Where Silent Prayers Lay Dead

by Daniel Elijah Sanderfer

Editions:Kindle: $ 2.99

Pages: 54

On Wallins Creek Road stands an abandoned church, untouched for more than a century. Its stone archway is split by a strange, quiet miracle—flowers blooming bright on one side, withered and lifeless on the other. Matthias, born with only the right side of his heart functioning, arrives there after receiving news that shatters the fragile balance of his world. With nowhere else to go, he runs—seeking refuge in the forgotten sanctuary and the stillness it offers.

By chance, he crosses paths with Obi, a gentle soul who drifts through life like a leaf carried by the wind. Within the church’s crumbling walls, the two forge a bond that feels strong enough to weather any storm… even the storm inside Matthias’ chest. Or so they believe. Join best-selling authors C.C. Black and Daniel Elijah Sanderfer for a tender story of unexpected connection, the beauty hidden in fleeting moments, and the courage it takes to live fully—even when time feels uncertain.

Published: January 19, 2026
Publisher: Independently Published
Genres:

Young Adult

Tags:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 1
Romantic Content: 4
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Protagonist 1 Age: 18-25
Protagonist 2 Age: 18-25
Tropes: Coming of Age, Coming Out / Closeted, First Time, Friends to Lovers
Word Count: 15,195
Setting: Jonesville, VA
Languages Available: English

Excerpt:

About the Author

Daniel Elijah Sanderfer is a retired Hospitality Manager who currently resides in Southern Indiana with his husband William. Originally from the Blue Ridge Mountain region of Virginia, he moved to Indiana to be closer to his then fiance. They have been married for two years and together for fifteen total years. He was always interested in writing even from a young age and was featured in a few poetry collections as a teen. When he is not writing he is caretaker, as his husband is disabled and requires full-time care. He enjoys going to antique stores and in the summer weekend long yard sales. He currently writes LGBT fiction with a positive direction as he feels too many love stories experience tragedy. He likes to highlight the stories that survived. The couples who fought to stay together and the families that do accept them.

Check This Out Too

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay, Non Binary, Pansexual, Polyamorous, Transgender (Click here to hide)

Summary: Kerry Graham surprises his father by coming out as a gay cross-dresser and non-binary. Then again, when he performs in drag at a local cabaret named The Red, where his cousin works as a tailor. Despite being treated as an outcast, he now feels liberated and accepted in a world where he can truly be himself. He’s among people that understand him, and he can finally relax. At least, that’s what he believes. Then, a dress arrives, seemingly an apology for a bit of bigotry from a shop clerk. No one thinks a dress will cause any harm, so he wears it under the stage lights. Things go awry, though, and Kerry wonders what could possibly be happening. A bounty hunter named Martin swoops in, convinced that he can be of aid in the situation. Along with Martin, there’s an intrepid FBI agent named Zak on the trail of a pair of sadistic serial killers who target and manipulate young, attractive, feminine men like Kerry. Kerry doesn’t believe it at first. Could these people be targeting him? Then, things happen, and his phone and email fill with messages of horrible images of what these people plan to do to him. He’s frightened but staunch about living his life. He is adamant that he won’t let them win, no matter what they do to him. Still, as the manipulation and gaslighting continue from afar, he starts to doubt everything he’s ever known. He loses his purchase on reality but finds that Martin and Zak ground him. He refuses to give in to their sadistic games, but in the end, he wonders if his willpower is enough to keep these people away from him.