AUSTRALIAN HORROR AUTHOR

Author: Matthew Tonks

Day 118 – Treat – YouChallenge Short Story

He stands there, staring at the glass window, trying to decide what inside takes his fancy. It’s been a long time, he begins to think to himself, since he’s indulged himself on such a fine treat, scratch that, just a treat, fine or cheap, either way, it’s been a long while. A voice bursts through the speakers of the hospital and he jumps ever so slightly.

“Doctor Everly, can you come to ward B, room twelve,” the voice says, he grumbles under his breath and turns back to the window, looking again at the many different flavours and sizes that the machine holds, his mouth waters as he finally locks his eyes on the prize and he digs into his pockets, pulling out a handful of coins and he rifles through them until he finds what he is after and begins sliding them into the machine.

“So, what did you choose?” A voice asks from behind, he jumps and turns quickly around, looking at the scantily dressed young woman, running his old weary eyes up and down her, before letting out a groan.

“That, is none of your business young lady, why don’t you go and put some clothes on,” he says as he turns back to the machine and continues to put in his money.

“There’s no need to be rude old man, I’ve only been waiting, patiently I might add, for you to make up your mind for the last twenty minutes, so maybe you could just hurry yourself up!”

He stops and turns again, once more looking her up and down, “How dare you, the youth of today have no respect for the elderly, I’ll have you know I fought in two worlds wars to make this world safe for brats like you, so if I want to take twenty minutes choosing a fucking treat, that I rarely ever do, I will do, just that!”

She smiles, “What the fuck old man, you think I give a fuck about what you’ve supposedly done for me? We’re standing in exactly the same position right now, and no bullshit, what I did in the war speech is not going to change a god damn thing, so sure, take your time, I don’t give a fuck, but if anyone has the right out of you and me to be fucking angry, bitter or holier than tho, it’s me, not you?”

“What? You’re just another typical kid who believes the world owes you everything, well girly, I don’t owe you a thing, so why don’t you just run along before you embarrass yourself anymore.”

She grabs him by the collar and slams him into the vending machine, “You stupid old fucking man, I was a passenger in the car you fucking totalled, you took my fucking life from me and act like you don’t even fucking care, so why don’t you run along!”

His jaw drops as the tragic moments that took place before he found himself standing in front of the vending machine rip through his mind like a hot poker, he stopped at his local pub and spent the next four hours getting totally ripped before stumbling back in his car and heading home, he remembers the headlight of the oncoming car, the horn sounding and then the impact and his lip quivers and he looks into the dead girls eyes and realises, that maybe today is not going to play out as planned.

END

The challenge was, ‘old man at the vending machine.’

September 7, 2016
Blogger Recognition Award
What is an award if its not meant to inspire? I can’t tell if that’s supposed to be a statement, question or fact, I guess the question mark makes it a question, anyway, the next part answers it, or does it ask another question? No, that did, but so does this, what is the most inspiring award? An award given to you by a reader, that’s what, see, an answer straight away, instead of strange, crazy, awkward moments spent mulling over the insanity I have been with the first question, that wasn’t really a question, but became one because of the question mark. That answer, the one you just read, before the insane babbling, in a way answers the first question, as readers inspire, and we aim to inspire and entertain our readers. So I think I’ve answered my own questions in this poorly constructed puzzle that I’m sure sounded better in my head. Maybe I should add some mad twist…

“Wait NO! There is no reader, it is I all along!” says the demented, horned beast who tears off the strangely translucent skin like outer layer of its flesh, black sludge slaps to the ground like hot tar and before me now stands some fugly horse with wings poking out of it’s arse, and all I can think of is I hope it does….

Okay, that’s enough, it’s time to be truly serious, you see, I was honoured to receive this award by the little powerhouse blogger Devil Doll Musings, their blog has become a versatile playground for their artistic endeavors. I suggest if you haven’t found yourself over there, you do it, I’m sure you will find something you like, I mean, if your here, reading this, so why not go over and have a read, you won’t regret it.

What are the rules for the Blogger Recognition Award?

For all the nominees, here are the rules if you choose to accept:
1. Write a post to show your award
2. Give a brief story of how your blog started
3. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers
4. Thank whoever nominated you, and provide a link to their blog
5. Select 5 other blogs you want to give the award to (Following the trail of time through bloggers who have passed this on, the amount has fluctuated from blogger to blogger, so really, it should be how many you feel you need to pass onto the rest of your blogging audience.)
SO lets do this.

1> You’re reading it.

2> I guess the briefest, simplistic way I can tell you the story is looking back seventeen years, when I first set up an Angelfire account. Those were the days, I think anyway, my memory is not as solid as I would hope. Anyway, after a bout of trying to write conformed pieces I decided to do away with the thick, hot, sticky rules for a while and do what I felt like doing, and thus the blog was created. A story a day (sometimes more, virtually it’s seeming to be more lately, I’m slowly loosing my grip on reality, I’m sure the stories show that. Or are they sucking up the reality and I’m becoming the story? Oh that could be a good story to write.) Anyway, each day I dedicate an hour to write a story and spend a minimum of 30 minutes on the editing. With the expanding of stories per day the time limit has been smashed a little and most only get 45 minutes all up spent on them. So I feel even though I’m putting more stuff down I’m not spending as much time as I should o each piece. Although, in saying that, I have written some of my favourites in the last few weeks, so, really, does it matter.

