# The Malice Below



## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

​
_Imagine if H.P. Lovecraft wrote Moby Dick.

Imagine no limits on terror.

Imagine no more.

From the author of Hell of the Dead comes the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

NOW AVAILABLE for only $1.99!

Here's an excerpt:_

Marci Kim stared at the bear and the bear stared back.

Neither moved.

Neither broke eye contact.

Neither gave the other ground.

There was no room for flight.

Marci breathed easy.

The modern sitting room had sleek furniture, a flatscreen television taking up the majority of a wall, and a coffee table with all the latest tabloid newspapers scattered on top.

And stuffed animal heads nailed on every wall where there was empty space. This ghastly showcase memorializing the thrill of a hunt was obscene, but she had seen worse. Animal brains in jars of formaldehyde. That one always got her. Some far-off societies ate the brains of their captured prey, but one American so-called hunter kept his in jars to be displayed in every room of his house. From bedroom to kitchen to bathroom. She gave the thought that her field was well-suited for certifiable loonies more than a second's consideration.

She shifted her gaze from the bear to the elderly man limping into the room. While Kim was average-looking at best, Harold Martin stood out, an aura of regality about him despite his limp. His thick gray hair was slicked back. His blue eyes didn't miss a thing.

"Doctor Kim!" he happily said. "Thank you for coming."

She rose to shake his hand.

"Thank you, Mister Martin," she replied. "Although why you wanted to see me is beyond me."

"According to what I've read, nothing is beyond you." He gestured for her to sit. She did. "I have need of an open mind. My team has, how should I say, suffered a few losses on our last expedition and there's an open slot. For you."

Kim's enthusiasm threatened to burst, but she held herself together well. "Thank you for considering me, but I'm just a cryptozoologist like you. Having two on your staff --"

"Team," he corrected.

"Team. It seems a bit overkill."

"But, like me, you are more than a mere cryptozoologist." Martin sat next to her. "You're in it for the chase as well as the catch, are you not?"

Kim eyed that bear head. "You must've heard a lot about me, Mister Martin."

"Call me Harold," he said. "Your assistant had nothing but glowing praise about you."

He leaned closer to Kim. She wanted to back away. His presence was invading hers. Some manner about him struck a chord in her. This man is more than he appears, that chord rang.

"Doctor Kim, I need another keen mind on my team. An opportunity has presented itself off the coast of Australia. All I can say is that the potential discovery of a new species that has only been dreamed of is at stake."

Kim mulled the prospect over. To work with Harold Martin would be nearly divine. It would get her out of the university for a while and away from . . . other problems.

"With all due respect, I need a little more before I agree to anything," she said. She also didn't want to seem too eager. This was how this game was played.

Martin was taken aback. He quickly collected himself. Nodding, he rose. "Come to my office."


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Welcome to KindleBoards, Erik, and congratulations on your book!

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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Imagine if H.P. Lovecraft wrote Moby Dick.

Imagine no limits on terror.

Imagine no more.

The Malice Below.

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind ghost ships. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the cause of these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved - the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters - but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

NOW AVAILABLE at Amazon's Kindle Store for $1.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Thanks for your kind words, Keith.

Influences? There was a touch of Lovecraft mixed with the menace of an early 80's Italian horror movie, the predatory pace of an Asian horror movie, and whatever madness I may have been feeling at the time. I'm obviously inspired by movies. 

Thank you for the interest!

Erik


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_I just can't get the perfect blurb for this novel. Here's the latest._

Words can not describe the horror of The Malice Below. All that can be said is that once you finish reading this novel, don't expect the terror to end with the warm words THE END. No, the terror, the horror will stay with you forever, giving you nightmares, waking and not.

Think twice before reading this novel!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_Still can't get that perfect blurb. Here's the latest, but surely not the last!_

The crew of the Final Fantasy is searching for the cause behind recent disappearances on the high seas. When they find it, there will be no escaping The Malice Below!

