Tag Archive for: drabble

New Beginning

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by Melinda Pouncey

 

It began with a worldwide contagion.Warning signs were ignored, governments slow to respond. It spread rapidly, overwhelming resources, crashing economies. Then, just as quickly as it started, it was gone; and most of the population with it.

They didn’t die, that would have been a mercy. Instead, they lingered on, blind, pale, walking corpses shut up in their homes, afraid to come out into the light. We left them there. We were used to living rough. Now in scattered communities far from the plague ridden cities, we share, we work together.

I never knew there were so many stars.

Melinda Pouncey

Melinda Pouncey is a retired psychologist who enjoys exploring the complexities and scope of the human imagination. She has written numerous short stories and poems in a variety of genres and is, most recently, focusing her attention upon horror and fantasy. Melinda has several drabbles in Black Hare Press anthologies.

The Last One Alive

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by Andreas Hort

 

Every day they trudge around the city on their endless journey for satiation of their hunger. I can imagine their suffering; I’m starving, too. Only not for flesh. For human contact. For the last six years, day after day, I’ve had no one to talk to but myself. I… I think I might be the last person alive.

But there’s a way to satisfy my hunger.

They always travel in packs, you know? They’re never alone. So, I’m gonna head out now, to join them. I’m terrified. Of the teeth, the pain… but I’m more terrified of another day alone.

Andreas Hort

Andreas Hort resides in the Czech Republic. In his free time, he writes and takes steps toward his goal to move to an English-speaking country. His works have been published in several anthologies. He likes chatting with people with similar interests, so feel free to get in touch:
https://twitter.com/TheAndreasHort

Obey

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by Paul J Scribbans

 

“Harry! You promised Dad!”

“I won’t shoot, I’m just using the scope.”

Charlotte glanced uneasily at her older brother. She’d learnt the hard way to obey her parents; Harry wasn’t. Her mother told Charlotte to be quiet last year. She disobeyed and her mom died terribly.

In the gorge below their father was stalking a zombie; machete ready to cleave its skull.

“I reckon I could take it!”

“No, Harry!”

It was too late. The shot shattered the silence. Their father’s knee exploded, and he went down screaming. The children watched in horror as the zombie devoured their incapacitated father.

Paul J Scribbans

Paul J Scribbans is a writer who has lived his entire life in the Lake District, UK. His working background is in Information Technology and he didn’t start writing seriously until his early forties. Apart from writing, he enjoys reading and absorbing himself in the local countryside with hobbies such as trail running and hiking. His genres are Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror which adopt strong environmental and survival themes.

Surprise!

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by Maxine Churchman

 

Sylvia, the bride-to-be, gasped when she saw the highlight of her hen weekend. Charlotte had done well; organising events on the small Caribbean Island to keep everyone partying. Now, at the end of their last meal, a huge pretend wedding cake was wheeled in and sat in the centre of the dance floor. Everyone watched as Sylvia threw the catch.

Laughing changed to screams as the zombie leaped from the cake; pinning her down. She smelled rotten meat as it bit into her face. The last thing she saw was the grinning face of Rob’s ex-fiancé, watching from the crowd.

Maxine Churchman

Maxine Churchman is a mother and grandmother from Essex UK. Her hobbies include reading, hiking, yoga and more recently writing. So far she has concentrated on dark drabbles and short stories but hopes to make progress on a Novel in 2020.
cccmaxine.blogspot.com

Kill the Messenger

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by Shawn M. Klimek

 

Kendra hurried back to the shelter to share the bad news. Dr. Armstrong’s serum had backfired. Despite early hopeful signs, all those treated had eventually regressed. Worse, the contagion seemed to have evolved a new vector. Armstrong had seemed about to explain when he tried to bite her instead. Was it airborne now? She didn’t dare wait to find out.

She banged on the shelter door. “It’s Kendra! Quick! Let me in!”

“Are you alone?”

“Yes!”

“Wounded?”

“No!”

As the door latch clicked, she suddenly couldn’t remember why she had come. But then the smell of flesh called her inside.

Shawn M. Klimek

Shawn M. Klimek is an award-winning writer and poet based in Illinois, credited with more than 150 published works of speculative fiction, horror, and humor. Find a complete index of these (plus bonus reads) on his writing blog, http://jotinthedark.blogspot.com, or follow his ongoing writing and publishing adventures on Facebook @shawnmklimekauthor.

This Is Where It Ends

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by Wondra Vanian

 

Everyone knows where it started. This is where it ends.

