Cryptozoology has always been a minor interest of mine. I say minor because it was something I’d only enjoyed casually: a few internet articles here and there, scrolling through a couple of pages on a Tumblr blog dedicated to it, maybe watching one of those Bigfoot documentaries. You know, that […]
Henry had gone missing in Mexico weeks ago, and Lois kept getting these bizarre letters in the mail. She had assumed the first four envelopes she’d received in the first four days of the month afterward were to the wrong address or a mistake. However, the fifth envelope contained a
Has anyone else seen the post yet? The guy messages someone whose phone number is identical to his apart from the last digit, which is either one number up or down. I scrolled past it like any other post you see on the internet, gave it a quick chuckle and
Never Meet your Number Neighbor Read More »
Dad said a man was coming from the city to photograph us tomorrow. I never had a photograph taken of me before. My parents had one taken with James when he was a baby. Eliza and I weren’t born yet. The picture sits over our mantle, embroidered in a gold
The Awful Thing We Did to Eliza Read More »
As a child, I lived in a small town with an even smaller circle of friends. A circle of friends that needed something to do, in a town with nothing. We were the type of kids that would run through abandoned buildings or start rumors of the creepy house on
The No-Peeking Game Read More »
Vanna-Isabella Osborne was only two years old when the tests began. Every day, she’d be awoken at dawn by her crazed parents, before being stripped bare and strapped onto a cool metal table. No matter how much she screamed and cried, it wouldn’t stop her parents from stabbing her eyes,
I’ve done something terrible. Or great. I’m not sure which. This isn’t exactly my story. It’s the story of a girl named Arianna, a friend at my school. My only friend at school, actually, and even then I’m kind of stretching the term. I’m not popular. Neither is she. Or wasn’t, anyway. But she’s not going to tell the story, so you get my outsider perspective on it.
My Friend Became Weirdly Popular Overnight Read More »
Fleur Breckenridge school is closing this October. It was with heavy hearts that the faculty of our elite establishment announced the permanent closing of our beloved Fleur Breckenridge Academy. Over the last two years, we have been fighting to keep our school’s name from being dragged through the dirt. However,
Blake Gardner awoke to an oppressive, physical darkness. It embraced him. As the cold shadows flowed around him, he felt himself falling; slowly but surely. He tried to reach out, to flail and to grasp, but only pain greeted him. Something bit into his wrists like fiery needles. His hands
It’s been three days since I last used an app called Forbidden Fruits and I’ve become weak to the point to where I can hardly stand for over five minutes. I’m coughing up blood, and I know that I have no choice but to open this goddamn app and make a new
An App Called Forbidden Fruits Gave Me More Than Good Food Read More »
“I can’t sleep,” she whispered as she crawled into bed and spooned against my back. “Jesus, you’re cold,” I murmured. She only snuggled closer, throwing her leg over mine. I lay there for a few beats, caught between my alcohol-induced sleep and wakefulness, until I realized whatever this cold thing
“My daddy always picked me up at the bus stop.” I was surprised by a tiny voice saying that, in the cramped corridors of the crappy apartment complex my brother used to live in. The girl was like a cornered kitten in every way. I asked her age and she
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Before I start I should mention that the names of the crew who worked on the movie have been either changed or omitted. That being said, in 2016 an up-and-coming film director started work on a film that he thought would get his name out there. He was already gaining
Driving down the road far from home, on my way back from work – I’m surrounded by pastures and rural country houses. Late in the night, dark but backlit by a pale moon I drive fast, but not too fast. I’m tired. The day’s work has pushed me over the
When I was a baby, I had a mobile that hung over my crib. I remember the shapes, the circles with their patterns of dots and the wires connecting them to each other. It had a motor that made the branches swing around, and the circles would twinkle and wink in the moonlight that came in through my window at night. That mobile is one of my earliest memories, maybe even my first. I can remember lying there looking up at it and feeling warm, safe and content.
There’s Safety in Circles Read More »
I hate scarecrows. I have ever since I was little. I found something about the dolls stuffed with straw unsettling. I remember my parents tried to help me get over this fear by telling me things like, “They’re not scary, they only want to be friends” or some other lame
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“Jedidiah, it’s me, God. Are you listening?” I perk up and try to focus. It’s been a while since God has talked to me. I whisper, just in case anyone else is in the computer lab with me, “yes.” “Good. Jedidiah, listen closely and whatever you do, do not
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Part 1: The Man Called Pathos The man finished the rest of his meal, threw the wrappers and other garbage into the nearest trashcan, left the tray in the proper place, wished the crew a good rest of the night, and exited the restaurant. His name was Michael Cannon, but
My name is Harley, and I’ve been with my boyfriend Dan for five years, lived with him for three. I love Dan more than anything in this world. He’s my best friend, my partner in crime, my biggest pest, and my number one supporter. I honestly couldn’t imagine my life
My Boyfriend’s Dreams Are Starting to Scare Me Read More »
I’ve always wondered who was behind the costumes. I was unfortunate enough to find out when I took my son on his first trip to Disney world. Being a single Father isn’t easy, I work as hard as I can to provide for my child but I need to make
Don’t Try Talking to Disney World Mascots at Closing Time Read More »
Peter Pan is not what most people think he is… or I guess I should say, would be, but honestly, he’s real. I have not only seen him, but have also… felt him. I met Peter Pan when I was about 11 years old. It had been a hard day
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MISSING CAT, the poster said. It had a black-and-white picture of the cat in question, a generic-looking animal with mottled fur and a bored expression. It listed the cat’s name and description and gave a phone number to call. I silently wished the pet owners luck as I jogged by, but I didn’t slow down to examine the poster. It was a cat. It had wandered off outside, as cats do. For their sake, I hoped it found its way home again, but I certainly wasn’t about to go looking for it.
I Should Have Paid More Attention to the “Missing Cat” Poster Read More »
About half a year ago, I moved into a new apartment downtown. It’s hands-down the most upscale place I’ve lived in—rooftop access, a fitness center, a pool, huge windows with beautiful views of the city… this place had it all. My leasing agent said apartments in that building were going
Nobody Lives Here But You Read More »
Part 1 As you may have expected—though probably not with the particularly correct prescience—the siege of Area 51 ended disastrously for everyone involved. How do I know? I was of the deluded though determined congregation that stormed the base. Our numbers were minuscule in comparison to those who had pledged
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