Are You Afraid of the Dark?: story

Showing posts with label story. Show all posts

Monday, 12 October 2020

October Frights Day 3: Drabble Time with Witches

Today is drabble day and I'm serving up three stories of dark witches. Enjoy.

Curse

“The cursed are mine, only fodder for the worms.”

I shivered, trying to bury the sounds in my pillow. I knew it would do no good.

“Tonight you die.”

I leapt out of bed, unable to stand it. I looked out the window, knowing what I would see. She stood at the edge of the forest. Long ragged hair, shrouded in rags and blue light, her black eyes staring into my soul.

“I will come for you under the twice cursed moon.”

I looked up to see the moon. I heard her laugh and felt a hand on my shoulder.

Lady of Ravens

“Does the Lady of Ravens really walk the forest?”

“Indeed, she does, little one. Best stay away from the woods.” My grandmother ruffled my hair, and I smiled, but didn’t listen. I went into the forest.

“Where are you, Lady of Ravens?”

“Right here.” A dark figure materialized from the air and trees, her clawed hand grabbing my arm, her mouth open to devour me. I screamed, “No, please, don’t kill me!”

“Too late. Unless you trade the one you love the most. Will you trade?”

I nodded. Laughing, she let go.

I ran home to find my grandmother missing.

Caged

“Do you like my little bird?”

The peculiar woman smiled at Arthur; all taffeta and lace ruffles, holding a small gilt birdcage. The creature tweeted at him; a sad little sound.

“Your pet doesn’t seem happy.”

“No, I don’t think he is. Will you set him free?”

Her voice hypnotized Arthur, and he reached out, fumbling with the latch. The bird flew at him in a flurry of wings and claws. Arthur gasped, pain searing through his body, and he passed out. As he regained consciousness, he looked out through gilt bars at a dead man lying on the cobblestones.

Get your free book.
Download Visions and Nightmares from Amazon

And don’t forget our group giveaway with 23 great books available.

Ends October 31st.

Check the books out here.

The October Frights Giveaway

And be sure to continue on with the rest of our hoppers to see what they’re up to.

Night to Dawn Magazine & Books LLC

Always Another Chapter

Spreading the Writer's Word

Yours in Storytelling

Saturday, 10 October 2020

October Frights Day 1: Introductions and Judgement

Welcome to the first day of the October Frights Blog Hop, the annual spookfest where horror and paranormal author get together and bring you creepy scares. The Hop runs from the 10th-15th and we have seventeen participants this year, so join us for some dark delights.

This year, I'm doing a witch/magic theme in honour of my new release, Past Legends (which I showcase on the 15th) and today I have a flash fiction story and a gift.

First the gift.

From October 10th until October 14th you can download my horror fantasy story collection Visions and Nightmares for free! That's right free.

Check it out.

With the odds stacked against them, can these ten women survive... or will they succumb to the threat of revenge, fate, and death?

Wander into the realm of the old gods with Elenora, where humanity and marriage are a prison.
Step through a looking glass of dark horrors with an Alice you never knew.
Join with Zenna to seek the truth as her death by magic grows closer.
Journey with Olivia as she crosses paths with a monster of the forest and runs for her life.
Watch Isobel summon the faerie to solve her problem of an unwanted husband.
Shiver as Doctor Killbride experiments with corpses to create life from death.
All that and more await within the pages.

In the twilight shadows, secrets are revealed in the whispers of madness and the world shifts… Who will persevere? Who will fall? And who will succumb to their inner evil?

Find out in Visions and Nightmares.

Warning: This book contains disturbing scenes that may be upsetting to some readers.

Download for Free

And now here's the story.

