the sapphire sky to an ominous gray.

She swayed as the storm gusted around her in a fury and the malevolent breeze began to sing.

The dark sky parted and the heavens opened wide. As rapidly as the wind had descended upon her, it passed, and the air became still and silent once more.

She stood alone before a blinding light. Obscured amidst swirling clouds of golden light, sat a being on a great white throne.

A wondrous flood of love welled up within her when she recognized he held the Book of Life within his hands.

The magnificent book, blazing in radiance, was three feet wide and three feet long. She felt no fear, only a strange excitement that raced through her veins.

But when the cover was lifted and the book was opened, a creeping chill came upon her.

She battled with her inner turmoil as the golden pages of parchment were searched and her name could not be found.

"The penalty of Sin is Death!" a roaring voice cried out, "Depart from me, you who are cursed."

She turned her face away in shame, wanting to hide as her soul shriveled up in horror.

Then, without any warning, the sky closed up and he was gone. The sweet air became foul. Quiet settled upon the mountain like a silent grave.

The sun turned black and the day turned to night. The smiling valleys and green depths of forest far below was nowhere to be found.

Katrina trembled in terror when she heard the heavy rumbling noise coming directly at her.

The ground shuddered beneath her feet and began to shake violently. The moon turned blood red and all of the stars, both big and small fell to earth and a deep darkness embraced her.

 Finally, a huge roiling ball of red and orange fire crashed to the earth and threw her alive into a fiery gorge of burning sulfur.

She could see the churning maelstrom of faces of the damned lifted into the air by the roaring flames.

She heard their inhuman howls, and the deep guttural moans of the tortured shrieking in pain and despair, reaching out their hands to at grab her as she descended into the open arms of the Prince of Darkness.