“He is approaching,” I said. “Should I stay or leave?”“Stay, Bridgett, I’m frightened as never before,” Hope answered. “But say nothing, lest you become involved as well.” We drew away from the small, frosted windows of our cottage and awaited Jonathan Harding’s knock.When I first heard the vile rumors concerning […]
Shall Not Suffer a Witch to Live Read More »
It was in the late 80’s, a few years before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. I lived in Moscow where I studied Archaeology. I had a roommate from Tbilisi in Georgia (the country – which refers to itself as Kartvelia – , not the US State). Every couple weeks
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had a number of well-intentioned people in my general orbit comment that they’ve noticed a large uptick in the amount of alcohol that I’ve been consuming. That’s a fancy way of saying that I’ve been drinking myself into a stupor every night. Now,
Part 1 Part 2 “The process of delving into the black abyss is to me the keenest form of fascination.”H.P. Lovecraft * * * * * * * * Why shall I die in seven days’ time? I killed a man out of mercy, but justice, being its opposite, has
The Eternal Stranger Read More »
A rattled knob echoed throughout the lifeless space. It traveled across a family-less living room, bounced around the cabinets of a foodless kitchen, and wandered down a dark hallway to a sleepless bedroom. It rattled again, a stubborn old key and an even older lock. Then finally the teeth finally
Part 1 “We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity,and it was not meant that we should voyage far.” —H.P. Lovecraft Why did I slay one Abraham Andrew Allerton, Doctor of Psychiatry? It wasn’t a case of an eye for an eye
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Schalach cast the seed in smooth arcs across the lightly tilled fields as he walked at a steady, measured pace. At every fifth step, he dipped the smooth, well-worn cup into the pouch slung across his shoulder. This was his family’s job for the village, and he was the only
There is an antique shop somewhere in the heart of Quiapo, known only to a few, and appears only to those with a desperate need for something. It is said that inside, you’ll find things that will grant your desires – if you’re willing to take the risk. The shop
Quiapo’s Shop of Horrors Read More »
I had been friends on Facebook with a girl for many years. We hardly talked but it was always fun to see her content. Her posts would center around her trips to the beach, which was a weekend ritual. I won’t lie, she was pretty—no, wait, beautiful. Okay, I was
My Strange Ability Read More »
THE FIRST DIRECTIVE Obey and serve only the One Mind.– Manual of Directives and Subdirectives At ten your head is shaved. At twenty you are assigned your new designation and role. You’re no longer a child. At thirty you’re evaluated for Marital and Parental Fitness. If you pass, you do
The hammering from upstairs shook the walls of his bedroom. James Ricco leapt from his bed, the thought of earthquakes at the back of his mind. He glanced at his window and the sunlight streaming through. It was a spring day on Staten Island that suggested planting perennials and backyard
The Unusual Companion Read More »
Claire stood by the door, the room barely lit by a few tall candles, waiting simply for the door to open once more. Staring out the aged cylinder glass window she wished she could be part of the preparations deeper in the ancient house, but there was a hierarchy here
I remember the day, not too long ago, that I stood in front of my brand new home. After the year-long headache of the over-budget and over-delayed build process, I finally held the keys to the castle of my 11.4-acre Kingdom. The exhaust note from the contractor’s truck finally faded,
New Houses can be Haunted Too, Here’s My Story Read More »
My wife had always been a sound sleeper. She never snored, talked in her sleep, nor was she particularly restless. Oftentimes, she’d wake up in the same position she passed out in with barely a wrinkle in the sheets around her. When the singing in the middle of the night
Hello there, my name is Katie; I found this community because I have a story to tell, and I think it’s one you will appreciate. I’m forty, and I have lived in a small town near New Orleans for my entire life. I’m very well known and respected in the
Money talks. Always has. That’s what brought me to the Syndicate after all. I was fresh off the force, facing eviction, just sort of wandering without direction. I had applied to any job I figured a guy like me could get my hands on. Security guard for a bank, bodyguard
The Alpha Syndicate: The Shifting Sands Read More »
“There is nothing in the thetan, past or future.” – George M. Witek, “Lucifer’s Bridge” FIRST comes the coronation. Off comes my hair. The Crown will come later. Second, the washing and shaving of my body. Third, the bleaching of my skin. This takes a long time and it hurts
“Is this quest enough to sustain you? Is this accumulation of curses really worthwhile? Has everything progressed perfectly, with no loss or sorrow?” Not so, for me. – Creepypasta, “The Holder of Remorse” I’M ALMOST THERE. I’m so close I could taste it. I hold 518 of 538 Objects. Every
Have you ever been driving down a familiar road and notice a landmark that stands out to you? In the city you know where you are by the intersection or by your favorite stores and coffee shops. However things are a little different on country roads. When driving down an
WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME, everything changed. Small towns rebuilt themselves into boisterous cities overnight. Weary farmers and their wives glowed with renewed vigor. Life was transformed from a series of dull scenes into the greatest show on earth. George, Hal, Peter, and Ronnie came to watch it on April 29,
Bread and Circuses Read More »
It may be hard to believe, but before I became the bloated old drunk you’d see camping outside your local liquor store, I used to be quite the stud back in my prime. I was young, athletic; had a full set of long sandy hair and a jawline so sharp
I joined a hedonistic cult in the 80’s. It’s time to pay my membership fee. Read More »
Her name was Roweinna Sinclair, a strange woman whose pale and freckled face always suggested a mixture of secrecy and suspicions. If I were to be honest with myself, she was rather pretty had she attempted to tame her wild mane of fiery red hair which always looked as if
The Red Lady of Wyrhmhill Read More »
I am wondering if anyone has ever shared this same experience, or anomaly – I’m not sure exactly what to call it. I’ve had it happen twice in my life so far. The way it just literally crops up out of absolutely nowhere, with only a last second warning, I
I performed my heart out on stage, but I don’t think it was enough. It was like moving through tar, with every action every word being forced out of my body like how I was being forced to act on this stage of suspense. Their eyes seem to pierce my
The Show at the Barn Theater Read More »
