Fables

by G.J. Williams

Oblivious of the cowering furniture, he paced up and down, smoking one cigarette after another. The watercolours grew nervous. The cat was nowhere to be seen. That the whole house shook is not to be believed. This was not a house easily shaken.

Open House

by Chuck Augello

Our realtor suggested we make an offer despite the chalk outline of a body on the bedroom carpet. “Some spackle will take care of the bullet holes and those blood stains should clean up quick.” The schools were good and the taxes reasonable and so we agreed, knocking 20K off the asking price due to the ghost weeping in the corner. Because the market was sizzling, we lost to a higher bid. On weekends we drive by and wave to the new homeowners as they sip coffee on the porch, the ghost seated between them enjoying a fresh buttered scone.

The Pill

by Michael Stroh

This new pill makes you an extrovert for four hours, give or take. Right before the bouncer let us in, I swallowed one dry. The thump of bass and swarm of people engulfed me. I was terrified until I started laughing and swaying with hands raised like an idiot. Even met a guy. I let him buy me a drink, and we flirted, and we danced, and I forgot all about the time. He asked for my number as the pill wore off. Panicking and drowning in bodies, I ran for the door, and in the commotion lost a shoe.

The Place Without Insects

by Matthew McEwan

Cicadas chirped under a diamond sun.

The girl with the insect head hid behind bushes, swatting at buzzing flies.

She peered through serrated leaves, to a place of crisp air and champagne sunlight. A place of humans and smiling.

A place without insects.

Before she knew it, she had stepped out.

Hands clasped, insect head hanging, she stumbled over, presenting a wet, trembling palm.

She couldn’t even stutter ‘hello’ before innocent smiles contorted into open-mouthed screams. Brightened eyes; dark, deep, horror.

And they were gone.

The flies buzzed.

Given something sharp, she would have cut her own head off.