“You think you can win on talent alone? You don’t have enough talent to win on talent alone.” – Kurt Russell, “Miracle” * * * “WHERE’S MY STORY?” “I don’t have it yet. Sorry. I’ll send it soon.” “Have you even started?” “Yeah. I’ll get right on it.” “You’d better.” […]
Talent, Right on Time Read More »
It didn’t look fun. It looked like quite the opposite. Standing in front of me was a large funhouse. Chipped and faded paint coloured it’s exterior. I had lost my friends in the endless stream of people walking around the Halloween festival. The smell of candy corn and other sweets
Reflection of The Senses Read More »
Ten people. Ten people in ten different places doing ten different things, but all sharing one single thought… “What if it really works?” You see, in our little town of Sawnhurst, California, there was an age old tradition tied to a myth so old that is origins were not remembered
I used to like to go exploring in the woods. Not anymore. My name is Jake Somersville. My mom and dad both have advanced degrees in agricultural sciences, whatever that means. They would survey land, crops, sometimes even the local wildlife. I wasn’t sure what exactly it was they did,
The Lake in the Woods Read More »
I think, looking back on it all, I had a very gothic upbringing. By age ten, I had attended two family funerals and no weddings, I felt that I ‘identified’ with the colour black, and I found graveyards to be an excellent place to relax. They remain one of the
Halloween is supposed to be a day of joy and happiness. However, Halloween in this small village, which I visited few weeks ago, has a different story. In October, I visited a tiny village located in Scotland. I was actually not interested in going there, but a thing brought me
The Horrors of Lavender Village Read More »
When I was younger, like many others, I loved to watch television. I know that’s not an experience unique to myself, but it was truly my favorite thing to do. Undoubtedly, my favorite channel in my younger years was Noggin. I would always be so excited to come home from
The Little Girl with the Pigtails Read More »
I’m sure many of you who were kids in the 2000’s like I was had and perhaps still have a certain fondness for stores like Party City, Spirit Halloween, iParty, Toys R’ Us, and other similar retailers. There was always a sense of excitement to having your parents take you
I Got Lost in a Retail Store When I Was 9 and Only Remembered What Happened Recently Read More »
HAVE YOU EVER bargained with a ghost? We’re going to. We’re not supposed to be here, but none of us could resist the chance to sneak into the Durgee House on Halloween. At 3 AM, no less. It helps that Alex’s father is the caretaker. All Alex had to do
Lives in the Balance Read More »
“Stephen, I noticed you haven’t put out any Halloween decorations this year,” said Eve, my nosy neighbor and head of our townhome association. I was in a rush and didn’t want to get into it with her. “Yes, I’m well aware, Eve. We’re working on it,” I replied, trying to
Halloween on Carpenter Drive Read More »
What’s your worst fear? Do you even know? If you said something like spiders or clowns— that’s kid stuff; take a second and try again… I don’t want to hear things like heights or small spaces, either; those are a little better, but I asked for your worst fear. We
My friends and I have always been pranksters. Our four-man group is comprised of Ricky, Danny, Taika, and myself. This story is about the consequences of our actions. Occasionally, we tend to go a little too far. A prank is a form of affection in our eyes. We never hold
Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes Read More »
With a flick of my wrist, I flipped the cigarette up and caught it in my mouth. It was a cheap trick that I had learned as a kid from watching Robert Mitchum or James Dean or one of those pseudo-badasses from film noir who always seemed to have a
The Cold-Ass Drawers Beneath the St. Flambe Rouge Spookshow Read More »
Stress lines, sunken eyes, walking corpse surrounded by flies buzzing around a quiet library where nothing can be heard, but the sound of clacking keyboards; he sits hunched over his work he will not do until there is no other choice. The buzzing can’t be heard by any but one,
As soon as my Master Octavius let me outside, I felt the breeze of the wind touch my whiskers. I cared for him, and the rest of his family as if they were my blood mother who I unfortunately never met, or at least I don’t remember her face. She
The sound of the doorbell echoed through my empty house like a banshee’s wail. It was Halloween night, and I was alone. Not by choice, but because it was my ex’s turn to take our kids, Lily and Ben, trick-or-treating. The custody agreement was part of the divorce proceedings. Though
The Unanswered Doorbell: A Halloween Nightmare Read More »
Is this quest enough to sustain you? Is this accumulation of curses really worthwhile? Has everything progressed perfectly, with no loss or sorrow?– Anonymous, “The Holder of Remorse”_________ Tuesday, 10/31/2312:00 PM October, a month of chill, darkness and rain, has burst out in full glory. Leaves crackle underfoot. Wind whips
Sesquicentennial, Part One Read More »
There are always plenty of strange rumors circulating in small towns across the world. The one I grew up in has everything from tales of lizard creatures beneath the woods, to a bizarre bridge that leads you somewhere else if you cross it on foot. Still, the one tall tale
Never Enter the Old Corn Maze on Halloween Read More »
Magic was in the air, you could breathe it in and let the sharpness fill your lungs, so intoxicating it would leave you breathless. You could taste it on the crisp air, feel it in the cool kiss of the autumn breeze, hear it in the faint murmur of the
It’s Halloween eve. The night is delightfully crisp, with a bright, low-lying moon. The thrill of anticipation can be felt in the air. The autumn leaves blow with a scritch-scratch along the pavement outside, accompanied by a moderate wind that chases them playfully into every corner and crevice, around trees,
October 31st… Some love it, some hate it. Uber Christians claim Halloween is a day full of devil worshiping and witchcraft. While on the other side of the eerily festooned fence, creepy and depraved individuals seem to use the day as an excuse to grow even more alarming. Then, somewhere
IT TAKES THE SADNESS OF LIFE TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF DEATHThis Story Is Dedicated To My Grandfather Elmer. Who Took His Own Life. Many wonder why some commit suicide. Perhaps this story will help explain the reason. His best friend had been dead for about a month. When the
The Beauty of Death Read More »
I usually have to do some explaining when someone finds out that my official title is Head of On-Site Security. Most people assume that the title means that I’m in charge of all of the security aspects of the amusement park I’m employed at. That isn’t actually the case. The
It was Halloween night, my parents had just left with my little brother to go to a party at the middle school. I didn’t go because I was in the 11th grade and just spent the day drowning from essays and tests, so I wasn’t in the mood to spend
Don’t Answer The Door At 9pm On Halloween Read More »