From the author of the unrelenting Hell of the Dead comes a novel of furious suspense and supernatural horror that will haunt you for years to come!

Only $1.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_I think I got it! A blurb that I can finally live with!_

The crew of the Final Fantasy is searching for the cause behind recent disappearances on the high seas. When they find it, there will be no escaping The Malice Below!

From the author of the unrelenting Hell of the Dead comes 20,000 words of furious suspense that will haunt you for years to come!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Night.

The marina was quiet, void of commotion save for the creaking docks and the bouncing boats on the tender water.

Cole's boat was dark.

Inside the main cabin, among the electronic equipment, were drained beer bottles. A half-emptied one was in Cole's hand. He sat at the table, staring at the shadows upon shadows around him.

He had been crying.

That was all he could do now. That and hate and plot. Later, there would be action.

Eventually he got up to turn on a light. The gloom around him didn't disappear; it simply shuffled around him. He went down to the hold.

A metal trunk sat on the floor nestled between duffel bags and cardboard boxes.

Boxes full of her clothes. Their photo albums.

Cole swallowed a sob down with some beer and then went to the trunk. He lifted the lid.

An unassembled rifle sat in a bed of gray foam.

Cole finished his beer.

He knew what he was going to do.

_Do you dare to find out what he does next?_


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I've lowered the price of this frightfest to $.99! WOW!

Check it out unless you're too afraid.


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the causes for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

From the author of the unrelenting Hell of the Dead comes 20,000 words of furious suspense that will haunt you for years to come!

NOW AVAILABLE for only $.99!


----------



## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

The short distance to the bridge was a blur for Kim. Her feet pounding on the hollow floor echoed the pounding in her chest. She could feel that beat in her ears. It was exhilaration given form. She felt like if she pushed hard enough off the floor, then she could fly.

"Martin," she said, barely in the doorway. "We got --"

"We know," the elder interrupted.

She looked at what he and Knight were gaping at.

A pink light shone up through the calm, dark waves. The lit area was about fifty yards in diameter. The shape was more like a big jigsaw puzzle piece than anything round.

The light shining wasn't strong, but strong enough to bathe the Final Fantasy and all within close eyeshot.

Kim immediately thought the light came from a type of algae yet to be discovered. But she couldn't explain its apparent barb. She rebelled against her inquisitive nature and just desired to rest her eyes upon that submerged red. To laze. She thought she smelled . . . no, that was impossible.

Then the light blinked out, leaving the ship and the three on the bridge in the near dark of night. The minute glows from the ship's control's lights didn't do much in the way of illumination.

"It's gone," Kim said more to herself than the others just joining them. Emptiness tugged on her chain, wanting to draw her closer to embrace her. Hello, isolated princess, the warmth of that cold empty said to her as it glowed pink.

Don't go, Kim wanted to yell at the light. In the few seconds of its existence, the light seemed to be a natural part of life like the wind and rain. The light was sorely missed by the three on the bridge, even to the uninterested Knight. However, they kept their slight melancholies to themselves. 
As the seconds passed, so did their gloom.

Keyes, Tagg, and Hunter leaped onto the bridge, too late.

Tagg and Hunter wasted no time racing to the deck.

The hunt was on.

to be continued in The Malice Below


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Cole tossed his revolver on his bed. He ran his hands through his hair.

This was it. The reason he came on this foolish quest. It was now or never. Before Martin came to his senses, gave up, and turned this tub around. Kim, Keyes, and everyone else on the ship were non-factors now. Martin had to be stopped.

Cole knelt at the chest at the foot of his bed. He opened it and took out the massive rifle.

He jammed a clip into it.

This was it.

He turned to leave, but his way out was blocked by Tagg, who had his pretty grenade launcher pointed at Cole's chest.

to be continued in The Malice Below


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

TERROR STRIKES AGAIN!

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the causes for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

Do you dare to take on 20,000 words of furious suspense?

NOW AVAILABLE for only $.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

STAY AWAY FROM THE WATER!

