Short Fiction, Poetry and Classic Book Reviews
Victor's wrist watch alarm managed only one high pitch beep before he switched it off and leapt out of bed. He flattened and fitted the sheets to the mattress, then flicked the blanket out over the bed, where it wavered like a parachute for a moment before dropping. Victor smoothed it and tucked in the... Continue Reading →
The ball descended slowly, while increasing in size and brightness. Victor cupped his hands and lifted them to receive the radiant sphere, which assumed a light blue glow as it settled in his palms. Victor smiled as the sphere began revolving rapidly in his hands. It felt like a tingling breeze. Suddenly he felt as... Continue Reading →
The triumphant beast rose, the head of its vanquished enemy still in its mouth. As the rat's limp body dangled, the beast turned its bloodthirsty glare upon Victor. He pressed his hands to the floor, ready to shove himself right back under the bed, but then an odd look came over the beast's face. Its... Continue Reading →
Victor kept fit and had remarkable core strength, yet it wasn't long before he noticed a tremor in his arms: he would not be able to hold himself up much longer. He looked down and saw the rat staring back up at him. His hands began to slip. "Come on." Inch by inch he shuffled... Continue Reading →
Minutes dragged by and Victor's head nodded gradually forward. He rubbed his eyes and slapped his cheek. "Come on. Can't sit here all night." The rat continued watching him. "Gross. Freaking rats. Disgusting." He picked up a pencil from the desk and threw it under the bed. From the shadows a whiskered nose emerged; Victor... Continue Reading →
In the corner by the window, Victor checked the oddly stained floor. "I guess this is the spot." He put the ball of his foot down and leaned his weight onto it. A section of timber broke off beneath him and he fell on his backside as his foot dropped through the gap. "Damn it!"... Continue Reading →
He blinked hard and shook his head. In a rush he plonked himself on the stool and sifted through the sketchbooks on the desk. Finding the book with the final entries of the mansion's previous victims, Victor turned to the first blank page. He moved the candle close. From the pastel pencils on the desk... Continue Reading →
For fifteen minutes he remained there, staring at the ceiling. Finally, he sat up; he rubbed his shoulder where he had run into the door. With no expression besides the odd yawn, he shifted the old bed frame back into its corner. The bed springs squealed as the mattress thumped on top of them. New... Continue Reading →
For a moment Victor was stuck—crouched against the wall, breathing heavily, hands trembling—his eyes on the painting. The sixth deep clang of the bell shook him free. He exhaled with a laugh and nodded, looking at the officer in the painting. "I've got your number now," he said. He crept behind the chair nearest him... Continue Reading →