When The Sun Goes Down

When the sun goes down, my mind is a scary place… ...so baby when the lights go out, hold me until it fades… Barton Parish stared dreamily at the white ceiling, the lyrics from his wife’s song dancing through his mind. Brilliant rays of light spread through the small window of the room, glowing, bouncing... Continue Reading →

Black and Yellow, Kill a Fellow

Seth jimmied through the old gate to reach his trash cans. A swarm of angry wasps greeted him as he lifted the lid to the compost. "Fuckers!" Seth yelled, batting them away as he dumped fruit and vegetable waste into the bin. He caught one with an open palm, swatting it into the wall. Another... Continue Reading →

VIP

"Drink up," Marco said, shoving a Burger King cup into my hands before I'd even buckled my seatbelt. "Tonight's gonna be epic, big Eddie..." "Gaaah!" I said after a small sip, swallowing bitterly. Marco's pre-game cocktail tasted like six parts vodka to one part Red Bull. "Where we starting the night? Black Star? The Velvet... Continue Reading →

A Host of Problems

"So? What's the verdict?" "Still can't taste shit," Darren Sinclair replies grumpily. He glugs down half a glass of water then shovels in another forkful of spaghetti.  Evelyn conceals a moue of distaste as she watches the noodles slurp into her husband's mouth. His chewing is louder than usual. Beast-like. Droplets of red sauce fling... Continue Reading →

A Gift from the Dancing Goddess

Some people walk their dogs, some dogs walk their people. Titus is the latter. He's a ninety-three-pound Rhodesian Ridgeback who can apply enough force to flay your hand if you make the mistake of tying the leash to your wrist. Luckily, Titus is well trained, and I had two hundred pounds on him at the... Continue Reading →

A Call for Help

When his gas light came on with a ding and small flare of orange light, Lane Malcolm's anxiety skyrocketed. Having your ex-girlfriend text you in the middle of the night that she was broken down and desperately needed your help was one thing; getting turned around on dark, empty backroads while your cell frantically searched... Continue Reading →

The Reef

Gene, Darin, and Lonnie leaped into the ocean, flippered feet first; the warm, cerulean water splashed and rippled around them under the Hawaiian sun. "Let's get our snorkel on!" Lonnie said, situating his mask and mouthpiece. "Lead the way, captain," Gene said, readying his GoPro camera. "The coral reefs out here are supposed to be... Continue Reading →

Trembling Aspen

Anyone who'd spent the last decade of their life felling trees in the Canadian wilderness would find the forest familiar; to Calvin Ross, it was as comfortable as sipping hot coffee in his favorite recliner. Yet as the fog rolled in and dusk gave way to night's heavy hand, Calvin's spirit filled with trepidation. She... Continue Reading →

The Eldritch Queen

The entire neighborhood resented the Daytons on Preston Place. Sure, Sam and Roberta Dayton had been living in Willow Brook Estates longer than anyone else, but did that give them the right to adorn their lawn with that terrible sculpture? The Reardons across the street had named her "The Eldritch Queen," with her blank stone... Continue Reading →

A Date for the Ages

Zach Dennis escorted his date to their table, discreetly wiping sweaty palms on the back of his gray slacks. He had never been so enamored by a woman, nor desperate for someone's approval. She had suggested the restaurant, and it was dark, foreign, yet elegant - as was she. Sorina's eyes were dark pools glinting... Continue Reading →

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