The crew of the Final Fantasy is searching for the cause behind recent disappearances on the high seas. When they find it, there will be no escaping The Malice Below!

From the author of the unrelenting Hell of the Dead comes 20,000 words of furious suspense that will haunt you for years to come!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

I'd like to thank everyone who's bought this book due to these board posts. The success of this book has exceeded all of my expectations.

Thank you!

Erik


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

The crew of the Final Fantasy is searching for the cause behind recent disappearances on the high seas. When they find it, there will be no escaping The Malice Below!

From the author of the unrelenting novel The Web comes another exploration into terror!

NOW AVAILABLE for $.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

THE TENSION RISES

Kim passed Cole's open cabin and stopped by. Her purpose was twofold: to schmooze him and to just see him. He was easy on her eyes. She needed that base feeling right now. Maybe she'd keep it with her when she took a private moment for herself later. Cole was pulling on a sweater when she caught his eye.

"Going to the briefing?" she asked him.

"Of course. Marci." He gestured for her to come in.

She stepped inside. He rummaged through a duffel bag and pulled out a pistol. He gently handed it to her. She didn't know what to make of this gift. She didn't want the weapon. She didn't like this turn of events. Lying and manipulating the situation was one thing. Entering a gun into the 
situation was another entity in itself. It was dangerous and she wasn't prepared for the repercussions.

Her stomach immediately felt empty. She felt like she was going to pass out, but she kept it together enough to avoid him noticing.

"Just in case things get hairy," he said to her.

Kim carefully took the weapon.

"I hope they don't," she honestly replied.

"Me, too."

to be continued in The Malice Below!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Do you dare face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

NOW AVAILABLE for only $.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

She fought to dredge up a memory or image to mentally take her away, to calm her, but the heaviness in the atmosphere and in her head kept her in the present.

The only thing she could come up with was a phrase that stuck like fingers in mud --

-- His eyes bled --

_After reading these few words, do you dare read the rest of The Malice Below?_


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the causes for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

NOW AVAILABLE for only $.99!


----------



## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_from The Malice Below . . . . _

Martin tried to stay interested in what Cole and Kim were telling him. He only wanted one thing from both of them and hearing this potentially troubling news was not that one thing.

"He's probably curled up in a hold sleeping off a bender," he said. "Did you look there?"

Keyes joined the group on the bridge. "I just did. He's not on this ship."

"He knows the water," Martin said.

No one knew exactly what that meant.

"He could've gone overboard," Kim said excitedly.

Martin shook his head and tried to quell his growing frustration. "No. I just told you he knows the water."

"We're turning back," Cole interjected. He didn't want to turn back. He could kill Martin whenever and wherever he wanted. Doing it out here on the wild waves would've been easier. But there were innocent people on board. Innocent people who were clueless to the history and future of Cole and Martin.

Cole ground his teeth together when he realized Martin's plan was working. He had to protect Kim, not because he cared about her, but because she was in harm's way now. History repeating. Although his plan was working, Martin's shortsightedness and zealousy to fulfill his plan made the old man blind to the fact that for his plan to truly succeed, he would have to order the boat to turn back and head home. This further angered Cole. The old man had to be stopped. Mere words would do no good.

Martin would keep toying with people with fatal consequences.

Martin was livid at this point. "We're about to drop the oscillator!" He raised his voice, trying to assert his authority. After all he wrote the checks. And he had his plan. Didn't these people realize he was trying to make things right while investigating and hunting this elusive sea creature? Couldn't they just go with the flow?

I should have picked another woman, he lamented. Another more docile woman. But Donna had spunk, attitude. It wouldn't be the same if Kim had anything less.

"We're not turning back because one man is missing!" he declared.

Knight walked in, unaware of the conversation and if he was aware, not giving a shit.

"Knight," Martin said, "please tell everyone here we're not turning back."

In a deadpan tone, "We're not turning back." He knew who wrote the checks, too.

Kim got in the captain's face. "But you don't understand! Fisher's missing!"