3> Two pieces of advice..

First one is easy, read, read other blogs, read as many as you can, so many to the point you don’t have any other time but to read, and diversify, read stuff that you don’t normally read, you’ll be surprised what it inspires in you. Also like, comment and follow, do all of the above, or some of it, but when you see something that needs a comment and doesn’t have one, don’t be shy, comment, let the blogger know what you thought. Sharing is what this is all about, well sometimes, other times it’s about everything else.

Second one is as simple as the first, write, write until blood seeps from your fingernails, write until your eyes hurt. Write on your phone, on your tablet, on your laptop, on your PC. Write on a bus, in your car (not while driving please) when your walk the dog, taking a bath, taking a break. And write about whatever you want, in whatever style you like, play around, change what you’re doing, perfect your skill, and most importantly, have fun doing all of it.

They are, without a doubt, the best tips I can give.

4> Devil Doll Musings, this is a thank you, I guess the above mess of words would’ve never happened if you hadn’t passed this on. But really, thank you for enjoying my insanity enough to place my name on your list, I’m quite chuffed.

5> Okay this is the big one, lets see who I can throw underneath your wheels, this is the hardest part, but here goes….

1> Nguyening It ! A great little artist who over the course of several days will take you though the creation of a sketch, his artwork is prominently comic book related and some of his stuff has just blown me away.

2> Postcard For A Pigeon A awesome site of many things, Dermott Hayes has established himself, well in my eyes, as a versatile, creative, hard working blogger we has quite a few credits to his name. Pop over and have a look around his den if you haven’t3> already, its a journey full of… Well take a look.

3> Insidious Temptation If you’ve got a stomach for what she is serving up, you will be more than amused, entertained and bewildered, you’ll be slapped in the face, and kicked in the groin, all while she smiles at you. So, I say to you dear reader, expect words of colour, flashes of skin, sex and sin, all beautifully wrapped up in insanity with a knife to your throat, and it is, one hell of a ride!

4> Sinisterdarksoul The title makes you expect depths of darkness and horror, violence and hate. But that’s not all you get here, it’s so much more, it’s the journey of a soul, the lamenting of a life, the outstretched arms of a mother, the exposing b…. Okay, I’ve got carried away, let me start again, or somewhere in the middle before the plot was lost. You’ll find here a journey though words, as they take you on ride into melody, feeling, darkness and light, through blood and flesh, through dirt and mud, through all the things we don’t want to see, and all the things we do. Have a look!

5> Jack Crispy A blog dedicated to a short bit of fiction each and everyday, they’re not as deranged as most of mine, but some of them pack bigger punches, take a look.

6> Slasher Monster Magazine When I think of this blog, I think Troma, all messed up, wrong and they know it. You’ll find unusual articles, stories, moments in time and other crazy stuff, so get over and have a look, its more than worth it if you like some small doses of insanity.

7> Yazgar’s Daily Doodle You would know who Yazgar is if you’ve seen any of The Roundhead artwork that’s been placed on the site. Yazgar is the creator of said works, and for the past few months has been challenging himself to doing a sketch a day. So, why not pop on over and take a look, he’s getting more and more adventurous as they days go on.

Okay that’s 7, but don’t be fooled, I follow a whole lot more and feel putting a restriction on the number is silly, although I went over the 5. Anyway, in the end who matters? All the people I follow, I follow for a reason, a simple reason, because I enjoy what they have to offer. It might not be in the same genre as what I write, but, that’s not all I read. So, dear reader, it comes to the end, and, unlike a normal post upon my page, we have all made it out alive.

Till next time…

Place some cool line here I’m sure..

Matt

P.S. I changed the colour of the award because, well, it’s just the way I roll.
September 7, 2016
Day 117 – The Roundhead Prelude 4 – Share Its Sin

**This takes place after chapter one of The Roundhead and before chapter two**

He sits on the toilet, his eyes glued to his iPhone, moving quickly down each line as he nervously reads the story, as he gets closer to the ending, his eyes begin to slowly grow wide with wonder, and anticipation. His mouth slightly opens, a sting of drool drops from it, and runs down his chin, he quickly tries to brush it away with his shoulder, he freezes, and takes a quick, deep breath in, holding onto it as he reads the last few lines of the story, letting out a nervous laugh as he presses the share button and begins writing a comment in the box.

“Sammy are you done in there yet?” a woman’s voice calls from the other side of the door.

“Just a minute Mum, almost!”

“Well hurry up, you’ve been in there for almost ten minutes, remember there are other people who need to use the toilet besides you in this house!”

“I know, just a minute,” he yells back as he presses send on the comment and places the phone on the ground as he quickly wipes himself and flushes the toilet, he pulls his jeans up and stuffs his phone back into his pants and opens the door, his mother is nowhere to be seen.

“It yours!” he yells out, but she doesn’t reply, “Mum, I said I’m done, it’s yours if you want it, although you might want to wait a minute!” but she still doesn’t reply, he walks into the bathroom and half-heartily washes his hands and makes his way to the living room. “Mum, I said I’m done, it’s your….” His words trail off as he walks around the corner and into the living room, where his mother stands, her eyes lock with his and then, slowly guide his towards a pale, flickering image of a man, his eyes black pools of nothingness. Sam feels his body become ridged, tense, frozen, the hair on the back of his neck stands up as the man looks over at him and beings to speak.

“From words said and read, more join its collection of the dead, as it harvests each soul, deep do they sink into its hole, you fear it, you know it, for it has a name, you read it, you spread it, and now your life does it claim, your family now suffers as it comes for you all, so say it, so speak it, for its answered your call, you know its name, you know what will be, so say it, so speak it, say The Roundhead!” and then disappears, his mother slowly looks over to him as the lights in the living room explode, bursting violently, like the forth of July, and then, she begins to scream as Sam feels a towering figure slowly rise up from behind him. He sucks in a deep, long breath and tightly closes his eyes, as he feels something wet, warm, and sticky drip onto his shoulder, and he slowly turns his head, peaking out of one eye.

WILL YOU, SHARE THE FEAR?

FIND PRELUDE ONE HERE, TWO HERE, THREE HERE, FIVE HERE, SIX HERE, SEVEN HERE, EIGHT HERE, NINE HERE AND TEN HERE.

All artwork by Yazgar, check his stuff out when you can!

September 6, 2016
Day 117 – Respect – 50 Word Story Expanded

“Please sir, I was hungry, I’ve haven’t eaten in days, I didn’t want to take it, but I saw you had more…” The boy doesn’t get to finish his sentence as the man slaps him across the face, knocking him to the ground.

“Shut up child, you have made your bed, now you must pay the price with your life!”

“Rademer stop this foolishness,” another man yells as he grabs Rademer by the arm and pushes him away.

“You dare touch me like I am a lowly peasant, are you actually defending this boy?”

“He’s starving for god sake, let him take the bread, you have proven your point, killing him will do nothing!”

“It will do plenty Jensen, it will teach all the other rats out there not to touch what is mine, like you will learn…

If you want to read the final version of this short story, and thirty others, follow the link below, or join the mailing list and get a copy for free!

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September 6, 2016
Day 117 – Standards – Short Story

He sits at the table and looks around the room, the wait staff move quickly and purposely around the room, he looks back down at his watch and breaks another breadstick in half and lets out a sigh.

“I’m sorry to disturb you again sir, but are you ready to order yet?” the waitress asks.

“I guess I might as well, what do you recommend?”

“Sir, it depends what you like, I’d recommend the pork belly, that’s from a personal opinion, as it’s my favourite dish on the menu, but if you are not a fan of pork I would go the…”

“I’ll have the pork belly,” he replies.

She smiles, “Would you like any drinks?”

“The cheapest bottle of red you have on the menu,” he says with a laugh.

“I think I can arrange that for you,” she says as she quickly hurries off back towards the kitchen, he leans back and watches as she disappears through the doorway, catching a backwards glance from her at the same time, he smiles.

“Mister Wilcock?” a voice says, he turns around to lock eyes with an attractive blonde, mid forty’s, obvious dyed hair, skirt leaves nothing to the imagination, he can see the outline of a girdle from underneath her blouse, she holds out her hands and smiles through her over-layered make-upped face.

“Susan?”

“Yes, sorry I’m so late, the traffic in this city is terrible, as are most of the people here,” she says as she raises her hand in the air and clicks her fingers, rolling her eyes in her head. “So hard for people to do what they are supposed to,” she says in an uppity voice.

“Please Susan, allow me,” he says as he quickly gets up and pulls the chair out for her and she sits down, with a smile.

“Why thank you, the words on the grape vine are true about your manners,” she says.

“Manners make the man, that’s what my mother told me anyway,” he says as he lets out a laugh.

“Yes, that’s what all mothers say to their boys, to make sure they know how to treat a woman correctly,” she says, the waitress comes back to the table with a bottle of red and her face drops when she sees the woman sitting there, he catches her eyes and smiles and raises his shoulders as if to say he’s surprised to.

Fiona turns as the waitress places the bottle on the table and her nose wrinkles up her face. “What in heaves name is this trash, do you know who we are young lady? This drivel may be what tickles your inept, uneducated tastebuds but I can assure you that..”

“Fiona, I ordered the wine, there is no need..” He interrupts.

“Don’t apologise for this here child’s inability to correctly bring out a wine fitting of people such as we are David, now off with this trash you poor excuse for a waitress, and fetch us something more too our social standing, and don’t count on any sort of tip tonight my dear, as this inexcu…”

The waitress races off towards the kitchen and David quickly stands up, “Thank you Susan, but you can stop your rantings, as this night is over, I would say it’s been a pleasure, but the fact you were forty eight minutes late and did not even call to let me know you were running late tested most of my patients, if you were not a potential client I would have left a long time ago. I have spent too many of my years surrounded by pathetic leeches like you, who don’t know how to extend even the politest hand to the people who are nothing but courteous to her, don’t attempt to contact me or my company again, as we will not be doing any more work with you are your colleagues, good evening,” he says as he walks away, she sits there dumbfounded.

He makes his way through the doors to the kitchen and is abruptly stopped by one of the staff.

“Sorry sir but you can’t be..”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be mean or anything, I know the rules and all, but I’m looking for the young girl, five foot three maybe, blonde, blue hair, she just rushed in this way.”

“You mean Fiona?”

“Yes, Fiona, which way did she go?”

“Out the back, that way,” he says nervously as he points to a set of doors.

“Thank you,” He says as he slams a fifty dollar note into the man’s hand and quickly makes his way out the back, where he can her someone crying.

“Fiona?” he says, the crying stops and he sees her head pop up from behind some boxes.

END

September 6, 2016
Day 116 – Eyes – 50 Word Story Expanded

“I swear to whatever you hold dear, I’ll kill them all, every fucking single one of them, starting with this bitch. So just try me you slack jawed mother fucker! Now put the fucking gun down!” he yells as he digs the blade into her throat, she lets out a small groan of pain, as a thin flow of blood runs from the knifes edge, quickly he places the revolver onto the ground. He looks up into her eyes, and clenches his fists together in anger. “Slide it towards me and then step back or I’ll slice her from ear to ear hero!” he yells, he quickly obeys and they lock eyes, he feels the hate well up in his stomach, as it burns through him like a hot poker, this maniac has finally pushed his button.

“I’ve done what you asked, now let her go, this is about you and me, she doesn’t need to suffer, none of them do!”

He laughs as he digs the blade in again, harder this time, her skins elasticity begins to give way, and a heaver stream of blood runs from its edge, “You think you’re so fucking big, like this is all about you. But really, I couldn’t give a good god damn fuck about you and your precious little ego. This is about me, this is about what I want to show the world, so why don’t you stop trying to be a hero and accept the fact that you’re nothing, a side note on my list of kills, a zero, just like all the rest.”

“That’s bullshit Stuart, and you know it! Why do all this, why play with me if I’m not some big fish in your little pond? Let everyone go, this doesn’t need to be anything more than it is, just take me.”

“You think I was playing with you?” he says, laughing again, louder this time. “You, you are one funny son of a bitch. Your nothing but a distraction, a magic trick, you’re my sleight of hand, while Sally here, well I hate to drop the curtain and reveal how the trick was done, but she’s a main course, a bona fide target, who you just happened to be in the way of.”

“What?”

“What? You didn’t know about Sally and me? You didn’t know she knew the answers you so longed for? Or did you simply not pay any attention to her when she tried to tell you?”

“But, I-I-I…”

“But you did nothing you stupid fuck, this was all about being here, getting what I wanted, not you, I couldn’t give a fuck if you found me or not. I just wanted Sally, and if it meant having to deal with super hero cop Harry Kellerman, then I would, and I have. Don’t you see? I played your ego so well that you didn’t even think she was in danger, when all along that’s what I wa….” He doesn’t get to finish his sentence as three shots rip into his chest and he slumps forward on top of her, the gun tumbles out of Sally’s hand as she gasps for air, his blood quickly beings to form a thick, warm, sticky pool beneath her. Harry rushes to her side, quickly pulling Stuarts body off of her, and tightly grips her into his arms, tears run down his face, he pulls her back and nervously brushes her hair away as they stare into each other’s eyes.

“Is it over?” She asks.

“It’s over thanks to you, now rest up, you’ll be okay,” he says as he runs a hand through her blood soaked hair, she laughs softly.

“You still haven’t got this lying thing down yet, your eyes give it away,” she says, closing her eyes.

“I’m so sorry, I should’ve listened to you, I should’ve realised what was happening, it won’t happen again, it’ll never happen again, I swear, you’re all that matters, you’re everything.” He says as he hugs her again.

“It’s okay, he always knew how to manipulate people’s perceptions, play to th..”

“In other words, I’m not that stupid,” Stuart says as he grabs Harry by the hair and pulls his head back, slicing the knife across his throat, he grabs at it, clutching for air, as blood sprays out though his hand’s like a busted water pipe, and Sally screams as she stares into Harry’s eyes, his blood washing across her face, and she can, as always, see the truth hiding behind his lies in his eyes.

END

You can read the original 50 Word Story here, I’d be interested in what you think of the full story that came from the short.

September 5, 2016
Day 116 – The Old West – Short Story

“Don’t give me that sort of shit, you do what I need you to do, or I’ll take everything you’ve got and burn it all before your eyes, do you understand?” He yells.

“Yes,” she says softly, he grabs her by the hair and viciously pulls her head back.

“I fucking said, do you understand!” He yells again.

“I fucking understand!” She yells, he tosses her to the ground and spits a mouthful of phlegm and saliva at her.

“You think you can just come here, and walk into my town, from whatever foreign land you come from and think we’ll just accept you, let you take our land, let you take our work, no questions asked?” He says as he walks slowly around the woman. “Well sister, you’ve got another thing coming to you and your kind, I run this town the way I see fit, my rules, no one else, and my rules say you and your slant eyed, pieces of shit can either pay the toll or you can fuck off back to the other side of the world, it’s not such a hard decision to make, so I’ll give you five seconds instead of ten.”

“Leave my family, and go!” a man yells as he dismounts his horse and rushes to the woman’s side. “We came here to make a new life for ourselves and our children, not relive the old one.”

“Listen here you slant eyed fuck, my town, my rules, like I just told your woman, this town works a certain way, you either pay the toll man or you get out of town, you don’t want to leave on your own, I’ll be more than happy to help you out the door.”

“We don’t want any trouble,” he says as he helps the woman to her feet.

“Well, that’s good to know, so pay your donation and we’ll be on our way.”

“We don’t have anything of value, everything..” he doesn’t have a chance to finish his answer as the man smashes him across the face with a powerful left hook.

“You pay, or you leave!”

“Please!” The woman screams as she throws herself at the man’s feet. “We have nothing, please, for the sake of our children, please!” she screams, the man grabs her by the hair and pulls her away, and smiles.

“Maybe, I’ve got a way you can pay,” he says with a chuckle and he pulls her to her feet and rips her dress off, she quickly covers her naked body, he grabs her by the buttocks with one hand and the back of the head with the other and pulls her close and licks the side of her face. “Always fancied myself one of you foreign women, they say you..” he feels the pain first and then black and white spots shoot in front of his eyes as he falls to his knees, he hears yells from the other three men who were with him and his face smashes into the dirt, he looks across the dirty earth, as a stream of blood starts running towards the house, he sees one of the other men hit the ground and the Chinese man drives a vicious kick into the back of his head, his stance solid, strong, skilled, almost like a dancer, then he jumps, high into the air, spinning like a bottle tops, and disappears from view, seconds later he feels the force of a train hit him and then darkness.

END

September 5, 2016
Day 115 – Red Pants – YouChallenge Short Story

“I do not believe you Sharon, you’re making it all up!” she says as she pulls the pillow up towards her face, then slowly looks over the top of the pillow, at Sharon. “Is that what really happen?”

“It’s true, I heard Mum and Dad talking to Uncle Steven last night, apparently that’s how he got Sarah, his girlfriend pregnant.”

“No way, it can’t happen like that, what about the stork?” another girl says.

“It mustn’t be true, it can’t be, Dad was pretty adamant that if Steven hadn’t been thinking with his doodle, he would have never got her pregnant, it sounded like a really horrible thing, but he tried to talk Dad into the idea, he kept saying how he loved Sarah, but Dad just laughed.”

“I want to know what it’s like, I mean, how does it like, go in and all, it looks so floppy.”

“Apparently it gets harder, like really hard so it can be like, pushed inside, you know, the other hole.”

“What? No way?”

“It’s true, that’s what I heard.”

“NO WAY!”

“She’s telling the truth,” another girl outside the circle says, she holds her doll and gently combs its hair, before looking up at the other three girls. “It goes hard and they push it inside, until it injects us with seeds and they grow into babies, and we end up having to push them out of our inside.”

One of the girls scream and another passes out, and Sharon sits there staring at her, her mouth open and a blank expression on her face, “How do you know?”

“I saw my brother Liam do it to his girlfriend,” she says as she looks back down at the doll.

“What did it look like? Was there blood?”

“Why would there be blood?”

“My Mum told me to tell her the day blood starts dripping from my other hole, I was just wondering if it’s normal.”

“Why would blood drip, from your other hole?”

“I don’t know that’s just what Mum said.”

“That’s weird, your Mum’s weird.”

“Is not!”

“Is too!”

“Take it back Nancy!”

“No way, she’s weird just like you, who bleeds from there other hole? Gross!”

A knock on the door freezes them in place and Sharon’s mother pokes her head around the corner.

“Are you girls okay? I thought I heard some screaming.”

“We’re just playing Mum, nothing’s wrong,” Sharon replies with a smile.

“Well, if you need anything just call out,” She says as she goes to leave.

“Mrs Fletcher, can I ask a question?” Nancy asks.

“Of course dear what is it?”

“Why would blood come from the other hole?”

“Sorry?” She asks as her face goes red.

“Sharon said you told her to tell you when blood comes from the other hole.”

“What, I think maybe that’s something for your mother to answer, how did you ever get on to such a subject?”

“Well, we were talking about when a boy puts his doodle inside you it makes babies and Sharon asked if there was any blood, and I said no, and asked why.”

“Forget I asked.”

END

The challenge was, ‘teenage girl sleepover.’

September 4, 2016
Day 115 – New Tides – Short Story

“What does it take to make things work better when they really should just end, it’s a complex question that many people have asked, wait not only asked but attempted to happen, I know how this sounds, it sounds like a confession, but it’s not, because I have nothing to confess to, but if you want the truth, otherwise, don’t ask the question,” he says as he leans back in the seat smiling.

She quickly and nervously grabs a recording device from her bag and sits it on the table between them, “Is it okay if I record this?”

“Do what you want honey, like I said, I’ve got nothing to hide if you want some answers.”

She smiles a nervous awkward smile and he laughs. “Don’t be so nervous pretty lady, I’m not going to bite you, unless you want me to of course?” He laughs hysterically as he sees all the blood drain from her face. “Relax, and just ask your god damn questions,” he says.

“How old are you?”

“That’s a bit personal isn’t it, how old are you?”

“Twenty-seven,” she replies quickly, he chuckles before letting out a huge sigh.

“Five hundred and seventy-seven, or eight, or it could be six hundred and seventy-six, I’m not sure anymore but, it’s a hell of a lot older than your twenty-seven.”

“How were you turned?”

“By an exotic dance named Gabriella, she was double joined in all the right spots and wanted to make me her love slave, but it turned out the other way, she became mine and eventually, I tired of her and left to explore more of the world.”

“Where were you born?”

“In a little town called Vosavia,” he replies as he leans across the table, pulling his dark glasses down. “Now honey, I’m not one to tell people how to do their job, and seriously, you don’t need to pay any attention to what I’m about to say, but a little bit of personality would go a long way, you see I’ve met many people on my travels, some great, others not so great, but if it’s one thing I know, personality, it seals the deal every time.”

She laughs nervously, “I’m sorry, b-b-but, you have to admit, you are very i-i-intimidating,” she says.

He laughs, “Honey, I’ve built everything I am on how intimidating I can be, but right now I am relaxed, what with the world knowing of our existence now, I see it no need to hide in the shadows, it is a new age, one of acceptance, your people have allowed sexes of both genders to marry, to raise families as parents. You allow people of different skin colour and ethnicity to marry and breed, my god, you allow people to get parts of their body attached or detached and change their gender, or people to publicly expose their sex lives and became famous. To me it was only inevitable that us creatures of the night would eventually be part of your world, not only in story but in fact.”

“How many people have you murdered, sorry, turned or drank from over the years?”

“Hundreds my dear, and yes, murdered is such a vile word, I have survived, like you do off animals, that is how we survive, your blood, it feeds our inner workings, it is our elixir,” he says with a smile, and then it slowly fades as she now shows no signs of nerves, and her smell, seems different, harder, and her eyes become sharp and precise, he had become too comfortable and has no time to move as the blade tears through his neck and severs it from his shoulders, she gets to her feet and slams her fist into the air, along with seven others, one who wields the sword.

“Death to the vampires, death to the killers, death to all who are not of our path, so it has been said, so shall it be!”

END

September 4, 2016
Day 115 – Understand – 50 Word Story

“Do you think they’ll understand everything that happened tonight?” She asks, looking up from her glass.

“I don’t fucking understand, and I was there, so no, I don’t,” he says as he empties the contents of his glass into his mouth.

“Then what’ll we tell them?” She asks.

“We lie.”

Go HERE for the 50 Word Story Expanded version of this story, or, if you’re feeling game, try to extend it yourself…..

September 4, 2016
Day 115 – Listen – 50 Word Story

“I really need you to open your fucking ears and take in what I’m about to say. Do you think you can do that Betty?” He says as he leans across the desk towards her. She slowly nods her head, as the remainder of the class quietly giggle to themselves.

Go HERE for the 50 Word Story Expanded version of this story, or, if you’re feeling game, try to extend it yourself…..

September 4, 2016
Day 114 – Strength – 50 Word Story

“It’s not fair, it’s not the way it should’ve went down, I could’ve done better,” he yells as he drives punch, after punch into the bag, his knuckles split open, bloody, his face, bruised and swollen.

“There’s no shame in defeat,” a voice says from the shadows.

“I should’ve won!”

Go HERE for the 50 Word Story Expanded version of this story, or, if you’re feeling game, try to extend it yourself…..

September 3, 2016
Day 114 – Stench – 50 Word Story

His eyes, wide with fright, watch its distorted, unnatural movements as it steps closer, and closer towards him. His nostrils burn, as its stench wafts into his face, he feels the contents of his stomach surge from within and out onto the floor, as the beast now stands before him.

Go HERE for the 50 Word Story Expanded version of this story, or, if you’re feeling game, try to extend it yourself…..

September 3, 2016
Day 114 – Bobby Dazzler – Short Story

“How many times have I told you, not to get involved in shit that’s got nothing to do with you!” He yells at the young man, who cowers away. “Don’t just stand there like a fool boy, answer the question?”

“Too many time,” he says softly.

“Do you want to speak up so we can all hear you Bobby?” He yells as he throws his hands up in the air, making a circle towards the three half naked girls who stand in the office with them.

“Too many times,” Bobby yells out.

“So tell me why you keep poking your nose in on things that don’t concern you? Can you tell me that?”

He stands there silent again.

“Talk to me Bobby, when I ask you a question, you answer, and don’t you make me repeat myself again or I’ll kick your arse!”

“Because it’s wrong.”

“Wrong? Now tell me what’s so god damn wrong about all of this?”

“Everything, you’re a worthless piece of shit.”

“Say what? You better watch your god damn mouth boy or I’ll shut it up for good, now you keep your nose out of my shit, you go back and do your job, or I’ll do more than fire your arse, I’ll kick it into next week,” he says as he points towards the door.

“No.”

“Did you just say no to me? Do you think you’re something special, do you think a punk arse bitch like you can teach me a few lessons?”

“If you don’t stop hitting on the girls I will, they come here to work just like the rest of us, not to be treated like they’re nothing but meat and to fear for their jobs if they don’t do what you ask them to do!”

“Son, I’m the boss, if I want something done, I tell someone to do it, if they don’t do it then they don’t have a job, simple as shit, now you get your arse out of my office, out of my bar and you don’t fucking come back, you understand?”

“No,” he says again.

“You little fucking shit!” He yells as he charges towards Bobby and throws a powerful left hook, he easily out manoeuvres the older man and lays three hard punches up into his ribs, sending the man stumbling across the room. “Fucking punk,” he says through gritted teeth as he charges again, this time swinging multiple punches, left and right, but they all fail to connect, Bobby drives two more into his ribs and a harsh uppercut into his chin, sending him stumbling backwards again, this time though, he rushes forward and continues to throw lefts and rights until the man crashes to the ground, bloody and beaten, one of the girls rushes in front of Bobby and holds her hands up in the air.

“Bobby that’s enough, you’ve proved your point,” she yells.

He spits at the old man and threatens to throw another punch and he cowers away.

“Just like I thought, who’s the punk arsed bitch now? Treat your girls better or I’ll be back you old fuck, I promise you that, just once more, and I hear about it and I’ll knock you down to the ground,” he says as he storms out of the office, the man uneasily gets to his feet and pushes the girl away.

“I don’t need your fucking help,” he growls. “Why don’t you all get the fuck out of my office and get back to work before I beat your..” He doesn’t have a chance to finish his sentence as a fist collides with his face and he crashed to the floor.

“I gave you fair warning, old man.”

END

September 3, 2016
Day 114 – Passion – 50 Word Story

“It’s easy, just put your lips together, and blow, the melody will follow in time,” he says with a smile, she looks up at him, as tears run down her face.

“Please, I-I-I can’t.”

“There’s no such word, as can’t,” he says as he slowly begins to sharpen his knife.

Go HERE for the 50 Word Story Expanded version of this story, or, if you’re feeling game, try to extend it yourself…..

September 3, 2016
Day 114 – Respect – 50 Word Story

“What is a man if he does not have a title?”

“Is that how you see yourself in this world? Is this how you find meaning?”

“Meaning? There is no meaning to be found boy, title brings respect, so, either you respect my position, or die, there is nothing else!”

Go HERE for the 50 Word Story Expanded version of this story, or, if you’re feeling game, try to extend it yourself…..

September 3, 2016
Day 114 – Eyes – 50 Word Story

“Is it over?” She asks.

“It’s over thanks to you, now rest up, you’ll be okay,” he says as he runs a hand through her blood soaked hair, she laughs softly.

“You still haven’t got this lying thing down yet, your eyes give it away,” she says, closing her eyes.

Go HERE for the 50 Word Story Expanded version of this story, or, if you’re feeling game, try to extend it yourself…..

September 3, 2016
Day 113 – Betsy – Short Story

“Don’t be smart Jensen, it’s not your strong suit,” He says as he places the revolver on the table and looks over towards the man who is held back by his arms from another two men.

“Fuck you Palmore, we had a deal, I just want to make sure it’s going to happen.”

“I said it was a done deal, it means it’s a done deal, you’re too paranoid, get with the program and everything will be okay, kick sand and shit goes wrong and more people pay the price than just you.”

“Are you threatening my family?”

“No Jensen, I’m not threatening anyone, we have a deal, why the fuck would I threaten you, we both have a lot to lose if this shit went the wrong way or say the fed’s found out, so why don’t you just relax.”

“Fuck, I’m trying, but, Parker, he knows something, I swear, he was poking his nose around my desk, asking questions, things that screamed the obvious, that’s why I ran, that’s why I came to you.”

“You’re fucking kidding me? Parker was snooping and you got a little bit of wee in your pants and came running here! Seriously, let me just repeat all this, so I know I’m on the right path, but you came running from Parker, to here, where I am, because he was sniffing around at your shit, possibly hinting that he was aware something was up, and then you may or may not have lead that son of a bitch right to my door, shit Jensen are you that god damn stupid?”

“I-I-I-I swear Palmore, I wasn’t followed, I swear, I made sure, I did, I swear!”

“For your sake I hope you fucking d….” a knocking at the door interrupts and Palmore casts a vicious glace towards Jensen. “I’m not expecting anyone,” he hisses.

“I swear Palmore, h-h-he didn’t follow me! I swear!”

“Get him out of here,” Palmore says as he jerks his head towards a door to his left, again someone knocks on the door, heavier this time, more threatening. “Give me a second!” he yells out as he makes his way to the door, as he places his hand on the door handle, the door burst open, sending him crashing to the ground, he doesn’t have a chance to defend himself as a sledge hammer connects violently with his skull and his body flops to the floor like a bag of spoiled potatoes, the man delivers another two hits with the hammers head, sending blood splatter in all directions, as a puddle quickly grows beneath Palmore’s body. The man searches frantically around the room and charges towards the only door, crashing through it as if it was paper, the two men jump in surprise, the first has no time to react as the sledge hammer connects with his face, breaking his nose, left eye socket and jaw, he crashes to the ground. The other pulls out a large blade and attacks the man, digs the blade up into his side, all the way to its hilt. He drives an elbow into the thugs face and pulls the blade free and drives it into his knee, the thug screams out as the man grabs him by the throat, and for a moment, only a second, stares into his eyes, his bottom lip twists and he tightens his grip and pulls backwards, ripping a chunk of flesh from his throat. The thug tries to scream but nothing comes out and he falls to his knees as he begins choking on his own blood, but looks up and raises a panicked hand into the air as the sledgehammer connects with his skull, and then darkness, the first thug lies on the floor, spitting up blood and saliva as the sledge hammer connects, and then the man turns to Jensen who sits on the floor, his mouth open, fear etched over his face, he looks up into the man’s eyes, his face covered in blood, and he smiles.

“Now, before you ran off, I think I was saying something like, I’ve got a sledge hammer in the back of my car, and if you give me a reason to suspect you’ve done anything that’s not in my companies best interests, I’ll introduce you to it,” he says as he raises the sledge hammer and smiles again as he looks back down to Jensen. “So, this is Betsy, she loves to party!” He yells as he drives the sledge hammer down.

END

September 2, 2016
Day 112 – Open Eyes – Short Story

The wind gently blows through the car wreckage, whisking through the smoke that slowly drifts up from the engine, he slowly leans back in the seat and feels the warm flow of blood run down from his forehead, his arm feels hot, but for now, there is no pain. He looks across at the woman beside him and her lifeless, unorganisable eyes stare towards him, he studies her face for some times, trying to catch a glimpse of a memory of her, who was she, was she important to him, should he be upset she’s dead, but more importantly, as it keeps coming to him the whole time he stares at this stranger beside him, who is he? He forces his door open and crashes to the ground with a thud, for the next few minutes he wriggles and writhes on the ground as he feels nothing but pain from his arm, whatever he has done, falling out of the car door aggravated it to no end.

“You right there fella?” a voice yells out to him, he looks around and sees an old man with a long white bushy beard and a red and black patterned shirt on.

“Oh thank god, I thought I was going to die out here.”

“Take it easy, I’ll be down to you soon enough, how the hell did you manage to end up down here?”

“I have no idea,” he replies as he lets out a laugh of relief.

“Anyone else in the car?”

“A woman, but she’s gone.”

“Ah shit, you hold on, I’ll be down soon enough.”

He lies there waiting for the man to get down to him, “Thank god you came along, I don’t know how long I’ve been stuck down here and I don’t remember how it happened.”

“Don’t you worry boy, I’ll be down there soon enough and we’ll get you into town so the local doc can take a look at you,” the old man says, he hears the passenger door to the car open and he can just see the old man drag the woman’s body out of the car, the old man gives him a toothy smile. “I’ll be there in a minute boy.” Its then that he remembers the car swerving and the woman, Jane, her name was Jane. She was screaming at him as the truck smashed into their back again, he lost control, the car swerved and the steering wheel twisted out of his hands as the car smashed into the railing on the side of the road and leapt over the embankment. His eyes open wide with fear as he sees his face, the old mans, all twisted and deranged as he sits behind the steering wheel of the truck as it comes to a stop on the hill.

“You did this!” he screams as he old man comes from around the side of the car, an axe in one hand, and Jane’s body over his shoulder.

“Come on now son, don’t be like that,” he says as the rolls Janes body off his should and it crashes into the ground and with one powerful swing drives the axe deep into his head. “You’ll taste better if you ain’t so afraid.”

END

September 1, 2016
Day 112 Daily Prompt – The Roundhead Prelude 3 – Something Fierce

**This takes place after chapter one of The Roundhead and before chapter two**

“Dare to share? What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s like its slogan, you know, just do it, the taste of a new generation! Shit like that, you know, a catch phrase.”

“Okay, right, I get it now, dare to share. It’s what they want everyone to connect with their story, right?”

“Now you’ve got it sunshine, how long did that take?” She says as she leaps off the couch, a huge smile on her face.

“Leave it alone,” he says, faking frustration, badly, she grabs him by the back of the head and kisses him deeply.

“I still love you, even if you’re a bit slow,” she says, a smile beaming from her face like the midday sun on a sweltering afternoon, his cheeks go slightly red and he smiles awkwardly.

“So, where the hell did you find this?”

“Duh! Where have you been? It’s everywhere, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, fuck, it’s even all over the news on Channel Thirty-One and Sixty-Six,” she says as she pulls out her phone and quickly brings up her Facebook app, diving on top of him. “Look,” she says pointing to several shared images of the story.

“So what’s the deal? Is the story any good?”

“How should I know, you know I don’t like reading, it’s just, boring.”

“Give it here then,” he says as he tries to grab her phone from her, she pulls away and topples off of him and crashes onto the floor, flat on her back. For a few moments everything stops, neither of them move, and then she lets out a groan and he breathes a sigh of relief.

“Are you okay?”

“I’d be fine if you wasn’t such a jerk,” she says, pouting her lips.

“You suck,” he says as he throws a pillow at her, suddenly the lights flicker and begin exploding around the room until they are left in darkness.

“What the fuck just happened?” She says as she scrambles to her feet, the image of a baby giraffe learning to walk is one that he has used many times to describe her awkward, long legs and short body.

“It must’ve been a power surge, pretty big one too, if it knocked out the lights.”

“That didn’t just knock out the lights, it blew them fucking up, do you have a torch?”

“It’s in the middle draw, underneath the oven.”

“Not the sort of night I had planned, but no power leaves us little opti… DEREK!” she screams from the kitchen.

“What? What the fuck’s wrong?” he yells as he rushes into the kitchen, to find her standing in silence, staring at a small girl who stands a few feet away, her eyes closed, her skin, pale, grey almost and something that looks like blood, running from her mouth.

“Are you okay little girl?” Derek says as he slowly walks towards her, nervously reaching out, she looks up at him, her eyes open, soulless, black pools of nothingness stare into his soul.

“’As you travel along this road, everything around you will become slowed, as you watch the darkness sucks you into its wheel of hate, you’ll come to understand that this is much more than your fate, and the only light that you will see, will be at the end of your tunnel, but you’ll never be free!” She screams and then like the lights before, she flickers, and then, disappears.

“W-W-W-What the fuck was that?” Derek says, before they the smell hits their noses, the smell death, decay, rotting flesh, and then, a low, inhuman growl comes from something fierce behind them and they feel it’s warm, wet breath on their backs.

Fierce is today’s Daily Prompt

DO YOU, DARE TO SHARE?

FIND PRELUDE ONE HERE, TWO HERE, FOUR HERE, FIVE HERE, SIX HERE, SEVEN HERE, EIGHT HERE, NINE HERE AND TEN HERE.

All artwork by Yazgar, check his stuff out when you can!

September 1, 2016