Judgement

The dank air stilled, not a whisper of a breeze. Bitter cold seeped into my bones, and little light filtered through the grey sky to illuminate the way. I wanted to turn back, to run screaming from this path, but that was not a choice I could make. The rune mark on my hand condemned me to this fate.
The elders sentenced me to seek judgement for my crimes.
As I arrived at the temple, I saw her, Aresis, Goddess of Judgement. Standing statuesque, pale skin shimmering, and dressed in shining silver robes with a sword in each hand. Her eyes were closed, her expression stark underneath slicked back alabaster hair. I noticed a mark tattooed on her forehead; a match to mine.
I whimpered, and she opened her eyes. There was no running, no hiding now.
She stared at me, glancing at the mark on my hand. “Tell me your crimes.”
I shivered at the soft tone of her voice, and my throat went dry. I croaked, “The elders of my village accused me of heresy. Of breaking traditional law. Of disobedience to the church.”
“These are useless words. Tell me your crimes.”
I swallowed, shaking in fear. I didn’t want to tell her my sins. But I had no choice. “I refused to follow the church edicts. I refused to shun those who the elders deemed unworthy.”
The Goddess frowned. “Who were deemed unworthy?”
I hung my head, my words barely a whisper. “Those who could not, or refused to pay, the church taxes. Those who would not give the gods their due.” I looked up, my eyes pleading for mercy. “But I am a healer. I can not turn away those in need, even if they have wronged the gods. I treated all who came to me for aid and helped those in need.” I sighed and lowered my gaze to the ground. “I never meant to disrespect the gods, but I would do it again.”
I felt her move closer; her icy fingers touched my chin and lifted my head. I stared into her grey, piercing eyes, terror seizing me. Yet, she smiled.
“Good. The gods ask for no monetary tribute, only faith and kindness. You have shown more adherence to the gods than your church and elders. They are the ones that have sinned. And they are the ones who will feel my judgement.”
She stepped back, swinging her swords. They sang through the air, splitting the sky with a razor-edged clang, and the wind howled in a sudden gale that forced me to my knees. Thunder rattled my bones and lightning streaked across the firmament as a bloody rain fell in torrents. My skin and clothes soaked red, and I wept until it ended.
Then I heard the Goddess's voice.
“Return home. Your village will have need for a kind soul and a healer. They will have a need for a leader. The ones they had are all dead now.”
I dared not look at her, only turned and fled, the blood of my accusers stained into my soul.

We also have a group giveaway with 23 great books available.
Ends October 31st.

Check the books out here.

The October Frights Giveaway

And be sure to continue on with the rest of our hoppers to see what they’re up to.

Night to Dawn Magazine & Books LLC
Hawk's Happenings
Heidi Angell
Curiosities
James McDonald
Always Another Chapter
Spreading the Writer's Word
Yours in Storytelling
Carmilla Voiez
Hello Romance
GirlZombieAuthors
Frighten Me
M'habla's!
Angela Yuriko Smith
Brain Matter
NLCARTERWRITES.COM

Tuesday, 15 October 2019

October Frights Day 6: Inktober

For today, the last day of the blog hop I have some visual stories for you.

I've been doing the writer's version of Inktober over on Instagram where you write a 50 word story for each day's prompt. I thought I'd share a few of the graphics I whipped up. Enjoy.

If you'd like to see more of my Inktober writings, check out my Instagram.

So that ends the last October Frights post for this year.

Be sure to hop on over and check out the last offerings of the other participants as well.

Here's the list.

October Frights Blog Hop

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Always Another Chapter

Balancing Act

James P. McDonald

greydogtales

Looking for some new books? It's the last day to check out our October Frights Spooktacular

Sunday, 13 October 2019

October Frights Day 4: Dark Drabbles

Today's offering is small but spooky, with three drabbles...

Knock, Knock

The grandfather clock in the hall ticked in unison with Sally’s fingers as she drummed her digits against the stone fireplace. She barely breathed, her only movement beating against the hearth.

Tick, tap. Tick tap. Tick, tap.

She crouched by the iron grate, staring into the cold ashes. She murmured, repeating the same soft words.

“Can you hear them? Knocking, knocking at the mirror? When it breaks they’ll get out.”

Suddenly her hand stopped and Sally looked up. Somewhere in the hall, a tapping sound reverberated in unison with the ticking of a clock.

