title: Scorpions and Venomous Insects of the Southwest
author: Erik D. Stoops
description: <span>Erik Daniel Shein was born Erik Daniel Stoops, November 18th 1966 in Cleveland Ohio He is an American writer, Visionary, philanthropist, Pet enthusiast and animal health advocate . He is the author and co authored over 30 nonfiction and fiction books which include Thunder, an Elephants Journey and Aurora spirit bear of the north</span>
zlib_text: _**Trial By Fire**_
  
   _ **Harold Coyle**_
  
   _ *****_
  
  PROLOGUE:
  
  On the Texas-Mexico border.
  
  27 June.
  
  In the gathering darkness, the predators of the night began to stir. From
  burrows, holes and crevices, the creatures of the desert crawled, slithered,
  or scurried from their habitats into the cool of the late afternoon. For the
  next several hours they would seek, strike, and consume those things that
  would allow them to survive another day in their harsh environment.
  
  It was a cruel existence that demanded something die so that something live.
  There was no grand plan or reason for such things. Nor was there compassion,
  feeling, or regrets. Only survival.
  
  From one of thousands of holes dotting the barren desert floor, a scorpion
  sallied forth. Like a missile being released from its launch tube, the
  scorpion moved forward mechanically, purposefully, unstoppably.
  
  As it cleared the narrow confines of its hole, the scorpion prepared to kill.
  
  Once it was free to do so, even before its h