The 4:00pm Rebels Classes at the Yusupov Memorial Assassin School were done for the day, even Professor Princip’s after-school pistol tutoring. Leon crept towards the back hedge with all the paranoia of youth’s first rebellion. He clutched the contraband tightly. The others were already in the hidden grove. “You got it?” Charles asked. Leon held…
Category: Dark
Discomfort Food
Discomfort Food I pushed the scooter as fast as it would go. A shadow loomed on my left and momentarily the buildings around me seemed to run with blood. Then I was past it, and normalcy returned as the Horror’s mental influence faded with distance. I hate people. I hate Horrors more, but I hate…
Molly’s Cut
Molly’s Cut It took years to find the hidden alley where Molly’s shop lurked. She leered at me. “I sell one thing: time. One amount: forever.” I swallowed. “How much?” “Pay in kind, boy.” Her sapphire gaze wormed into mine. “Twenty years.” I coughed. She scoffed. “Fool! It’s water from an infinite well. I deserve…
Echo in the Dark
Echo in the Dark The blood moon crawls from behind a cloud, throwing humanoid specters against the bedroom wall. I sit up. Something is on the floor just beyond my bed. The wind rages, and the shadows frenzy on the wallpaper. But there is a crouching shadow there that never changes. “Alexa, turn on lights,”…
The B.U.G. (Big Unfriendly Giant)
The B.U.G. (Big Unfriendly Giant) Bus ticket to Mount Crius Park: $15.60 Snacks for six-hour hike where I found the BUG: $6.35. Search and rescue efforts after he took me to his cave: $38,500. Collect call to my parents at rest stop after escaping: $2.36. Cost of his following me home: Rest stop shelter:…
Wolves and Dark Fire
Wolves and Dark Fire I wake with my face in the furry back of a wolf. It does not have the musky smell of an animal—these wolves smell only of ash, and if the damp is up, mold. It is a smell I am used to. I sit up and put my back to the…
Typical First Date
Typical First Date The moon sparkled off the pond like the flash of a thousand smiles. It made me nervous, like a crowd was watching me. I pushed the box into the river and watched it bob away. Everything was inside: the bloody knife, the drop sheets, and the towel I used to clean up….
Forever Brave, Forever Seventeen
Forever Brave, Forever Seventeen Part I “Grandpa, I will be in the attic, listening to music there. Don’t lose me.” “Okay, Charlie. Be careful.” Charlie climbed to the attic of his grandfather’s house. The attic was his favorite place because there was a quiet and calm atmosphere. Moreover, the window was looking directly at the…
Muse on Monday – July 12, 2021, Featuring “Never Leave the City”
Happy Monday! Scroll down to read Never Leave the City, a story based on last week’s prompt about a creepy pickpocket at the South Pole. The challenge of Muse on Monday is to write a short story and use the prompt below. We’ve decided to eliminate the age limit on all submissions, so anyone can…
Muse on Monday – May 24, 2021, Featuring “Quick Cash”
I hope you’re having a good Monday. It is Victoria Day in Canada, so if you are Canadian, enjoy your holiday. What a great chance to write a story! The challenge of Muse on Monday is to write a short story and use the elements listed below. If you’re 18 years old or younger, you…
The Green-Walled Treehouse 