There’s no shortage of scary shenanigans happening in “Creed,” a YA horror novel by Lindsay Currie and Trisha Leaver that will release early next month. It starts with the classic horror trope of a teen road trip gone wrong, then takes a sharp left turn into a community full of maniacal zealots, led by a deranged preacher who’s one of the most terrifying characters ever to grace a page. We’d rather take a year-long gig teaching botany to the “Children of the Corn” than take a gas-and-bathroom break on a sunny day in Purity Springs.
What makes “Creed” so terrifying? For one, its monsters are human.
“Not that we don’t love a good fanged monster, or a creepy ghost story, but we believe the darkness that surrounds us every day is far more terrifying than any paranormal creature Hollywood could dream up,” Currie and Leaver told MTV News via email. “It’s the evil that lingers within a chosen few, their dark paths and tortured existence, that we try to capture. What can we say . . . we like to explore the darker side of humanity.”
And when it comes to their debut novel, things get awfully dark, awfully fast.
“Here’s fair warning,” the authors wrote. “The ending of ‘Creed’ is unsettling, disturbing, and all too real. These towns really do exist. Side note – always keep a tire iron in your trunk.”
The creepy kid from “Children of the Corn” approves this message.
Are you ready for a scary sneak peek from one of the most chilling scenes from “Creed”? Here’s what the authors want you to know about what you’re about to read:
“When their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, Dee, her boyfriend Luke, and Luke’s brother, Mike, are forced to seek help in the nearby town of Purity Springs. But as they walk the vacant streets, the teens make some disturbing discoveries. The seemingly deserted homes each contain a sinister book with violent instructions on disciplining children. The graveyard is full of unmarked crosses. Worst of all, there’s no way to contact the outside world.
“When Purity Springs’ inhabitants suddenly appear, Dee, Luke, and Mike find themselves at the mercy of Elijah Hawkins, the charismatic leader who has his own plans for the three of them. Their only hope for survival is Elijah’s enigmatic son, Joseph. And his game may be just as deadly as his father’s. This scene takes place in what we have lovingly coined “the sin shack”. It is a place of reflection…a remote shed where children are sent to seek penance and to realign their minds with the teachings of the town’s maniacal leader.”
Spooky! Read on for an exclusive excerpt from “Creed.”
Joseph straightened up and moved over to where Luke was sitting. “Hold the lantern up again, toward the wall.”
I followed the light’s path. Hundreds of jagged scratches marred the walls, as if a wild animal had been turned loose in this tiny, confined space. I traced one with my index finger, drawing back suddenly as a sharp splinter of wood jabbed me.
“My father has a theory,” Joseph started. “Before you can rebuild a man in God’s image, you must break him down, strip him of his earthly sins so the blood of his soul can run pure. No one ever gets out until they’re broken and reborn. It could take days, but without food or water, nobody lasts long.”
He paused for a minute, his eyes glossing over. I didn’t want to know where he’d gone or what memory he was reliving. With a visible shake, he brought himself back and continued. “There’s no sound, no food, nothing to distract you. Only the image of yourself staring back at you. Eventually, you give in and tell him whatever he wants to hear, become whoever he wants you to be, just to get out.”
Joseph took the lantern from Luke’s hand and lowered it back to the floor. “Nobody ever comes here willingly. Trust me, this is the last place he’d think to look for us.”
I turned my attention back to the ragged scratches, my mind filling with images of tiny kids screaming as they tried to get out. “Those marks are from people, aren’t they? Like someone trying to claw their way out?”
Joseph wrung his hands tightly in front of him. “I’ve spent six full days in here, heard nothing but the irrigation motor, saw nothing my own reflection. Trust me, I came out saying whatever, doing whatever, and believing whatever I was told to.”
“Creed” hits shelves November 8.
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