Short Fiction, Poetry and Classic Book Reviews
Wider and wider the snake's mouth opened, until a slimy red sphere bearing the numeral seven began to emerge from its oesophagus. Battle neared; wings rustled, claws stomped; Victor breathed curses. With a heave, the python expelled the seven ball from its gaping mouth. Its head flopped as the giant, glistening cherry slid onto the... Continue Reading →
Lying there, he drew the python to his chest, and lowered his head. The magpie approached, whistling and rapping its beak on the floor. Victor remained still. The tap and scratch of claws neared; Victor could hear the monster bird breathing. It stopped in front of him and waited, and then nudged him with its... Continue Reading →
As Victor crouched and placed the snake on the floor, a mini-explosion boomed behind him. He rubbed his ears and opened and closed his jaw. "Damn, that was loud," he yelled. He re-entered the pool room and saw a transparent, gelatinous puddle where the injured magpie had lain. As he walked past the puddle, he... Continue Reading →
Spotting an opportunity, Victor slipped in almost unnoticed amid the raucous melee of fangs and wings. He reached cautiously over the table and found that the pythons, preoccupied with their avian assailants, made no attempt to repel his approach. Digging his hand into the churning demonic spaghetti, he took hold of a bloated snake he... Continue Reading →
Poking his head inside, he made a quick scan of the ceiling: all quiet on the magpie front. He left the pillow cases by the door and took the sheet and socks to the pool table. The sheet stretched over most of the playing surface but left a strip of green at each end. "That... Continue Reading →
He took the ball from the net and looked at it in his hand. "There has to be something here I'm not seeing." A sudden whoosh swept behind him, shooting a chill through his bones. He ducked quick enough to evade the long beak hurtling like a spear toward the back of his head, but... Continue Reading →
Victor tossed the broken cue onto the pool table; it clacked among the numbered balls. In the branches by the ceiling the boisterous choir once more sang out. "Oh, make your mind up!" yelled Victor, grabbing the pool cue. He held the weapon ready but no birds swooped. The whistling soon subsided. "Huh." He dropped... Continue Reading →
"I have to get out of here," whispered Victor to himself. He edged his way around the table, his gaze darting back and forth between the branches near the ceiling. Six nests. Six magpies. Six points from which death might plummet upon him at any moment. Two doors offered escape: the door back to the... Continue Reading →
Victor walked out from behind the bar, starting to regain his strength. He went over to the pool table. It looked as though a game was in play: balls were strewn about, a cue lay on the table and another leaned upright against a corner pocket. Victor ran his hand over the soft, green surface.... Continue Reading →