The campfire crackled, sending orange sparks up into the heavy canopy of pines. The night was thick and dark, smelling of pine needles, river mud, and burnt marshmallows. Five boys sat on rotting log benches, huddled close to the heat. They were deep in the woods at Camp Whispering Shadows—a […]
The Best Father’s Day Catch Read More »
Eric awoke with a violent fit of coughs. His lungs squeezed painfully as his throat spasmed, forcing the yellowish phlegm past his lips. It landed in a web glob on his hand. Looking down at it, Eric could see the black specks dotting the thick mass. He took his thumb
To Grow into Something More Read More »
Thunderstorms yielded a surprising amount of rain, slowing the immediate progression of the wildfire to a dull advance. It sulked through the understory as if it were pouting, greedily gobbling dead grass but hesitant to touch the heavier fuels. It was biding its time and snatching chance like a spoiled
Ding dong! Erin Tucker (“Erry” to anyone besides her mother) looked up from her tablet to see which of the locals had come to bug her before she finally got off work for the weekend. She heard the man, and his distinct not being a local, from the other end
I felt it that day, something in the air wasn’t right. The morning heat was setting in, and the bugs were eating us alive. The men were tense as the sun rose on another godforsaken day. We had been up on nightwatch and hadn’t had a moment of proper rest
Things Best Left Buried Read More »
The truck’s heater blasted hot air. Wipers squeaked across the windshield, clearing away the snow that melted on contact. The Deputy hummed along with the radio as it blared a familiar tune. Wind whistled beneath the radio’s drone. The desolate road before him was covered with several inches of snow
What Hunts in the Snow Read More »
I remember the day that the red angels came. It was a hot, scorching day. So hot that the roads began to melt. So hot that it was dangerous to go outside, lest you pass out from the heat and die of a heatstroke. I was at work when it
Most people think of the dark when they imagine where monsters hide. They fear the shadows, the closets, the space beneath the bed where the sun doesn’t reach. They are wrong. The worst things don’t hide in the dark. They hide in the light. Specifically, they hide in the refraction.
“Delta squad, clear that building!” The command ripped from Tim Brinley’s throat, echoing through the blistering desert air, a phrase so familiar to him it was more reflex than speech. This was his second deployment, and he knew with weary certainty it would be his last. The monotony of military
The Tuscan villa was a postcard come to life, a sprawling stone residence nestled among rolling hills thick with cypress trees and the silvery-green olive groves. For Tom and Linda Patterson, a middle school teacher and an office manager, and their friends Mark and Jennifer Walsh, a retail manager and
The rain was torrential. There is an all-encompassing sensation when standing in the midst of such a storm. Your hearing is drowned by the onslaught. The water trails down your face, stifling your nose and blurring your vision. Your fingers clutch in your jacket, gripping damp fabric. Your chin naturally
I’ve always been a big fan of Halloween. When I was a kid, that was of course because of the candy and the chocolate bars. As I got older and entered my teenage years, that changed. My love for the holiday remained, but that was because of the costumes and
Little Monsters of Hallows’ Eve Read More »
I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my
The sun was slowly setting behind us, painting the sky in dull shades of gray and yellow, as the cold wind blew. Teresa walked with her head down, silent, right behind me. Mathias Santiago walked beside me, holding his AK-47 as if it were an extension of his own body.
Hello there, I managed to scrounge up a pile of power banks left behind by previous passengers. In total, these could last me a combined 47 hours worth of laptop battery perhaps more if I used them sparingly. I will try to be quick, so the spent battery is not
We boarded a Ferry, Please Help Us Read More »
1 – The Train I can’t say why I was chosen to ride the shadowlands express. Why me, and not the countless others who have sinned during their mortal lives? Perhaps all will be forced to face their demons in the end – I can’t say for sure. But clearly
The Shadowlands Express Read More »
Alex grumbled as she lumbered upright in her bed. Her eyes glanced to the empty space next to her, before she stood slowly, heading to the bathroom. Once inside, she checked at her phone, wanting to see the weather that day. Slight overcast, chance of rain in the afternoon. A
This is a copy of something I’ve written and posted all over the internet. The websites, subreddits, and Discord servers relating to the hobby have long been found and shut down. There aren’t many of us anymore, let alone those both young, sane, and tech-savvy enough to navigate the internet,
If you ever find yourself driving alone at night, maybe after a night drinking with friends, getting off work late, or pushing yourself to reach a distant destination, refusing to stop for rest, and suddenly you’re on a road that doesn’t appear on your GPS or map, unsure how you
After the night I just had, I do not know whether I should call the cops, roll up in a ball and cry myself to sleep, or call my therapist. I am still trying to decide the best course of action. I already talked to my friend Kyle, and we
8/16 I was home alone when the blackout hit my house. I was sitting on my back patio reading a book when I heard the air unit to my left slowly power down until it ticked to a complete stop. The lights in the house abruptly shut off, the emergency
Blackout – 8/15/14 Read More »
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 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 »
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 »