And somewhere glass began to crack.

Underneath the World

Can you feel it? That sensation of peculiarity? A strange reverberation of the uncanny running beneath your feet. A thought or two, perhaps the earth is alive with… something? Your step quickens as the twilight deepens. You avoid shadows, and the thickening mist. Who knows what eerie perils lurk in the hidden places? Best not indulge any curiosity. You want to make it home alive.

And there you are, hand on the door, home. Safe at last. All imagings left in the dark.

Yet… are they truly imaginary?

What if it is all real?

What if there is no escape?

Aftermath

In the boneyard, the ashes rained down, velvet grey petals coating the bare ground in a soft layer of soot. Above, the sky still flared with hues of red and purple and the few remaining trees were shrivelled and cracked.

The automatons sorted piles of remains, as they always had, more broken skeletons stacked weekly as the mechanical retrievers brought in the flesh-stripped corpses. It was the way of things now, the clean-up. Years since the end, but the routine went on, a cycle of programming and efficient energy cells.

One apocalyptic war, billions dead, and only the machines remained.

So that ends today's post. Be sure to hop on over and check out the offerings of the other participants as well. Here's the list.

October Frights Blog Hop

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Always Another Chapter

Balancing Act

James P. McDonald

greydogtales

Looking for some new books? Check out our October Frights Spooktacular

Friday, 11 October 2019

October Frights Day 2: Scarecrow

A little creepy story for you today...

Original Image by Screamenteagle from Pixabay

Scarecrow

The air smelled of damp earth and moonlight glistened off the dying corn stalks. I shivered when the cold wind hit my face. The field seemed to stretch for miles, dozens of decaying plants and a grassy meadow beyond. I didn't recognize any of it, but it felt familiar. Something else felt familiar too.
I was scared.
Fear cramping my gut, I crouched behind the withering stalks to hide from… I wasn’t sure. I slowed my breathing, peering between the vegetation, staring into the shadows and the shifting moonlight. I listened, but heard nothing. Slowly I rose and glanced towards the distance, wondering if I could run.
Where? Where would I run?
A dark shape caught my attention. Something stood at the edge of the corn rows. As light drifted into the gloom, I saw outstretched arms, a figure wearing a straw hat, stuck on a pole. I sighed in relief. Just a scarecrow. Then I frowned.
Funny, I didn’t notice it before.
I tried to look away, to search for an escape, somewhere to run, but I kept staring. It drew me in, this black silhouette of a raggedy man stuffed with straw.
Wait, did it move? Must have been the wind.
Except there was no wind.
I shuddered, unable to break my gaze from the scene. Its spindly arms grasped the pole and thrust itself off, the scarecrow landing on the ground with a rustle of grass and a faint thump. I whimpered as it turned and I saw its contorted face and black eyes. I shivered at the sight of its lopsided grin.
I’m dreaming, I must be dreaming.
Straw crackled loudly, too loudly, and the creature lumbered towards me, arms outstretched, fingers curled like claws. Bile and terror surged in my throat but I couldn’t move. It lumbered closer and closer, my brain screaming, but my feet refused to budge.
Run, damn you, run!
But I stood, as immobile as a statue, until I felt the thing’s breath on my face. It stopped, somehow staring with black button eyes. A hand lifted, touching my shoulder. My body went cold and rigid and I screamed. When the sound of my fear faded, I heard its raspy voice speak, even though it’s painted smiling mouth didn’t open.
“Come with me.”
Only then did I bolt, wrenching away from its grasp, stumbling over my feet, racing through the dusky field and across the moonlit meadow. Running, running, always the dim edge of the field in sight, yet…
I glanced back. The scarecrow stood in front of the corn rows watching me. I tripped, falling to my knees. For a moment I closed my eyes. When I opened them I was back among the corn, the scarecrow a foot away.
What is happening?
The plants rustled and the scarecrow moved, kneeling down beside me.
“Stop running. Accept what is to come. What you lost.”
“Accept what?”
“You know.”
I shook my head, terror consuming me. The thing reached out a hand, but I shrank back. If it touched me again, I was done. I knew that.
“Stay away! Stay away!”
I crawled on all fours before scrambling to my feet and racing away from…
I don’t know. I don’t know.
Whatever the thing was it would be the end of me if I let it near. It’s words triggered something in my head, a voice, almost like a hazy memory.
Time of death, 1:59 PM.

