Few genres do as good a job of engaging their readers as the horror genre does. The fear and anxiety it induces can, oddly enough, have a very alluring effect. We’re simply drawn to what is scary. This is the same reason why we like rollercoasters this much. So, how […]
Tips for Writing More Engaging Horror Stories Read More »
Ryan slammed his back against the wall and slowly slid down, sitting on the bathroom floor. The iron-like smell of blood filled his nostrils and partially repulsed him. He closed his eyes to take in the moment – the moment after his crime. He felt the water seeping into the
Recently I perused a lengthy document that provoked much thought in me, as much about its author and context as about its actual substance, and as I no longer have access to it, the following will be an attempt to summarize its contents. First, though, a preamble: I am a
Namenlos and the Philosophy of Dreams Read More »
Nick’s cigarette lit up. He had to shield it from the rain twirling around us. The orange tip was spitting and sputtering from the fierce wind. He still wouldn’t let me smoke when we went camping. The cigarette illuminated his hollow cheeks, the once proud skin fading with age to
The King in the Forest Read More »
My parents took care of everything: my plane ride, luggage, tuition enrollment, and accommodations with Uncle Garry. I couldn’t wait. Since I was five, I’ve wanted to become a farmer; what better way to learn than on a farm? Connecting with nature and giving back to the world has always
It was after midnight and a lone taxi was driving down the dark country roads. In the absence of street lights, the road looked eerily empty as he drove on through the thick billowing fog. The pine trees that lined both sides of the road seemed tall and menacing in
It began with the disappearance of Edwin Huntington, a pimply, bookish boy, whose only notable feature, if gossip held true, was his last name. He was sixteen years old and until that day showed no promise in any ventures, commercial or academic, even despite the plentiful assistance from his own
The Ladies of the Mist Read More »
I found a tree in my backyard. I know that sounds silly. Like, how exactly does one “find” a tree in their backyard? How wouldn’t they know it was there? It does sound strange, but I promise you that’s exactly what happened. Little did I know at the time, the
I Found a Tree in my Backyard Read More »
When a heart fell out of the medicine cabinet, Carrie Pickett screamed. Not two seconds ago, she’d wandered in, relieved herself, and opened the swing-door for her sleeping pills. Out it rolled, rebounding off the sink and against the floor with a sickening plop! The sudden movement startled her, and
The Heart and the Cabinet Read More »
It had been the journey from Hell. Six hours squashed together in the stickily claustrophobic confines of the station wagon, the rain beating an incessant tattoo on the vehicle. A new job, a fresh start, a new beginning – it had been meant to be all of that and more.
The Harvester Of Eyes Read More »
I don’t believe in Karma, never have. How many times has a good person been unfairly condemned or contrarily a bad person got exactly what they wanted? A big house, a wife, and countless luxuries all of it earned in the worst ways possible. You can’t really blame someone especially
I don’t believe in Karma Read More »
Deep in the state of sleep, I arose from my bed without any hesitation. With no reason whatsoever, I was covered in a cold sweat that felt that it would forever stick to my pale skin. It was as if I was in the lightest sleep because of the way
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
It started about a week after the first snowstorm of the winter season. I go to a private university in the Midwest. I won’t name the school or the state for obvious reasons, mainly because I don’t want to get in any sort of trouble, though, knowing what I know
My school thought it was a serial killer. They were wrong Read More »
My name is Peter “Squid” Billy. Odd name, I’ll give you that. Even odder is that a grown man north of 40 goes by a nickname. I prefer it, honestly. I not only make my friends and family call me Squid, I also instruct my one hundred or so colleagues
Peter “Squid” Billy Read More »
My alarm clock awakens me at 6 a.m. as it does every morning. I sit up with a yawn and take inventory of myself and my surroundings — as I do every morning. The bunker where I spend my life is cement-floored with cinder block walls a bleak gray color.
Read part one here Hello friends and fellow seekers of truth. I’m pleased to report that I am still alive and at large, for the time being at least. For those of you who haven’t read my initial account, I suggest you catch up here before reading any further. To
I’ve travelled to parallel universes. The worlds I’ve seen are terrifying – Part 2 Read More »
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 »
Over by Snap-Neck Swamp there are trees of a very particular type. They are tall and gangly, with slender boughs that sway this way and that and very few leaves to grace the tips of their branches. Their dispositions are quite wretched, and though one may gaze upon them for
It began as a lark, really. I woke up one morning from a dream about the apocalypse. No, not a wild west apocalypse. Exactly how the world was ending wasn’t clear, I just knew that it was, and so I enrolled in the autoshop class at my local tech education
I Made a Computer Program To Predict the Apocalypse; It’s Not What You Think. Read More »
In the world, there are locations that some may consider “strange”. Of course, there are typically haunted houses and old burial grounds that may or may not actually be supernatural, but none could truly comprehend the happenings of the Dillerson Farm. The Dillerson Farm was a place that even the
What Happens at Dillerson Farm 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 »
Some of you may have read “The Lottery” at one point or another, whether it was of your own pleasure or rather a part of your schools curriculum. We don’t read The Lottery here in Edwardsville, we live it. Maybe I could give you a bit of backstory, though I
The Edwardsville Lottery Read More »
Hey, hey! Welcome back; come on in! The rain is pouring, and the fire is roaring; soon as we saw those storm clouds, we doubled the wood supply. It can do this all week, I’m just glad the snow is gone. … … You bet, friend – we’ve been watching
The Last Settlement Read More »
