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Category:
Horror
Publisher: Self-Published
ISBN-10: 1503094871
Type: Fiction
Pages: 126
Copyright: October 2014
ISBN-13: 9781503094871
Price: $2.99 (eBook)
A collection of short stories inspired by shows like Night Gallery, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and One Step Beyond.
Obsession. Jealousy. Vengeance. The darkest emotions lie buried deep in the human soul, awakened by twisted desires. In these eleven tales of dark suspense, sometimes there's truth to the warning, "Be careful what you wish for..."
It's in Your Blood*
What dark secrets lurk in this family tree?
Gabrielle
What happens when devotion takes a sinister turn?
The May Lady Vanishes*
Is a coven member responsible for the May Lady’s disappearance?
Cracked Glass
The spirits inside this house seek revenge.
Occupational Hazard
Sometimes job decisions really are a matter of life and death.
No Face
An old dirty rag doll can’t do any harm. Can it?
Family Heirloom*
Crossing this weapon can prove fatal.
The Murder Window*
Are the arrival of a new student and a mysterious stained glass window coincidence?
Draug
The Witch of November isn’t the sailor’s wife’s only concern.
Agony
Need artistic inspiration? Think a Muse can help? Think again.
Obsession*
Never mix jealousy and necromancy.
*Previously published in the Ten Tales anthologies.
Excerpt
It’s in Your Blood
Why had Anna let Emily drag her to a midnight Goth party in Eastern Cemetery?
Emily walked through the dark graveyard as if blessed with cat’s eyes, unhampered even by her long leather skirt, ruffled blouse, burgundy frock coat, and Doc Martens.
Anna, on the other hand, struggled to keep up in a long crushed velvet skirt and black platform boots with spiked high heels.
Emily claimed Goth citizenship. Anna carried a green card.
“Hurry up, Anna!”
Waving her hand in acknowledgement, Anna hobbled toward Emily. Unused to the new footwear, her calves and ankles ached. Not to mention the situation left her uneasy. Eastern’s haunted reputation attracted not only Goths and ghost hunters but vandals who decapitated stone statues and knocked over headstones. Police patrolled the cemetery on a regular
basis. What if an officer stopped them and asked them to explain their
presence? She trusted Emily had a ready excuse.
The recent disappearance of two fellow
university students also concerned Anna. Rumors abounded a serial killer hung around campus. Self-appointed vigilantes vowed to beat in the culprit’s head with baseball bats once they caught him. Anna tried not to imagine herself corpse fodder for the local nightly news.
She would not let fear keep her from enjoying herself tonight. Ever since leaving home, Anna had wanted to become someone other than the shy obedient daughter dominated by a strict father. The Goth students inspired her with their corsets and leather, piercings and tattoos.
One day, while in the computer lab, she heard violins and flutes emanating from Emily’s earphones. Curious, Anna approached her and received her first taste of Darkwave.
They became friends, even though it seemed an incongruous pairing. Beautiful, sophisticated Emily with her shoulder-length blonde hair streaked with blue highlights and green eyes rimmed with kohl. Next
to her, Anna’s brown hair, cut in a shapeless bob, and uneven skin tone made her a target for one of those ambush makeover shows.
Emily inducted Anna into the Goth world. She introduced her to bands like Unto Ashes, Voltaire, and Mephisto Walz. She loaned Anna books on the Goth subculture, including fashion and music. And she
invited Anna to this midnight party.
Now Emily squeezed Anna’s arm, her touch cool. “Excited?”
“Nervous,” Anna admitted.
“It can be scary,” Emily acknowledged,
releasing her.
“If Father knew about this, he’d have a fit.”
Emily gave an impatient huff. “Your family sounds awful.”
“Which is why I don’t talk about them.”
This time Emily put her arm around Anna’s shoulder and drew her close. “Don’t worry. Tonight is going to be a special one for you. I can feel it.”
Anna smiled. Emily’s confidence emboldened her. Could she transform from Wanda Wallflower to Sophisticated Susanna?
The stone chapel loomed ahead, austere, silent and dark. An iron-spiked gate barred the front entrance, secured by a chain and padlock. Someone had broken out two stained-glass panels above the doorway.
They walked around to the side entrance and Emily squeezed through the gap between the gate and door. Anna followed, grumbling at how her heels sunk in the uneven muddy ground.
After a couple of pushes against the metal door, it screeched open, revealing a dark interior. Anna blinked until her eyes adjusted to the dim light. Too bad she hadn’t brought a flashlight.
“Where is everyone?” Anna whispered. If Emily intended to play a practical joke on her, now would be the time.
They continued on into what Anna assumed to be an office. Someone had yanked open the desk drawers, scattered torn cemetery records over the cement floor, and overturned the vinyl and metal chair.
The sound of clinking glasses echoed throughout the chapel.
Emily said something behind her.
Anna asked Emily to repeat herself. Silence. Irritated, she turned and stared, words falling silent and unused out of her slack mouth.
Emily had vanished
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