They had forgotten how arduous this hiking trail could be, but for seasoned walkers Joan and Kevin, they somehow couldn’t help themselves. This wasn’t the most popular of routes, being as it was, one that segwayed off the more popular Pennine Way, and was quite rough in parts. It was also raining heavily, but there was no wind to push at them, and it wasn’t cold. Hills sloped upwards on either side, dotted with coarse shr...

Dammit. I can’t think of a thing. What the hell am I gonna do? The deadline's next week, I'm supposed to be on vacation, and I got nutin’. Wait. Larry Niven said the sure way to beat writer’s block is to just start typing, and keep going until a story emerges, so here goes. The quick red fox jumped over the lazy brown dog. Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. (Ain’t that the truth!) Unique...

The dense fog clung to the forest like a shroud, muffling the sounds of the night and casting an eerie, otherworldly glow over everything. In the heart of this fog-laden forest stood an old mansion, its once-grand facade now crumbling and overgrown with ivy. The locals called it the Fogbound Mansion, whispering tales of its dark past and the souls that supposedly still roamed its halls. On a dare, three high school friend...

The wind howled a mournful dirge through the skeletal branches of the Blackwood Forest, a chilling prelude to the events that would unfold on that fateful night twenty-seven years ago. Young Lore, barely a man, sat beside his sister Elara, sharing stories under the light of the Harvest Moon. Elara, with her fiery spirit and insatiable curiosity, was recounting a local legend—the Whisperwind Graveyard, a place said to appe...

The salt spray stung their faces as Liam, Maya, Noah, and Chloe's small boat cut through the choppy waves towards Widow's Island. The blood-red moon, a malevolent eye in the inky sky, cast an unsettling glow on the water, illuminating the ominous silhouette of the lighthouse—a skeletal finger against the night sky. They’d come seeking a thrill, dismissing the island's legends as mere folklore, but even Liam, the pragmatis...

For a while, there was a vast nothingness. I had succumbed to the void and assimilated to it. There was no pain or joy. Only the slight general feeling of reprieve. It was only when the sound of a door unlocked, my heavy eyes fluttered open. “Victorine, my love, you have risen,” the tall shadow spoke softly. I lay upon a large feathered bed. Massive aubergine curtains hung closed from high-up curtain rods. Every piece in...

It was when the clock struck midnight that our eyes met across the golden ballroom. His darkened gaze sent an icy finger trailing down my spine. I watched as he weaved through women in extravagant gowns and men in polished suits. Effortlessly keeping his eyes fixated on me. Suddenly, someone stuck the gong. Sound waves vibrated throughout the room and my bones. I instinctively clutched a hand to my chest while searching f...

The boy was terrified, his eyes conveying fear like that he had never known. He was four years old and tied to a steel chair, a gag around his mouth, his tearful eyes staring at the man who stood by the doorway of the shed with a 7-inch wildcat Bowie knife, looking at the child with curiosity. He had killed before and knew he would this time. He preferred them as young as possible because they were more innocent, so a fou...

Miranda’s knees were locked and there was a slight tremble in her legs. Despite the cool weather, she felt sweat break out onto her back the moment they stepped into the clearing. The cold snap had settled in a few days ago. Fall was coming. This time of year seemed to ignite a sense of adventure in the kids in her neighborhood. Herself included. How else could she explain standing at the edge of Evergreen Woods, or as th...

The road disappeared behind me as I drove up the narrow, rugged gravel driveway to my family’s ancestral home. As I rounded a treacherous bend, the old house came into view. I was glad that I had thought to rent a 4x4 pickup for the trip. Years of abandonment and neglect had led to that bend being partially washed out. That washout was the first thing that I would have to fix if I decided to renovate and repair the old ho...

“Eddie’s dead,” said the female voice on the other end of the line. My caller did not identify herself, but I recognized Emma Lawrence’s voice. She was engaged to my old friend Eddie Blake. “What happened, Emma?” I asked, dreading the answer. “He went paddling on the lake, Alan,” she said quietly. That alone was enough to make my face turn pale, but I let Emma go on. “I told him not to. I refused to go myself. But he stil...

[Helsinki/FI-27.5.2050-Containment05] [Subject: 6648] The video feed clicked on, blurring, and then sharpening to perfect quality. It showed a single humanoid figure strapped down to a metal medical table that had been repositioned to sit nearly upright. The overhead PA screeched and then crackled to life. “Day three, interview two. Subject 6648.” The figure didn’t move. “Are you ready to cooperate?” Silence and an audibl...

“Reality is a cruel mistress and Fantasy is a kind one. The more I learn of myself the more fictional I feel. As if I am their love child, named Delusion, with an astral twin, named Dissociation. The Gemini of the Cosmic Zodiac, only one of us has the temper of a Taur... the other as aquatic as a Scorpion. Inhaling the vapors, Gemini caught a vision -- of the fall of Man. It began with a Fish. Got too lost playing with a...

Chapter 1 Once upon a time, in the small village of Chiseldon, Wiltshire, there was a strange occurrence happening. The sun was shining bright, and unicorns were seen galloping through the streets. At first, it seemed like a dream come true for the villagers, but as days went by, they realized that something was off. People began disappearing without a trace. Their loved ones searched high and low, but there was no sign o...

It was a quiet night in the village of Chiseldon, a small and unremarkable spot on the outskirts of Swindon. The clerk, Jack, was counting the cash register and getting ready to close the p shop. He looked forward to a peaceful evening, playing darts down the pub and maybe cracking open a beer. But little did he know that a dark horror was about to descend upon him and his humble village. As Jack was locking up the front...