This rousted the captain, but not much. "Did you check the hold?"

Martin shook his head, unable to come to grips with anything that was going on here; stuck in his own world with his own schemes.

"Fisher knew the risks coming out here," Knight said as he made his way to the front of the bridge.

"No one knew the risks!" Kim cried. "We've all been lied to --" She pointed at Martin, who took this latest tirade with a poker-face. " -- by him."

Calmly, Martin replied, "Is the ten million still worth it?"

The supposed secret deal was out in the open now. Kim didn't know what to say. A stutter showed on her face.

Everyone but Cole looked at her, waiting for a reply or an explanation.

"Ten?" Knight asked. "I know you said we could negotiate, but ten million? Damn."

Martin smiled smugly. He got one up on the bitch. He just shot her credibility down. Plus he finally silenced her.

Oh, and he made her look stupid.

A knock on the window broke the tension. Tagg gave them all a shit-eating grin accompanied by an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

"All this talk of going back is pointless," Martin said. "The oscillator's been deployed."

Copyright 2011 Erik Handy


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

The crew of the Final Fantasy is searching for the cause behind recent disappearances on the high seas. When they find it, there will be no escaping The Malice Below!

From the author of the unrelenting Rabid comes 20,000 words of furious suspense that will haunt you for years to come!

Do you dare take the plunge?!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_A sample if you dare . . . ._

"Cut the shit," Cole told him. "I know why. I know why they're here. I know why I'm here. You're trying, old man. You really are. But nothing will bring my wife back. And nothing will ever make me forgive you. Nothing."

Cole walked away.

Martin soon left, speechless.

Keyes went back to the computers, but Kim fiddled with a monitor. It's starting to make sense, she said to herself.

Kim wanted to give up this opportunity, the money that went with it, and just be on solid ground away from these people. She thought she was playing a safe game where only feelings could be hurt. This game was starting to get too serious. She could feel the menace exuding from Cole. She had never felt her life was in danger, but now, aboard this ship, she felt like she could break like thin tissue paper.

She fought to dredge up a memory or image to mentally take her away, to calm her, but the heaviness in the atmosphere and in her head kept her in the present.

The only thing she could come up with was a phrase that stuck like fingers in mud --

-- His eyes bled --

Copyright 2011 Erik Handy


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Chapter 46

Knight shoved Kim into her cabin. She defiantly turned on him.

"Get on the bed," Knight told her. "On your stomach."

"Fuck you."

Knight backhanded her. She started to sob. She gave up hope. She wouldn't be going home. Not after this. Not after what Knight had planned for her.

The captain pushed her onto her bed. She fell violently on it. The bed frame cracked. She braced herself for the strong touch of his hands.

Knight knew what he wanted to do with her and his penis got hard. Before he could tie her down, Keyes came from behind and nailed him in the back of the head with a fire extinguisher.

Knight fell forward to the floor. His eyes rolled back on his way down.

Kim wasted no time and leaped over the captain to Keyes' side.

"We have to put out a distress call," Keyes said.

"I'll do that," Kim said. "Listen, Tim. I'm sorry about all of this."

"Don't be --"

The ship shuddered once as if rammed.

Copyright 2011 Erik Handy


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_a sample if you dare . . . ._

On the floor, he started to cry again.

"Let's turn back," he had told his wife. "It's not safe."

Donna turned to him, in his mind, in that cave, in that food closet. "Just a little further." Despite her worry, she was fully ensnared by the prospect of finding what they ventured here for.

Martin had agreed with her. "Just a little further."

The locker door knob jiggled again as if someone was trying to pick the lock.

Cole still ignored it.

"Just a little further," she had said. Her eyes shone a youthful energy that made Cole love her even more. Those bluest orbs pleaded with him and they won.

No, Cole said to himself in the present. Martin made us stay. We had no choice. We needed the money. For a family. Our family. Our family to come, but never would. Martin killed her.

