“One may attain the Metaphysical’s wealth, All they have to trade is blood and good health.” This was the message written on the mineshaft’s sign. My brother and I read it out aloud, mocking its corny Dr. Seuss-esque warning. We dared each other to enter the tunnel, which eventually escalated […]
Everyone knows that kid in school, the one who spends half the school year at home because their immune system can’t handle the massive amount of germs and viruses that tend to accumulate in an elementary school. I was that kid. I found myself getting sick every other week. Something
About 5 years ago I went on a vacation to Wrangell–St. Elias National Park in Alaska. The cool, fresh air, beautiful scenery, and vast expanses of wilderness seemed ideal for my vacation from a tedious desk job back home. I’d saved up for years to finance the trip. I wanted
San Diego is a beautiful place, don’t you think? The sweet and salty aroma of the Pacific Ocean drifting on a cool breeze as the warmth of the sun caresses your skin is a luxurious experience you can only enjoy on the Californian coast. However, San Diego has its share
The Thing in the Fog Read More »
3 weeks ago, I moved into my new house in the Ramapo Mountain State Forest in New Jersey. I moved in with my friend Ben. Ben and I split the cost of the lease 50/50 and since we were long time friends it only seemed appropriate to move in together.
The Darkman’s Domain Read More »
Scotland is one of those places that seems to never really be simple, or summed up neatly into a couple of words. Sure, you can try, the tourists certainly do: tartan, booze and heavy accents; but I’ve lived here all my life, never worn tartan nor drunk (although I suppose
A quiet wood cabin sits alone in the dark wood trees of Ashen Park. The building itself is elevated in four trees of immense age. Deep scarlet splatters the frozen-over grass; for as long as the forest evades the warmth of human breath, it will remain winter. None with a
Geoff lived in London. He had always considered himself to be one of the most average people on the planet. He was of medium height, medium build, had no talents whatsoever and worked in ASDA. His life was normal to the point of boredom, and every day followed the same
A Touch of Heatstroke Read More »
“Oh, honey, don’t leave the window open at night,” my Grandma used to say to me, “you’ll let in the draft.” She was a tiny pudding of a woman, with pink lipstick and pink patches of scalp showing through her feathery hair. Toward the end there, she didn’t have many
I’m not sure when I started thinking of him again. It had been at least sixteen years. I had pretty much forgotten about him up till that point. I went about my life as a waitress and dishwasher for a small town diner. The only place to get food aside
It’s time for another entry into our Real-World Creepy series! This particular topic was sent to me by Sobellium69, who sent me the following message: Recently I have come to knowledge of what is known as the Zozo phenomenon. To start, I must tell of what the Ouija Board is.
Forgive the length of this message, this is the first and possibly the last time I’ll have access to a computer so I thought I’d better write this all down while I can and get it to those who should know. I’m leaving town; I don’t know where I’m
Part 1 At some point, everyone asks themselves how different their life would be if they had been given a second chance. It could come in any form you like. You could have been one number off of winning the lottery. Maybe you’re one of those people who wondered what
I’ve done my best to research this phenomenon, if it even is one, to no avail; there is not a single dream journal in print or through the Internet grape vine that can ease my unsettled heart. Two packs of cigarettes and a house to myself are all I have
Has anyone else seen it, or an I the only one? Read More »
You’re probably like me, skeptical of all things unexplained. Never in my life have I believed anything that doesn’t have a logical explanation, even if it means I have to string together the most tenuous logic just to make something reasonable. This is me. Why then, do I sit here
Many years ago, when I was a kid, I had a strange dream. I was just six years old. It’s not that big deal to have strange, crazily detailed and realistic dreams at this age, when the imaginative parts of the brain are pulling around with excitement. But that one
Toby Mills winced as he felt the soft ground give way under his foot. He had stepped in a cow pie, ruining his brand new Armani loafers. “Son of a…,” he said under his breath. Toby swiped at the shoe with his new handkerchief as he swayed and bounced on
I was a mailman. I got crates of mail twice a week on Monday and Thursday, and then I had to sort them and deliver it all on Tuesday and Friday respectively. All in all it was a pretty simple job and in general I found that it helped to
The Eyes of Twenty-Two Read More »
I have reached the top. I have become the molder of other people’s destinies. What began as a reluctant career I only embarked upon to please my father has ended with me becoming so glorious. I feel like I can do anything. No, I know that I can do anything.
The Art of Persuasion Read More »
I want to set down recent events in my life, because I’m afraid that this may be my last chance. To begin with, my name is Leon Cowles. I was born in Provo, Utah, although I have lived most of my life here, in Portland, Oregon. I’ve always been a
The Beast in the Woods Read More »
This is the story of one boy’s suffering. One boy’s suffering that was with him from the beginning, that gripped at him ever tighter until he could no longer escape it. One boy’s suffering that left him robbed of himself, forever changed by the events that overwhelmed him. That boy
“Relax, son. Close one eye and keep focused on your target,” my father spoke calmly from behind me. I tried to do as he said, letting my muscles relax. One eye closed, ending the double vision I had from having the rifle’s sight so close to my gaze. “That’s good,”
Hunting With My Father Read More »
My family was doing pretty well until about a decade ago. My dad developed a bit of a problem with the ponies, a problem that certain businessmen decided needed to be solved with his death. Without his job and with him having bet his life insurance away a long time
“Hell is other people.” –Jean Paul Sartre, No Exit Things had gone terribly wrong. I wasn’t one to ever really be concerned with history—I had failed it three times in college—but even I knew things had gone terribly wrong. If anyone survived any of this, it would be up to