That's it until tomorrow, remember to hop on over to check out the other participant's offerings as well. And come back tomorrow for my dark poetry corner.

October Frights Blog Hop

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Always Another Chapter

Balancing Act

James P. McDonald

greydogtales

Looking for some new books? Check out our October Frights Spooktacular

Thursday, 10 October 2019

October Frights 2019 Begins!

Welcome to the October Frights Blog Hop!

It's that time of year again when the blog gets all creepy and spooky and the creatures of the night come out to play. It's time for October Frights. This year during the hop week I'll have some stories for you, some new book covers, some poetry and lots of ghosts and ghouls. So pull up and chair and get comfortable, but be sure to leave the lights on...

We kick things off with a blast from the past and a little story I wrote a while back. Settle in for a strange spooky tale ...

Leaking Out

Drip, drip, drip.

The sound dances with the sunbeams streaming through the bedroom window. It’s a rhythm, a mind-numbing vibration of liquid striking metal. Such a strange sound to hear in the morning, the drip, drip, drip of the tap.

Or is it the tap?

Maybe it isn’t a leak. Maybe it’s something else. Blood flowing through the veins of the house. Drip, drip, dripping someone’s life away. All oozing out over the sink. Or the floor.

I wonder why I thought that?

I smell coffee.

I’m in the kitchen.

How did I get here? I’m not sure. My memory plays tricks these days. Or maybe time is playing tricks. Either way, I’ve gotten used to it. Mostly. But the dripping noise is gone. Maybe it never was. Maybe it was in my head. Probably was. Too many things are in my head.

But I still smell coffee. And toast. He made breakfast. He always made breakfast when we were first married. Or maybe I did. No, that’s not true. He did. He was sweet in the beginning.

I don’t think he’s here anymore. I think he left. But I don’t know why. Why would he leave? None of this feels right. All I know is the house is empty. Shut up tight. It’s so quiet.

And there’s no breakfast on the table. Just dust.

We were happy.

I thought we were happy.

I must’ve been wrong.

Something must’ve been wrong.

Our happiness had cracks.

He didn’t love me.

Or he wouldn’t have… no, I won’t… he didn’t… couldn’t have… he left me?

No.

I left?

Drip, drip, drip.

I can hear it again. The wet noise.

It isn’t coming from the kitchen. It sounds like it’s coming from the bathroom.

But it may not be coming from anywhere, except my head. It’s hard sometimes to know.

I’m standing outside the bathroom door now. But I was just in the kitchen. Wasn’t I? I think I was. Maybe not.

I don’t want to be here. Why? Why do I want to run? Something happened in there? I think it did. My hand is shaking.

I’m afraid.

But I can still hear the dripping.

I open the door.

The room is empty. A cheerless room.

I look down.

The stain’s still there. It’s been scrubbed and scrubbed, but it wouldn’t come out of the tile. Where the blood dripped into the widening pool of red. Bright, bright red. The stain’s pinker now.

It’s even kind of pretty. If I forget what made it.

Blood. Too much blood.

Painted on my memory. Scarlet and screaming, and all jumbled with questions. Why's and how’s. I don’t have answers. I’m not sure I want answers. I might not like them. I’d rather forget. I like it best when I don’t remember it at all. Those are the best days.

But that’s not today. Today’s not a day when I don’t remember.

Today I know what happened.

Someone died.

No, someone was murdered.

I remember.

My husband murdered me.

So that ends today's post. Be sure to hop on over and check out the offerings of the other participants as well. Here's the list.

October Frights Blog Hop

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

The Word Whisperer

Hawk's Happenings

Carmilla Voiez Blog