Cole moaned. He knew deep down what was and wasn't true. That pit, that source of his angst, couldn't conceal the one true history that actually occurred. He remembered and he knew. He couldn't deny it.

He hurt all over. His eyes and face hurt from violently sobbing. His chest hurt from heaving. His muscles ached from being clenched during the reveal in his mind.

Martin didn't kill my wife, he told himself. I've been a fool. No. It was his fault we were down there. His map failed. The stability tests we performed on the cave failed. Martin failed. It was his fault we were there in the first place. His gilded tongue persuaded us to lose our good common sense and go on another one of his crazy treks.

I have to kill him, Cole resolved once again. That idea held down the truth. The strength to do that wouldn't last long. He had to act quickly before he broke down again. Before he broke down for what could be the final time.

The knob jiggled once more, finally drawing Cole's attention.

The door opened.

Cole casually glanced up. He didn't bother to wipe his wet eyes. He didn't care who saw him in this state.

Kim.

"There you are," she said.

Was she real?


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_A sample . . . ._

"Mister Knight. Will you secure the lady here? She's trouble."

Knight grunted. He got up and yanked Kim from the bridge, pulling her deeper into the ship. Now this was something that could shake him from his boredom.

A few seconds passed.

The tension soon lifted from the air, but not from Martin. His scheme had failed. There would be no forgiveness in his future. His throat was dry. His hands shook. The one holding his gun shook so much it ached.

He fired several shots into the control panel. Sparks and parts flew and exploded. There'd be no turning back now.

Steadying himself and halfway succeeding, he stepped to the forward window.

Hunter raced in from the side door. He saw the destroyed panel, then Martin standing and looking out the window. He didn't know what to do. He figured things would go from tepid to shitty, but he didn't want to deal with the consequences. Now the ship's controls were mangled. At least the radios still worked. He'd have to check those. But first he listened to Martin as the old man spoke to himself, "'As men, we seek despite the furies of the winds of Heaven and the malice below.'"


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

The crew of the Final Fantasy is searching for the cause behind recent disappearances on the high seas. When they find it, there will be no escaping The Malice Below!

From the author of the unrelenting Hell of the Dead comes 20,000 words of furious suspense that will haunt you for years to come!

The Malice Below -- $.99


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Words can not describe the horror of The Malice Below. All that can be said is that once you finish reading this novel, don't expect the terror to end with the warm words THE END. No, the terror, the horror will stay with you forever, giving you nightmares, waking and not.

Think twice before reading this novel!

$.99


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

*DO YOU DARE TAKE ON 20,000 WORDS OF FURIOUS SUSPENSE?*

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the causes for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

NOW AVAILABLE for only $.99!

Click here if you dare! --> http://www.amazon.com/The-Malice-Below-ebook/dp/B0046A9W04/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286638001&sr=1-2


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

NEW COVER!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

From the author of the unrelenting Hell of the Dead comes 20,000 words of furious suspense that will haunt you for years to come!

The Malice Below -- $.99


----------



## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Imagine if H.P. Lovecraft wrote Moby Dick.

Imagine no limits on terror.

Imagine no more.

The Malice Below.

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind ghost ships. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the cause for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!


----------



## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

*EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE KINDLE!*​
Words can not describe the horror of The Malice Below. All that can be said is that once you finish reading this novel, don't expect the terror to end with the warm words THE END. No, the terror, the horror will stay with you forever, giving you nightmares, waking and not. Think twice before reading this novel!

Click here to experience The Malice Below --> http://www.amazon.com/The-Malice-Below-ebook/dp/B0046A9W04/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286638001&sr=1-2


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

I've raised the price of this book to $1.99.

However, this upcoming Monday (Feb. 20, 2012 -- President's Day), it will be FREE!

Check it out!

Erik


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Imagine if H.P. Lovecraft wrote Moby Dick.

Imagine no limits on terror.

Imagine no more.

The Malice Below.

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind ghost ships. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the cause for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

$1.99


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the causes for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

NOW AVAILABLE for only $1.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

What is The Malice Below?

