by Melinda Pouncey Captain Harrington slept with a pistol at hand for both attackers and mutineers. He ran a tight ship, which caused certain…vexations. One night he woke to eerie silence. The door flew open and Pete Turley, the latest recipient of the captain’s justice, shambled in. Skin hung in tattered shreds from his […]
by Michelle Brett “Shall you give your hand or your eye?” There was no reply. The stowaway was too fixated on the knife at his throat. His limbs pinned to the deck by the unwashed bodies. The pirate continued, “You do want to be one of us, don’t you?” With widened eyes, the stowaway […]
by Tracy Davidson Redbeard chose the wrong island to plunder, his ship the first to find it in decades. No sealife swam near, no bird flew over. No human walked its streets. Redbeard’s first mate was first to die, skin shredded by invisible talons. The second was turned inside out, intestines wrapping around a […]
by Simon Clarke Three tides washed over me before you covered me in tar. But still I see you sail by, laughing at me in my cage above the Thames. You see my empty eye sockets, the strips of putrefying flesh, the wind jerking my bones when there is no wind. A final resting […]
by Nikki DeKeuster They smashed them. All of them. My love and devotion lay scattered across the sidewalk outside my cemetery. One flutter of my Luna moth wings and the vandals transformed mid-stride into piles of candy corn, sprawling over the sidewalk. Just like my darling pumpkins. An hour later, the foul candy reverted […]
by Neen Cohen Drips of fat dropped through the barbeque grill and sent flames up into the darkening sky. “Here you go, mate.” James stepped onto the patio and handed Mike a cool beer. “Dinner won’t be long.” The plate hissed as James put onion on to fry. “I’ll go tell the girls.” Mike […]
by Chris Hewitt Tucked off the main thoroughfare, Faerie Things boasted an extensive range of fae ingredients for the magical connoisseur. The soft tinkle of bells announced Peri’s arrival. “Can I help?” asked the rotund proprietor. “Do you have any Faerie wings,” Peri whispered. The shopkeeper licked his lips and locked the door. “What’re […]
by Karen Bayly She watched from the alley, green eyes burning phosphorescent. Tonight, she would snag one, imprison it. Maybe she’d free it—eventually. Most likely she would torture, then kill it. Once, the hunting was easier; lay a trap in the forest deep, and return at her leisure. These days, she relied on stealth […]
by Eddie D. Moore Reed couldn’t believe how small his hands were as he dug and dug. Hours passed and his fingers were bleeding when he finally emerged into the night air. He softly read aloud the name written on the granite stone before him: “Reed Gormley.” Reed felt his wings spread out as […]
by Jacqueline Moran Meyer “Stop,” I yelled, too late. My fiancé had already plopped the lavender cake in his mouth. By the time I reached him, the Faerie had disappeared. I had schooled him on Faerie etiquette ad nauseum. Do not accept gifts. “Didn’t you notice her pointed ears, glimmering skin?” “Yum,” he mumbled. […]