Novel Insights Guide To

Edge Of Eternity

by Randy Alcorn

Guide - $15.95 Guide On CD - $12.95

Jump to Chapter 1 & 2 Review

Chapters 01 - 02

In the midst of a storm, Nick Seagrave is pursued by a relentless stalker as he attempts to sort through the fog shrouding the reason in his mind. He senses a threat from a Cyclops that continues to push towards him. His mind fails him after driving to his mountain cabin. Now he is struggling through wind and rain until his knees are weak and the ground has spun into the sky. He cries out to God, then catches himself; it might as well have been the Tooth Fairy. A giant winged predator appears, terrorizing him, circling as if to kill him. In the cold shark eyes of the monster he senses an intelligence greater than his own. The monster disappears, and Nick searches frantically for shelter. He falls into the mud, and the claws of the creature rip through his neck. The beast picks him up, then drops him into the mud. Fighting through the storm, Nick is pursued by the winged beast until it is frightened away by the roar of another beast. Nick crawls along the ground, finding a recess to crawl into, reminding himself he is a realist; there are no flying dinosaurs living. He closes his eyes, willing himself to awaken to discover this is all a dream. Opening his eyes, he discovers he is actually inside a cave. Checking his pocket for the box of matches he brought from the cabin, he discovers he has only four. He strikes one and finds a boot print that is not his own. The match is blown out. He strikes a second one, but the boot print is gone. He curls up against the cave wall to sleep. When he awakens, he makes another attempt to get a grasp on reality. What has happened to him? He still can only remember changing from his suit and driving to the mountains. Everything else is gone. He lights the third match and examines himself. The collar of his shirt is soaked in blood, and his boots are caked in mud. He remembers with regret the last time he wore his boots. He had gone hiking with Amy and Brian, his son and daughter, and the anger of their exchanges was more than he wanted to remember. Peering through the cave opening, he notices the clouds have parted, and he can see two moons. How can he possibly be in another world? Nick thinks back over his life; his rise to the top professionally while he lost his wife and two children. He feels the emptiness in his soul that cannot be filled by success. He has lost everything that mattered to him. He sees the face of his five-year-old daughter Lee Ann, whose death seven years earlier left him devastated. His father's death followed Lee Ann's by six months, then his mother's death three years ago from cancer had left him spiraling downward in his grief. He feels he would be better off dead, but refuses to give in to death. He should be given a second chance, but whom should he ask for such a chance? He had come to the conclusion that God was irrelevant. Nick sees three lines written on the wall of the cave in English: Forward; Red Road Home; Be Careful Who You Trust. There are other inscriptions, some in languages he recognizes, and some in an alien language that is not human at all. Below it all are inscriptions that are coarse and crude. These writings send a chill down his spine, and give him the distinct fear he does not want the one who wrote those things to come back here and find him. He finds an old, dusty backpack with an ancient blanket, and a black water bottle in it. Taking the backpack with him, he emerges from the cave into the brilliance cast by a huge red sun.

Scanning the sky, he sees no sign of the beast that attacked him the previous night, but there is no doubt he is not on earth. The sun is three times larger than that of earth's. Seeing he is near the base of a volcanic mountain, he hopes it is not an active volcano. Following the dirt road that leads from the cave, he notices it does have a distinctively red color. The road seems to travel in a westerly direction. After traveling for about an hour, he discovers a dark blue fruit about the size of an orange, but shaped like a lemon. After tentatively trying the juice, he finds it satisfying and savory. He has soon eaten four of the fruits, and has stuffed his backpack full of a half dozen more. He is suddenly seized by a fit of euphoria, followed by desperate fear. The two alternate until Nick finds himself crying on the ground in despair. He is terrified - believing he must be going crazy. Stoically, he pulls himself together and gets back onto the road. He sees there is a river running along beside the road, and there is a strange shadow that falls across the land, although he cannot discern its source. Walking on the red road seems to give him a vitality he has not known in years, and he is enjoying it until he notices a small group of people around a fire. A tall, handsome man in a green toga approaches Nick, extending his hand and introducing himself as Joshua. Joshua asks if he has had a rough journey, and Nick replies he has had a fall. He draws Nick into their group, introducing him and inviting him to join them. Nick tells them he would rather go alone. Joshua informs him that Skia is beautiful, but not always safe. Nick wonders what he means by that. Joshua gives him some freshly baked bread to take with him as he goes. Three hours later, Nick is regretting his decision to walk alone. The loneliness is becoming unbearable, and he considers turning around to return to Joshua and his group. The further he walks, the closer the trees grow on the road, pushing him in to the middle; poking and jostling him as he walks. Soon he sees eyes, and feels the trees grabbing him. He is becoming terrified, but feels ridiculous. Finally emerging into the sunshine, he feels relief. Looking back at the trees, he knows he was right - there was something evil and sinister in there. Several hours later he comes upon another group of travelers. There are seven - two young women, one fiftyish woman; two young men; one middle aged man and one old man. One of the young women greets him in a language he does not understand. One of the young men introduces himself as Mason and offers to get Nick a change of clothes. As Mason introduces him to the travelers, Nick immediately is drawn to David, who he sees as a natural leader. When he is introduced to Shadrach, the old man, he discounts him as one who is a doddering, senile old fool. When Shad asks, "What shall we call you, child of clay?" Nick is sure he must have made a mistake. He responds his father's name was Will. Shad replies that all were made of dust mixed with the water of life, formed like clay in the Potter's hands. After Nick gives them his name, and Shad has resumed his trek down the road, Nick wishes he had accepted Joshua's invitation.