A touch of Lovecraft mixed with the menace of Italian Horror, the predatory pace of Asian Horror, and whatever madness I felt at the time. It IS Lovecraft's Moby Dick!

Get it now before IT GETS YOU!!!

NOW AVAILABLE for only $1.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

This book will be free this Friday, March 30! Check it out!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

If H.P. Lovecraft wrote Moby Dick, it'd probably read like The Malice Below.

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the causes for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

NOW AVAILABLE for only $1.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_An excerpt:_

Kim tried to figure out why Cole had come along. He had to know what Martin was capable of. He had to be aware of the treachery of this dual-purposed expedition. Game, she corrected. This is a game. When you use people for a gain, it's nothing more than a game. She momentarily felt ashamed, but that was the truth. She played her own. So what could Cole's game be?

"Cole blames Martin for his wife's death," she said.

"He seems to be be along for the ride," Keyes added.

They realized the answer at the same time, but Kim was the one who voiced it.

"I think Cole came along to kill the old man.

"Tim. We're in trouble."


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the causes for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

NOW AVAILABLE at Amazon.com's Kindle Store for only $2.99

OR get it free starting tomorrow, Saturday, July 7 until Wednesday, July 11!!!

Also includes bonus stories, "Cheerleader Massacre" and "Travelin'."


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

CURIOSITY KILLS!

Imagine if H.P. Lovecraft wrote Moby Dick.

Imagine no limits on terror.

Imagine no more.

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind ghost ships. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the cause for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

What is The Malice Below?

A touch of Lovecraft mixed with the menace of Italian Horror, the predatory pace of Asian Horror, and whatever madness I felt at the time. It IS Lovecraft's Moby Dick!

Get it now before IT GETS YOU!!!

NOW AVAILABLE for only $2.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

The crew of the Final Fantasy is searching for the cause behind recent disappearances on the high seas. When they find it, there will be no escaping _The Malice Below_!

From the author of the unrelenting _Hell of the Dead_ comes 20,000 words of furious suspense that will haunt you for years to come!

_The Malice Below_ -- $2.99


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

SURFACE TENSION

Night.

The marina was quiet, void of commotion save for the creaking docks and the bouncing boats on the tender water.

Cole's boat was dark.

Inside the main cabin, among the electronic equipment, were drained beer bottles. A half-emptied one was in Cole's hand. He sat at the table, staring at the shadows upon shadows around him.

He had been crying.

That was all he could do now. That and hate and plot. Later, there would be action. 

Eventually he got up to turn on a light. The gloom around him didn't disappear. It simply shuffled around him. He went down to the hold.

A metal trunk sat on the floor nestled between duffel bags and cardboard boxes.

Boxes full of her clothes. Their photo albums.

Cole swallowed a sob down with some beer and then went to the trunk. He lifted the lid.

An unassembled rifle sat in a bed of gray foam.

Cole finished his beer.

"You bastard," he cursed.

He knew what he was going to do.


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy searches for the cause for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of The Malice Below!

NEWLY REVISED for maximum creep potential!

STILL ONLY $2.99!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_The Malice Below is my second most popular book! The proof is in the stats! Over 1,600 downloads! But don't let the numbers sell you on the story. Check it out yourself!

Here's an excerpt:_

Night.

The marina was quiet, void of commotion save for the creaking docks and the bouncing boats on the tender water.

Cole's boat was dark.

Inside the main cabin, among the electronic equipment, were drained beer bottles. A half-emptied one was in Cole's hand. He sat at the table, staring at the shadows upon shadows around him.

He had been crying.

That was all he could do now. That and hate and plot. Later, there would be action.

Eventually he got up to turn on a light. The gloom around him didn't disappear. It simply shuffled around him. He went down to the hold.

A metal trunk sat on the floor nestled between duffel bags and cardboard boxes.

Boxes full of her clothes. Their photo albums.

Cole swallowed a sob down with some beer and then went to the trunk. He lifted the lid.

