Written below is the last known statement of Benjamin Harper, a former parish priest serving the village of Barton, Cheshire. Mr Harper was relieved of his position by Bishop Gerald Ellison of the Chester diocese and taken here, to Byron House, a home for the mentally disturbed, shortly after suffering […]
The Dreams Beneath The Witch Tree Read More »
HOW FAR are you willing to go to reach the top? True to my usual form, I fucked around and found out. I’m Chad Martinez: fifteen years old, freshman, nickname “Toro.” It fits me to a T. Not only am I bullheaded, but I work hard and play harder, and
The smell of death was heavy in the air. As he entered the room, he realised that nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to witness. The hall in which he now stood had been decorated for a birthday party, as to whose exactly that remained unclear.
In Another Life, In Another Time Read More »
WHAT QUESTION in life scares you the most? For me, it’s a matter of identity. I know I’m Zach Cunningham, sixteen years old, 5’11”, 145 pounds. I live on a farm on the outskirts of a small town, and I’m a brother to five younger siblings. Beyond that, though? It’s
The mountain was tall and malformed. It jutted out of the earth as a singular monolith, unbothered and undisturbed in its growth from any other rock formations budding up against it and contorting its growth or shape. For millions of years, it was left as a black sheep in the
Read Part One here “Well, I am Death, none can excel! I’ll open the door to Heaven or Hell.” – Ralph Stanley, “O Death,” from “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” NOVEMBER is a month that shows us what comes after change. Gone are the colorful leaves and spooky celebrations of
The Clock Strikes Twelve Read More »
My name is Brother Arthro but I am told that I no longer need to use that name if I wish. I am to understand that my childhood has been anything but ordinary; however in this strange world of colored lights and deafening noise I no longer know what is
Children Of The Sacred Gate Read More »
“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
I proceeded to the rendezvous on foot, having asked my taxi driver to drop me off a couple of blocks away. This was not the wisest decision in retrospect, but I wanted to keep a low profile and avoid the attentions of both the cops and the gangs who lurked
Supernatural Vigilante Association – The Voodoo Priestess Read More »
The elderly man clutched the phone next to his ear, his face a mask of concern. “How long is he going to be there?” he asked, his voice low to avoid drawing attention from the patrons wandering into the nightclub. He listened, then said “How’s he holding up?” A pause,
“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 »
HELLO. My name is Max Regnier. My story begins at the end – if there is an end. I’ve been consigned to the fourth circle of Hell. If you’ve ever read Dante’s “Inferno,” or even if not, you might remember that it punishes greed. Misers and spenders toil on opposite
My parents died in a car crash on their way home from dropping me off my freshman year at Stanford. I never got the chance to call and tell them I was all settled in. They lay bleeding out in the street, while I was decorating my room in crimson.
The Things We Do for Family 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 »
I can’t claim I was at a low point in my life when the salesman came knocking on my door. It would be easy to say I was desperate and emotionally vulnerable and therefore fell afoul of his dark powers. It’s true that I wasn’t entirely satisfied with my life.
The Encyclopaedia Salesman Read More »
I remember well when I came across the strange sequence of events in the odd case of the cellar underneath the Winemaker’s shop. The things I saw that night, I fear I will never forget, nor come to peace with. However, with the strength of my faith and my understanding
The Copper, the Collar, and the Glimmering Blade Read More »
We don’t celebrate Halloween where I come from. My main exposure to it as a kid was through Western media, and while I didn’t fully understand the premise, I found the general aesthetic of the holiday pretty neat and wished to experience it someday. Fast forward about fifteen years and
Curiosity isn’t always a good thing. I once thought discovering everything the world had to offer was my true passion. It turns out though some things are best left alone. I always had an interest in the unknown and the unexplained. Mysteries were what I enjoyed most and the darker
Every fourth Thursday in November, families across the country gather together in celebration of the love and appreciation they feel for one another. This of course takes place over a delicious Thanksgiving feast of turkey, yams, dressings, and pies! At least that’s the Hallmark definition, but most of us just
Dreams, it all started with a dream. It wasn’t anything ambitious or grand that I yearned for; all I wanted was freedom. But time has a funny way of twisting things; now all I dream of is the end. Every night and every contemplative waking moment, my thoughts and dreams
Upon A Crimson Throne 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 »
Marcel tightened the last cords on his hiking backpack. He stepped back admiring how neatly he packed the bag. Every year he and a group of friends went on three-day expeditions into the mountains, and this year he couldn’t wait. The fresh air, the peaceful sunrises, and the morning dew
The Porcelain Mask Read More »
“Did you get it?” Tommy asked, his eyes bulging with excitement. Michael lookedbetween his two friends, a smug smile spread across his face. “You didn’t get it,” Andy said, ever doubtful. “No way you got it.” “Shut up. Mikey wouldn’t lie,” Tommy barked, his tongue lisping on the word “shut.”
Eldritch Sleepover Read More »
I grew up on a small farm in the middle of nowhere, raised by Christian parents in the middle of the Bible Belt. Needless to say, my upbringing was…strict. Every Sunday we would be the first people at the church. My father was a layperson and my mother worked with