Seven people are gathered around the fire in a draughty old cabin. They don’t look it, but they’re all that’s left of humanity.

For the next twelve and a half minutes.

That’s how long it will take the shuffling horde to trudge through the snow. After that…

The survivors aren’t fighters; haven’t even seen a zombie since before little Xander was born. They believe they’re safe.

For another nine minutes and twelve seconds, they are. They’ll enjoy the last minutes of Xander’s fifth birthday celebration.

The last minutes of humanity.

 

Wondra Vanian

Wondra Vanian is an American living in Wales with her husband and their army of fur babies. A writer first, Wondra’s also an avid gamer, photographer, cinephile, and blogger. She has music in her blood, sleeps with the lights on, and has been known to dance naked in the moonlight.
https://www.wondravanian.com/

One

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by Chris Bannor

 

For three days my brother and I ran.  We screamed, pushed and pulled, and fought until we were free.  We were both drained, and the house had seemed safe enough.  Distant enough.

They crept in while we slept.

My brother opened his eyes moments after me and I could see the fear.  He heard them too.  There was no escape this time.

“The gun has two bullets,” he whispered.  I’d lied.  There was one.

He was too soft-hearted to pull the trigger anyway, so he never knew.  I was the only one left alive when the zombies began to feast.

 

Chris Bannor

Chris Bannor is a speculative fiction writer who lives in Southern California. Chris learned her love of genre stories from her mother at an early age and has never veered far from that path. You can follow Chris on Facebook @chrisbannorauthor

Exterminate

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by Evan Baughfman

 

They returned with a vengeance, with a hive mind sharing a singular goal:  the eradication of the human race.

They came back bigger than before. Meaner. Angrier.

They had every right to be furious with us, of course.

We’d let them all die. Ignored scientists’ warnings for decades. Caused the creatures’ untimely demise with habitat loss and pesticides.

Now, their swarms were massive and many. They attacked with two-inch-long, mutant stingers. Their venom rotted our brains. Turned us into bloodthirsty, mindless cannibals.

They’d found a way to exterminate us.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t figure out how to exterminate them.

The zombees.

Evan Baughfman

Evan Baughfman is a middle school teacher and author. Much of his writing success has been as a playwright. A number of his scripts can be found at online resources, Drama Notebook and New Play Exchange. Evan also writes horror fiction and screenplays. More information is available at his website www.evanbaughfman.com

An Honest Review

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by Galina Trefil

 

Centuries ago, he’d killed her.

She hadn’t let it go.  Skulking in the back during her book signing, he flipped through the hard copy whose glossy cover was a sensationalized rendition of his medieval portrait. 

Many smear campaigns had been launched against him over time, but he wouldn’t abide one from her, regardless of whether she knew why she was so drawn to hate him.

In the parking lot afterwards, he malingered near her car.  “What do you want?”  She demanded.

“An honest review,” he replied, exposing her throat for the upcoming feast.

Centuries from now, would she write again?

Galina Trefil

Galina Trefil’s work appears in the anthologies “Flock: The Journey,” “First Love,” “Sea of Secrets,” “Coffins and Dragons,” “Organic Ink volume One,” “Curses & Cauldrons,” “Unravel,” “Hate,” “Love,” “Oceans,” “Twenty Twenty,” “Forgotten Ones,” “Suspense Unimagined,” “Mythica,” “Faeries,” “Dark Valentine Holiday Horror Collection,” and “Scary Snippets Valentine Edition.”

Facebook: Rabbi-Galina-Trefil-535886443115467

Bogeyman

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by Andreas Hort

 

“Mm, Liam,” purred the raspy voice. “You look so delicious…”

“Daddyyy!”

Thunderous footsteps. Dad barged into the room.

“What’s going on? Liam?”

“Bogeyman!”

“Again?” Sighing, Dad switched on the light. “Where do you want me to look first?”

Liam wanted him to look in the closet. Empty. Under the bed? Also empty. Outside the window? Nothing.

Liam felt safer; maybe it had only been a dream after all. Dad killed the light, wished Liam goodnight, and left. Liam slid his feet under the covers and closed his eyes.

“So delicious…” Muffled. Under the covers.

Sharp teeth sank into his belly.

Andreas Hort

Andreas Hort resides in the Czech Republic. In his free time, he writes and takes steps toward his goal to move to an English-speaking country. His works have been published in several anthologies. He likes chatting with people with similar interests, so feel free to get in touch:
twitter.com/TheAndreasHort