It’s late October and the moon hangs in the night sky. Francis, a 26-year-old man with a slim build and clean-shaven face, is driving his car along wet countryside roads in the middle of nowhere. He sighs in frustration as he peers at his surroundings, recognising nothing.In the empty passenger […]
”They are down there in the water. I saw several glimpses of bright yellow popping up from and then retreating down below the surface, only to pop up again in a rhythmic fashion. Like a dance routine. Brightly yellow and deadly. Are they mocking us? The rotting, sweet stench of
The bright yellow terror Read More »
My eight-year-old daughter’s screams pierce the quiet night as I check the time on my watch; it reads 10:12 pm. Anxious, I make my way to her bedroom and push the door open, flicking on the light switch. There she is, sitting up in bed, tears streaming down her face.
Mr. Chickenhead Man Read More »
It was an hour before Edgar’s alarm was set to go off when a series of rapid thumps on the roof jolted him awake. He shot up from the small, hard bed, eyes shooting around the old trailer home as the bombardment continued, like the contents of a butcher’s shop
Are You Ready to Board? Read More »
“Romeo 3 this is Base Camp, how copy, over.” “Copy, Base Camp, we read you.” “ISR has registered no signatures within a twelve mile radius. You’re clear to advance to the cave entrance, over.” “Roger, Base Camp, we’re moving now. What’s the status of the other teams?” “They’re flanking your
“I still have nightmares about my mother,” I told my friend Zack on a frigid October night in downtown Mystic. “She’s running through the Darién jungle from a man dressed head to toe in camouflage. His face is shadowy and deformed. I can’t see my mother’s face, but I can
It was supposed to be a nice break from the real world. A getaway to my cabin in the mountains for a few days to collect myself after the awful past few months. I bought my property from some old miners who had run the mountain dry. The cabin they
Something got out of the cave near my cabin Read More »
I never believed in ghosts. Nothing could stay hidden for that long. And I mean, how could one not have been recorded by now? By someone credible? Or on better recording equipment than a cellphone from 2010? So, Loser’s Leap didn’t creep me out. Even though everyone claimed it was
The night air was cool as a California breeze, the beats and laughter of my family inside celebrating my big day as I sat with my father on our back porch. It was the evening of my high school graduation, and he had finally let his guard down, a drink
I was jealous, extremely jealous, and to make this dirty, rotten feeling even more vile the person whom I was jealous of was my very own little brother. More specifically I was jealous of his relationship, his life. He was going to be a husband and not just any normal,
When Jade was only twelve-years-old, her father came home one afternoon with his arms and legs covered in claw marks. Jade felt confused and excited about his appearance. While she didn’t like seeing her dad hurt, she wondered if he finally bought her the cat or dog she wanted. He
Buried in Hanging Hills Read More »
Three years ago, a serial killer terrified my small hometown. He was referred to as the Chase Pond slasher. He was called that because he murdered four people near a pond with that name. Three bodies were found in the forest, and the other was in the pond itself. The
A MAN’S HOME is his castle. That’s what they say. Do you know what a castle is? A fortress that’s supposed to be impenetrable. It’s my job to penetrate them. Yeah, I’m a burglar. I challenge you to judge me on that fact alone. How many of you have ever
My best friends Darius and Jordan learned about my fear of swimming during an impromptu tubing trip on the Farmington River. The summer after I turned twenty-six, Darius and Jordan took me to Foxborough Park, a park that ran alongside the river. Foxborough Park had recently undergone improvements as a
Sanity is the ancient lie, it’s a lie old as consciousness. Sanity is our imagined common denominator, that nonexistent place we are said to converge. Insanity is as real as anything else. Consider what goes on in the privacy of your mind. How often does reality cease to measure up?
The Thinning House Read More »
As I write this, I’m sobering up from the bender to end all benders. It would be safe to say that I’ve finally hit rock bottom. For so many years I’ve attempted to drown my sorrows with alcohol, drugs and one-night stands, but finally I’ve realised that I can’t escape
I grew up in a small town with a bizarre annual ritual Read More »
It was never a dull moment’s drive. Scotland was, by definition, a beautiful country of inspiring scenery, majesty, and relentless weather. Evie’s old hatchback had taken a beating from the rain and protruding tree branches that flicked across the windshield on this dark and stormy night in late December 1996.
The James Currie Film Read More »
Rollercoasters. I hated them. I always did. When it came to school trips to the local theme parks, I always sat them out. I could enjoy the lazy rapids or the log flumes, the tilt-a-whirls or the space wheels; anything with a bit of height to feel the light breeze
It appeared just after sunset, as darkness began to permeate the woods around my family’s hunting cabin. I wouldn’t have seen it in time if it weren’t for the silver beams emanating from the full moon, which streamed into the clearing around the cabin and bathed the ground in their
Beneath the Veil of Shadow Read More »
It was a dark, foggy night, as it really should be whenever something eerie happens. I was walking from my dad’s house over to my mom’s. I’d had a fight with my dad about something, the topic of which I’ve since forgotten, and realized at 17 years old that I
The Grim (Black Shuck) Read More »
One call. Years of service with the police and there was one call that I’ll never forget. The shift started like any other. Nine PM start and I was in for the long run. It was a cold, Monday night so I expected a relatively quiet shift. After the evening
I work the night shift at a local mom-and-pop convenience store at the front of my neighborhood. We sell snacks, drinks, milk, bread, all the normal stuff that people need but aren’t willing to make a traditional run to the grocery store for. There was talk about adding a gas
I crawl. Thirsty. Bitter. So bitter, but I must eat them. The things that grow. They came here in a recent time. The growths are bright. They have a neck, and there is a ball on top of that neck, and one two three four five six seven round fans
We Dream of the Quiet Dark Read More »
With every passing minute, 10-year-old Elijah stares at the clock, knowing that bedtime is right around the corner. Ever since a thunderstorm knocked out the power a few nights ago, his fear of the dark has been keeping him up at night. Reluctantly, he turns on a large reading lamp
Goodnight, Sleep Tight Read More »