An unassembled rifle sat in a bed of gray foam.

Cole finished his beer.

"You bastard," he cursed.

He knew what he was going to do.


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

*NOW COLLECTED IN THE HORROR!*

_The Malice Below_ can now be found in my new collection, _The Horror_! The link to the book is in my signature below.

In _The Malice Below_, the crew of the Final Fantasy is searching for the cause behind recent disappearances on the high seas. When they find it, there will be no escaping a horror that defies explanation!

Thanks for checking it out!

Erik


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_The Malice Below_ shares two distinct similarities with its predecessor,_ Hell of the Dead_. It started out as a movie script and was inspired by a real life event. Three men disappeared from a boat off the coast of Australia back in 2007 (the Kaz II disappearance). The men simply vanished. I read the news article and immediately filed it away for future exploitation. The incident provided the spark for what would become billed as _H.P. Lovecraft's Moby Dick_. And it really is an apt description.

There's a cosmic horror. An obsessive captain - two, even. An ocean. A boat.

Okay, I'm stretching it thin now.

While authorities concluded nothing foul happened to the lost men - well, other than never being found again and dying horribly - I like to think my explanation of their disappearance is what really occurred. I'm not convinced it didn't.

Erik


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

Some trivia regarding my second baby, _The Malice Below_:

- There was a prologue that I cut from the book which dramatized the disappearance of the three men from the boat. I cut it because it fluffed the word count and showed the monster too early. I wanted the suspense to build up so that when the monster finally appeared, there wouldn't be much disappointment. I'm kidding. I think the monster was neat.

- I know nothing about boats. Nothing. This is also evident in my other book, Terror Rising.

- You'll have a difficult time finding a sympathetic protagonist in this story. I purposefully didn't write one because I felt the story didn't need one. It was about the phenomenon first, the people second. Was I wrong? No, because that was the way I wanted it. Who cares about people?

- I toyed with an epilogue about a charter boat out on the water. Part of a class trip, the boat full of kids would see something pink under the water. I never wrote it because it didn't jive with the rest of the book.

_The Malice Below_ is available for sale individually or in a mammoth collection, _The Horror_.

The original screenplay can be read in _Scripts_.

Erik


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_a random page:_

As the team went further into the cave, Cole remembered that he walked on auto-pilot, moving with the team's currents, behind his wife.

What he could remember: a tremble in the cave walls around and above them. Donna looking at him. Scared. Him trying to assure her they'd be okay. The further they go, the more rocks would fall from the walls. Tremble. Him finally voicing his fear. Martin pressing on. Someone turning back.

Not Martin. Not Donna. "Let's turn back. It's not safe."

On the pantry floor, he started to cry again.

"Let's turn back," he had told his wife. "It's not safe."

Donna turned to him, in his mind, in that cave, in that food closet. "Just a little further." Despite her worry, she was fully ensnared by the prospect of finding what they ventured here for.

Martin had agreed with her. "Just a little further."

The locker door knob jiggled again as if someone was trying to pick the lock.

Cole still ignored it.

"Just a little further," she had said. Her eyes shone a youthful energy that made Cole love her even more. Those bluest orbs pleaded with him and they won.

"No," Cole told the ghost who wasn't there. "Martin made us stay. We had no choice. We needed the money. For a family. Our family. Our family to come, but never would. Martin killed you."

Cole moaned. He knew deep down what was and wasn't true. That pit, that source of his angst, couldn't conceal the one true history that actually occurred. He remembered and he knew. He couldn't deny it.

He hurt all over. His eyes and face hurt from violently sobbing. His chest hurt from heaving. His muscles ached from being clenched during the reveal in his mind.

"Martin didn't kill my wife," he said. "I've been a fool. No. It was his fault we were down there. His map failed. The stability tests we performed on the cave failed. Martin failed. It was his fault we were there in the first place. I have to kill him."

That idea held down the truth. The strength to do that wouldn't last long. He had to act quickly before he broke down again. Before he broke down for what could be the final time.

