A man washed ashore last week. He looked as though he had not eaten in weeks and was barely clinging to life. I, along with much of the town, was elated when we discovered it was Will Harper who had washed ashore, and that he would make a full recovery. …
When I was a little boy, something happened to me that I would never forget. I was only six years old, I think. My behavior was typical for a child of that age. I liked to run, scream, play, and get into all kinds of trouble. I remember one particular …
“The sea absolves all things, so too does the passage of time. The sea allows us to understand time and see it as the Gods do. Forever swirling, twisting and flowing above a bed of darkness”. The old man’s voice tremored slightly as he spoke those last words. ..a bed …
It was almost Halloween. Leafless tree branches swayed in the crisp breeze. The grey overcast sky hinted at yet another day of rain. Yellow-grey cornstalks flitted past and dead leaves scattered as the big, brown Buick carried us down the empty country road. I looked forward to seeing Granny, even …
I threw a rock down the well. It clattered against the walls as it bounced from one side to another. I waited, straining both ears. No indication that it had reached the bottom. “Hello?” I whispered tentatively in a low shaky voice as I peered down into the darkness, my …
Have you ever heard the legend of Abhartach, the Irish vampire? Probably not. But no doubt you will be familiar with Bram Stoker and his seminal work ‘Dracula’, first published in 1897 and adapted so many times since in literature, radio, TV and film. Stoker’s famous tale was of course …
An ancient terror is stalking the Irish countryside Read More »
“Are we ever gonna get there,” Sarah whined from the back seat. “We still have a ways to go, Punkin,” my wife replied. I could tell she was as tired of being in the car as the kids were. Jeremy was still passed out in the backseat next to his …
Brown husks of acorns crunched underfoot. Leaves glided down from the canopy overhead – walnut browns and russet reds and soft lemon yellows. They looped and twirled in a gaudy death dance, determined to party out their last days before they rotted and returned to the earth. The downward gradient …
It’s been 13 years. 13 years since they found me. I want to run, but I can’t. They won’t let me leave. NO ONE leaves. This place traps us here, keeps us in this god-forsaken town. If you drive out far enough, you can find the edge of town, where …
It was around lunchtime when Noah and I arrived at the base of the hiking trail. He practically ejected himself from the car the moment we were no longer in motion. His enthusiasm was infectious. I retrieved our backpacks from the seat behind me and stepped outside as well. Noah …
Don’t go to Wilhelm Bridge. There are wolves out here. Read More »
November 11, 1918 9:00 am The war was coming to an end and Heinrich knew it. The Yankees had gotten involved and the once great German Empire was surrounded on all sides; prime for invasion. The Russians had been defeated, but German forces couldn’t continue without food or supplies that …
The glow of the setting sun entrenched the peaceful Italian countryside in a blazing red haze. The small rural highway was surrounded by rich forests currently going through the enchanting transformation of autumn. The picturesque landscape was unfortunately lost on the highways sole traveler Chiara Gallo. She sat behind the …
Many people ask me why I would ever choose the field of grave digging as my chosen career. Why choose such a depressing and creepy job when I could be almost anything else? Well to be honest I never understood the aversion to it. Death is something we all face …
Langurst is a small place, quaint and quiet. A seaside village which I’d never seen the outside of. The comforting sound of the salt waves breaking against rock was seldom disturbed by the modern hardships one might find inland, Langurst was a bit behind the times you could say, traditional …
Confessions Of A Fisherman In A Town Called Langurst Read More »
Dear James, I’m sure that this letter comes as something of a surprise. We haven’t spoken in, what, three years? Maybe four? It’s been quite a while, and we didn’t exactly part on the best terms. That’s a gross understatement, obviously. We both made fools out of ourselves that day. …
Roger Hemlock scowled at the bustling of servants going about their chores in preparation for the wedding to be held later in the day. In his mind, the mere thought of what he considered peasants inside his manor home and partaking of his bounty soured his stomach and mood. All …
I had recently moved to the Yorkshire Dales with my rescue dog, Splash, so-named for his love of puddles, and this summer past we had ambled through the woodland on long walks on a weekend. He would always dart ahead, rustling through the leaf litter for insects or fallen branches, …
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 My name is Todd Marston, I’m a collector of sorts, collecting old bullet casings from each country I visit and showcase them in my museum. I found some strange trinkets over the years but that was nothing compared to what I found in the Czech Republic. …
If like me you identify as an introvert and consider yourself as something of a misanthropist, you’ve probably dreamt at one point or another of escaping to a deserted island somewhere and living in peace and solitude, free from the stresses of the modern world. The fantasy of running off …
‘I am an Irish Ghost Hunter. My last investigation almost cost me everything.’ Read More »
I have never enjoyed alcohol mind you, I never had the tongue for it. I don’t drink it for the taste, nor the feeling it gives some men. I’ve found that alcohol numbs my urges, dulls my senses. It continues to make me feel somewhat human. I try my best …
“I’ll see you at Kevin’s.” Those were words that used to be followed by a wide grin at school or a gleeful affirmative over the phone. There were either old memories to rediscover or new adventures to be had. The four of them had spent so many days exploring the …
Everybody loves the woods, until they follow you home. When my father came back from the military, we bought our first house—a boxy, two-story affair on the woodsy outskirts part of town. I was twelve, going on thirteen then. Our neighborhood was a little off the beaten path, nestled somewhere …
Beware the Waters, says the sign that blocks the dirt road. The road, winding down to a lake, overgrown and under-kept, lay abandoned for many years. Hollowed lake houses stand withered, their owners vanishing from reality. Nobody can say the exact reason why, but everybody knows to steer clear of …
“What a frickin’ mess this is.” Detective Mike Barrow stood atop a muddy ridge on a humid Monday morning, looking down at a small crew of police personnel in a heavily wooded ravine. In the middle of the action was a dead body that had apparently washed up onto the …
