I gather small fallen branches and twigs and arrange my campfire. Back to the cliff’s edge, to sit and look around. No matter in what direction I look, I see no man-made lights. The darkening sky shows a sliver of moon, and countless stars begin to appear. Other than the whispering of a gentle breeze in some tall grasses behind me, all is silent . . . Continue Reading

The man explained how he loved walking along the Baltic Sea. It reminded him of his childhood, picking up the amber that was tossed onto the coast by ocean waves. He held out his hand which contained small pieces of amber. He lifted my arm and dropped the specks into my palm.

“I even found some today. I want to give it to you.” He smiles.

I again thanked him and said goodbye as he continued on his stroll.

“Wait, what happened?” James piped up.Continue Reading

A swine of primal rage, they prowl easy with piercing hooves that tear like claws—sturdy in their massive form. “Hell-pigs,” the two call them, appear as a nightmarish fusion of demonic swine. They haunt this ancient forest, with their leathery skin and masses that ripple with an unnatural strength. Their faces are . . .Continue Reading

He gently eased his scarred arms into the box and lifted out a coiled snake. The snake twisted and curled its smooth body as the preacher began dancing while lifting the snake in the air. He passed the snake on and returned to the boxes on the floor, retrieving another snake from an identical wooden box. Sweat started to drip down Frank’s back and he . . . Continue Reading

That’s when the police scanner started scratching about a call coming in over at Jerry’s house. I thought, Uh oh. Cass and Jerry are up to something. The way Cass looked, maybe Jerry had roughed her up. Her hair looked wild, like a skein of wool yarn a cat had pawed with its claws. Maybe Jerry had . . . Continue Reading

It has been our great pleasure to have met and published so many impressive and talented people. And we are grateful for each and every one of you—our submitters, subscribers, readers, perusers, and scrollers. In these five years, we have . . . Continue Reading

. . . The entire process takes only minutes, but any sentient being can deduce that the agony is so extreme as to seem to last for eternity. I have a confession to make, Bruno. I’m going to enjoy watching you cook like a pig over a . . . Continue Reading

Growing tired of her chase, the child wobbles across the smooth creek stones down to other adventures, swishing the bottom of Mama’s much too big t-shirt through the water. The steady warmth of July fights off the chill of the mountain creek that has already numbed her legs and toes . . . Continue Reading

The man driver continued to pick up speed. While he concentrated on the road, Mrs. Sanders was able to free her hands from the twine, that thin type they use to bundle books. She pulled the bright red scarf out of her mouth, then considered her feet. They were duct-taped and out of reach . . . Continue Reading