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 …
“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 …
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 …
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 …
“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.” …
[To Whom it May Concern] Hello Friend,If this letter has fallen into your possession, take it as a sign that our Lord, the one trueGod, has found you to be worthy of His legacy. Repent! Become one of the Risen andexperience His glory first hand! Do not fear! I was …
“I think it is the evening I like best, when the candles are burning low, and the last worshipers begin to pack up and leave for the night. When the birds are still singing in the trees, and the sun has begun its final descent, that is when I feel …
“So I don’t get any say in this?” “In a word, no.” My mother was driving too fast, as if she couldn’t wait to get rid of me. It wasn’t easy to drive too fast in Manhattan’s Upper East Side traffic, but she was managing it.“I thought America was supposed …
“This is a matchmaking service?” asked the doctor, a concerned look on his face. “This is the Garden of Eden,” replied his host with a smile. The doctor looked around the room with a raised eyebrow and growing discomfort. The elaborate advertisement for the service promising to “find your perfect …
Greetings friends and horror aficionados. Thank you for joining me for the second story from the terror-filled annals of the Hotel Morte. I imagine you have questions following the first instalment, in which I described the premature demise of Mr Hillman in all its gory details. Hopefully I will be …
In June of 1986, I received a call to inspect the well water quality of the small town of Megiddo Hills out in rural Indiana. It was to be a short drive from my home in Indianapolis, and the company promised to pay me a slight bonus, given its great …
“Mother?” In the dim light of my bedroom, cast by a single candlestick that made shadows dance on the ceiling, I sought her smiling face. It anchored my life and my world. “Yes, dear?” “May I ask three questions before I go to sleep?” “Of course.” Rustle went her nightdress; …
In the town of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on December 8th, 2021, Buck W. Curwen was arrested on charges of grave robbing, kidnapping, breaking and entering, destruction of property, assault, double homicide, and resisting arrest. Upon pleading guilty to all charges, he gave the following testimony to the court. The ordeal began …
People don’t die cleanly. It’s messy, miserable work. Everyone fights back, regardless of age or gender. It’s an animalistic instinct driven by the bolts of adrenaline rushing through their brain. Fight. Resist. Run. Escape LIVE. Those were the thoughts whirling behind the bearded man’s eyes as my knife slid into …
I found the quilt some years ago in Aberdeen, Scotland while traveling on business. It was in a small shop on an old cobblestone street off of Union Street called The Goat and Toad. The quilt was old and discolored but had interesting symbols and non-symmetrical patterns woven into its …
There’s a certain impersonal charm to grocery stores. People pass each other, usually avoiding eye contact and cloaked in a security blanket of inconspicuousness. And the homeless that you often find outside of these places, well they might as well be a light pole or a park bench, hiding in …
HALLOWEEN ADVENT CANDLEDAR Burn one a day till Halloween.Discover what it truly means.Don’t peek ahead at future labels.Savor all, if you are able… – THE CHTHONIC CANDLE COMPANY So read the note enclosed with thirty-one tiny candles, sent in a massive box with no logo. The creators of my Candledar …
It all started with a simple schoolyard rhyme. No one knew the original incarnation, only a fragment of it survived and was circulated amongst our school. “A pail of snails lifts the veil to Blackbart the Frail.” Blackbart became an amalgam of the boogeyman and a wish-granting genie. Lara was …
When my daughter Violet was born, I didn’t have much to offer her. My wife and I both worked, but housing was expensive where we lived and much of our income went towards renting our cramped two bedroom apartment. Owning our own home was still just a dream then. All …
“Welcome to the Memento Mori Museum, lovingly tour-guided by our docent EM(ily), who uploaded two short years ago! Come see caskets, coffins, wreaths and other not-so-ancient paraphernalia, along with an interactive exhibit where you can climb inside! JUST KIDDING! No, we’re not. Seriously, try it. Here at THE DEATH MUSEUM …
Schalach cast the seed in smooth arcs across the lightly tilled fields as he walked at a steady, measured pace. At every fifth step, he dipped the smooth, well-worn cup into the pouch slung across his shoulder. This was his family’s job for the village, and he was the only …
Hey again… Since that last post actually went through, I should probably let everyone know what happened. Consider it a public service; if you find yourselves getting lost on any backroads – just stop and GPS your way home before it’s too late. You get nothing from that place… except …
There is an antique shop somewhere in the heart of Quiapo, known only to a few, and appears only to those with a desperate need for something. It is said that inside, you’ll find things that will grant your desires – if you’re willing to take the risk. The shop …