The knob jiggled once more, finally drawing Cole's attention.

The door opened.

Cole casually glanced up. He didn't bother to wipe his wet eyes. He didn't care who saw him in this state.

Kim.

"There you are," she said.

Was she real?

She looked over her shoulder. "We're getting out of here."

Cole rose. "How? The emergency dinghy is shot up. You planning a mutiny?"

Kim grinned. She was up to something.

"You expect me to drive this tub?" he asked her.

Kim stepped aside and gestured for Cole to exit. She noticed his red eyes and figured he had been crying. He was probably frustrated for many reasons, including his own personal game with Martin. She shivered when she remembered he was probably going to try to kill that old man. But she believed that he would see her and Keyes to safety before completing his plan. He had to.


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_A random spot:_

Martin powered up the laptop on his desk.

"Three weeks ago," he began, "the Ishmael, a private cutter, was found off the coast of Australia. Abandoned. There were supposed to be three men aboard. There were no signs of foul play or misadventure."

He revolved the laptop so Kim could see the screen.

On the screen was a picture of a foot-long, nasty-looking barb. The appendage was jagged, as if torn from the body of the creature on one end, and nothing but sharp and deadly on the other. Kim was immediately taken in by the photo, nearly ignoring everything the old man was telling her.

"This was found in the bottom of the hull," Martin said. "My team whisked it away. Every test we performed on it concluded its origins as unknown."

"The creature this barb belongs to," Kim said, "isn't necessarily the reason those men vanished. I'm still not sold."

A look of defeat drooped Martin's aged face. He had to have her.

Kim raised her hand up, stilling his mood. "But I'm in." If the price is right, she mentally added.

Martin smiled as Kim moved closer to the laptop screen, attempting to figure out what creature could possibly possess such an appendage. Her apprehension to their close proximity to each other was lost in the thrill of this opportunity.

"I'm sure you'll tell me more once I sign on," Kim said.

Martin's spirits were lifted. "So I can count you in?"

Kim smiled back at the old man. "Sure." She turned to Martin and shook his hand. The man was all smiles.

"There is one other thing," Martin somberly said. "A small matter actually. There's another team member who doubts this opportunity. Perhaps if you, an established member of our field, and I visit him, he'd be more receptive and take this more seriously."

"Sure, Mister Martin."

"Please, call me Harold. I insist."

"Then I'm Marci."


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

_one chapter:_

Tagg and Hunter were equipped for war. They had rifles strapped to their backs and loaded handguns holstered.

Hunter twisted the top half of a soda can-sized canister and lobbed it at the spot where the pink light shone.

The ocean bubbled briefly where the grenade landed as if in a rapid boil.

"You're too late."

The men turned to the voice.

Cole stepped out of the shadows behind them.

"Yeah," Hunter said. "But that'll get its attention."

Cole shook his head at the men's stupidity and went back below deck. Cole didn't have any better idea of what produced that light than the two dolts who were pointing where they thought they saw something in the water. However, he knew hunting and trapping whatever the creature was would be more difficult and would require more finesse than simply lobbing a grenade.

Tagg pointed at something in the water out to Hunter, but Hunter didn't see anything because there was nothing there.


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the causes for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of _The Malice Below_!

ALSO AVAILABLE in _The Horror_ along with THREE other bone-tearing books!


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## Erik Handy (Sep 6, 2010)

People are disappearing on the seas, leaving behind empty ships and questions. The crew of the Final Fantasy are in search of the causes for these disappearances. Each crew member knows the dangers involved -- the uncertainty of the tides, the ulterior motives of each other, the unseen monsters -- but yet they seek.

The leader of this expedition, Harold Martin has his sights set not on the shared goal of the team, but on redemption.

Marci Kim is in it for the thrill of chasing the unknown . . . and the paycheck.

Dan Cole is in it for revenge.

All will collide as they face the tidal fury of _The Malice Below_!

NOW AVAILABLE in _The Horror_ along with THREE other brain-ripping books!


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