It began with a smell of thunder. The night had settled into the empty spaces of the house as Malcolm made his way through to the living room, turning on lights as he went. He dropped into his armchair and opened his laptop to read the...
Entry One To encourage the patients to keep up on their journals, Dr. Bryant has encouraged the rest of the staff assigned to this ward to keep a journal as well openly. It’s not too much of a trial, and if it’ll encourage these patients to...
Evidence #005678 and #073812 in cases #MPD-5609 and #MPD-6491 respectively for the Medford Police Department. The following interviews were transcribed shortly after the death of Detective Octavia Allen. Detective Allen was investigating the disappearance of Amy Wolgast when she was found dead in her home. The...
Promise Valley was nestled in the valley below, tucked in quietly at the edge of the Rocky Mountains. As I eased my horse down the rough trail leading to the settlement, the place looked as serene as could be. It made the missive from my...
Chapter 1 I pulled the door open and stepped inside Dutch’s Tavern, it seemed familiar, but I paused at the entry until carefully glancing over the bar’s interior. My eyes scoured the inside from the left side of the door completely around to the right of...
I was running as fast as I could, but I knew it was gaining on me. I swear it was trying to step in every puddle so I knew it was running faster. I turned my head where I could see it. Its arms were...
The town my wife Violet was raised in is almost unremarkable. You won’t find it on any ‘Best of’ lists or see it signified on any map or atlas. She said she was happy as heaven to get out of there when we met. I...
Chapter 1 I grew up being a bit of an explorer at heart. It hadn’t exactly come naturally, but instead through my family’s forced moves from army base to army base. I turned ten this year and I was on at least my eighth adventure to...
The Act The large metal plate was secured with long threaded bolts into the enclosure. These were applied and tightened down by two skimpily clad, dark-haired assistants, or vassals as they were called, and appeared to also be identical twins. The cage looked to be impenetrable...
Chapter One Tanner Lee Palper, or Tilper as people had called him even before he could remember, sat on the old rustic bench he’d put by the pond years ago. His pole sat leaning against the limb that jutted towards him from the water. It was...
Chapter One Dried, dead leaves crunched underneath the rhythmic footfalls of the trio. Mrs. Kendal took in a haggard breath, clearly struggling to keep a steady pace. Mandy watched the elderly mark, noting she had a death grip on her son, Trevor, as they wound their...
The lantern on my desk flickered and then went out, drenching the cabin in a tar-like darkness. I cursed quietly to myself. It seemed only the day before that I had filled the lamp, and I’d been ashore since. Carefully I placed my quill into...
Chicago, Il. Shorty Small, a man neither short nor small, took a final drag on his cigarette. Without diverting his gaze, he flicked the butt to his right. Glowing flakes of tobacco scattered as the dying cigarette struck the neighboring building’s brick wall. The sparks triggered...
Day One: October 2069 The week started out like most, sitting at my desk in a cubicle, sipping coffee and attempting to concentrate despite the constant din of other federal investigators in their adjacent spaces speaking loudly on their phones. My name is Ryan Powers. I’m one...
I guess if I squint hard, and crank my head just right, that there tree does kinda seem to have curves like a woman. But with the ice coverin’ the glass, Bob’s crap headlights, and the fat nasty pile of...
In the beginning, what we did was beautiful. It all started in 345 when Saint Nicholas supposedly “died.” Or at least, that was the story given out. What a bad joke. As if a man who could resurrect pickled meat into living breathing children would ever...
I grew up in a family that always struggled with money. I wish I could say we made the best of our situation, but that would be the worst kind of lie: the kind that lets my father off the hook. He was a destructive,...
My chair tilts back as I scroll through the horror forum posts. There’s not one thing that I’ve read or watched that has so much as quickened my heart rate. I dejectedly set my phone aside, knowing there’s nothing I’ll find here. Horror’s not like...
As you may or may not know, I do investigative journalism regarding various unscrupulous business practices. My byline is generally ignored, so I can imagine not many but a small few are aware of my work. However, it is important that in this matter I...
When I was a little boy, my fondest summer memories were spending time in the north woods at my Uncle Howard’s. He had this rustic old cabin surrounded by nothing but pure nature. The local hunters called it Howard’s Hideout. Every time my brother John and...
