Taran’s Hunt

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by Tracy Davidson

 

No longer a child. Time to prove his manhood.

Some called the strange creatures in the next valley ‘monsters’, others ‘aliens’.

Whichever, they were not welcome.

For three days he watched over their settlement, tracked their movements. Mused over their peculiar shapes, unwieldy gaits, discordant voices.

On the fourth day, one creature wandered off alone, carrying something on a stick.

Taran’s knife broke the creature’s head shell with ease, exposing grotesque bulging

eyes. Taran took them as a gift for his father.

For his mother, he took the colourful cloth on a stick. She would like the stars and stripes.

 

Tracy Davidson

Tracy Davidson lives in Warwickshire, England, and writes poetry and flash fiction. Her work has appeared in various publications and anthologies, including: Poet’s Market, Mslexia, Atlas Poetica, Writing Magazine, Modern Haiku, The Binnacle, A Hundred Gourds, Shooter, Journey to Crone, The Great Gatsby Anthology, WAR and In Protest: 150 Poems for Human Rights.

 

That Healthy Glow

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by Ryan Benson

 

Donna gazed at her reflection.

Sigh.

The straight razor split her unibrow.

Fixed!

She was too ugly for the popular girls and too pretty to avoid catcalling men.

Donna scowled. Circular ears protruded from her hair. Metal reflected light as she slashed cartilage.

The bloody cathartic agony energized the teen.

Full lips brought scorn so she carved them.

She wanted to speak double for herself so she bifurcated her tongue.

Beady eyes grew as lids cut free.

Looking back was a pointed eared, ragged lipped, cat eyed, forked tongued demon.

If she couldn’t blend in, she’d damn sure stand out.

 

Ryan Benson

Ryan Benson previously worked as a researcher/professor in Boston, MA. He now resides outside Atlanta, GA with his wife and children. Ryan keeps himself busy writing short stories. The Sirens Call Publications, Trembling with Fear (Horror Tree), Suspense Magazine, ARTPOST, 101words, and The Collapsar Directive (ZPP) have published Ryan.

Twitter: @RyanWBenson

 

Second Time’s the Charm

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by Becky Benishek

 

He came to her when she had too much to lose.

Wrapped up in her loneliness and wistful fantasy self, she yearned for something to tell her that she was different from the others. Special.

She was old enough to know she’d grow out of it and young enough not to believe it.

Writing at her desk, house quiet, she felt warm eyes at her back, golden gaze offering her the chance to become everything she longed for: the magic, the invisibility, the flying. The recognition. The power.

For a price, of course.

But what matter a soul between friends?

 

Becky Benishek

Becky Benishek is the author of several children’s books, including “The Squeezor is Coming!”, “Dr. Guinea Pig George,” and “Hush, Mouse!” She loves to create stories that help children learn about empathy and believe in themselves. She has an extensive Lego collection, a Commodore 64, and sticks googly eyes on unlikely things. Becky is married with guinea pigs.

Website: beckybenishek.com

 

Better Latte Than Never’s

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by A.L. Blacklyn

 

I’m about to burn. My final thesis is due.

My advisor isn’t bloodsucking as expected from a vampire in Witch Studies, but he can’t help.

Tonight, while the wispy ghosts serving at Never Café at night stay distracted with the zombie-like students, I’m taking the risk of swapping out every drink in the crowded coffee shop. My spider assistants cluster in the corners to observe as I snatch, spell, switch, repeat. Testing.

Wordless screams smother the usual murmur of the shop. I turn to watch one patron writhe, transforming–

Finally!

Fuzzy tentacles on a new chimera wave at the crowd.

 

A.L. Blacklyn

A.L. Blacklyn currently resides in the Southeastern United States. They share a small house with a karate kid who never grew up, a dragon telling stories in human form, and a dog who has repeatedly been mistaken as a fluffy demon. Read more of their darkly fantastical micro-fiction at shadowsinmind.net.

 

First Time

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by Liam Hogan

 

The hunter waited, trembling. Across the glade, his younger sister whimpered into her gag.

It was worth the risk. Worth what his father would do if he found out. Jewels, gold, fame: all it took was the right bait.

There was a rustle in the undergrowth. Into the clearing stepped a unicorn, proud and snorting and priapic.

As he raised his crossbow he felt a horn snag his breeches. Felt it tear the worn fabric. Felt hot breath smelling of freshly cut grass. Heard a gentle snicker as the unicorn’s mate probed further. “First time for you too, farmer boy?”

 

Liam Hogan

Liam Hogan is an award-winning London based writer. His short story “Ana”, appeared in Best of British Science Fiction 2016 (NewCon Press) and “The Dance of a Thousand Cuts” appears in Best of British Fantasy, 2018. Http://happyendingnotguaranteed.blogspot.co.uk or tweet @LiamJHogan.