The Jersey Devil (29 page)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

H
UNTER
S
HEA
is the author of the novels
The Montauk Monster, Tortures of the Damned, Hell Hole,
and many others. His stories have appeared in numerous magazines, including
Dark Moon Digest, Morpheus Tales,
and the Cemetery Dance anthology,
Shocklines: Fresh Voices in Terror
. His obsession with all things horrific has led him to real life-exploration of the paranormal, interviews with exorcists, and other things that would keep most people awake at night. He lives in New York with his family and vindictive cat. He waits with biblical patience for the Mets to win a World Series. You can read about his latest travails and communicate with him at
www.huntershea.com
.

 

 

 

On a hot summer night in Montauk, the bodies of two local bar patrons are discovered in the dunes, torn to shreds, their identities unrecognizable . . .

 

In another part of town, a woman's backyard is invaded by four terrifying creatures that defy any kind of description. What's clear is that they're hostile—and they're ravenous . . .

 

With every sunset the terror rises again, infecting residents with a virus no one can cure. The CDC can't help them; FEMA can't save them. But each savage attack brings Suffolk County Police Officer Gray Dalton one step closer to the shocking source of these unholy creations. Hidden on nearby Plum Island, a U.S. research facility has been running top-secret experiments. What they created was never meant to see the light of day. Now a vacation paradise is going straight to hell.

 

 

 

First, the electricity goes—plunging the East Coast in darkness after a devastating nuclear attack. Millions panic. Millions die. They are the lucky ones.

 

Next, the chemical weapons take effect—killing or contaminating everything alive. Except a handful of survivors in a bomb shelter. They are the damned.

 

Then, the real nightmare begins.

Hordes of rats force two terrified families out of their shelter—and into the savage streets of an apocalytic wasteland. They are not alone.

Vicious, chemical-crazed animals hunt in packs. Roaming gangs of the sick and dying are barely recognizable as human. These are the times that try men's souls. These are the tortures that tear families apart. This is hell on earth. The rules are simple: