“This is it, Aaron,” Joel said as he pulled into the graveled driveway. Aaron noticed that the overgrown weeds that filled the yard had begun to fill the driveway too. The house was two stories high. The paint was chipped and it looked like at one time it was white. “I think I saw this house in a Stephen King movie,” Joel said. Aaron looked at his friend and smiled. “Let's go inside,” Joel said. He opened up the car door...

Devils Island is off thecoast of Michigan, on Lake Superior. There were cabins scattered around the island. Most of the island was unpopulated, except for the park ranger’s office and twenty cabins. Today was Kaitlin’s thirteenth birthday; and as a treat, her parents took her to Devils Island. Since Kaitlin was now a teenager, her parents let her stay in a cabin by herself. The cabin was small and rustic, surrounded by so...

The creature had lived in Maple Rapids all his life, even though he did not know where he came from, did not know how he came to be. He lived in the roots of a large tree. The tree sat next to the Maple River, the roots were partly underwater. What no one knew, there was a small cave under the tree in which he resided. Nobody knew he existed, nobody even gave him a second thought; the tricks he played on the anglers were...

The Master of the House “Look, I tell you, its easy money,” said Mandy. “I don’t know,” answered Glen uncertainly, “what if we get caught. I’ve already got a suspended hanging over me. I don’t want to go down.” Mandy looked at the young man in front of her, contempt barely hidden behind her beautiful ice blue eyes. “We won’t get caught, will we,” she said walking over to him. Glen watched fascinated by the way her body mo...

The fog was rolling in like a throng of ghosts across the field. Its eerie fingers caressed the windows of the old house as the fog rose. In no time at all, it was as thick as the clichéd pea soup. Jessie Fontaine had to walk with her head down to make certain she didn’t trip in a hole. The old farm house was in the middle of a rutted hole-pocked yard in the middle of a barren field in the middle of nowhere. Well, not exa...

The night sky was black, no clouds in the sky, the only light I had was from the moon. There had been recent fires in this area. I could still smell the fresh burnt wood. I don’t really know why people like me would walk through these woods but, I find it like this thing we call life...imperfect. I followed the scent of the fresh burnt wood and found an outcrop with a pond. This place looks like it hasn't been touched by...

The cold seeped through the seams of her flimsy jacket and Kat shivered violently. The icy finger of a zephyr curled its way around her neck like a scarf and raised goosebumps over her back. Impatiently, she pressed the doorbell for a third time. The snow had arrived a month earlier and had not left, lying in a thick blanket that seemed to hold in the freezing temperatures. Unable to cope, public transport had ground to a...

In June 2010 a freak fire gutted a 16th Century farmhouse in Hampshire. During the renovation following the disaster the owners found, concealed beneath the floorboards, the diary of one Joseph Mortimer; a thirty-seven year old land owner of modest holdings, who died in 1583. The details of his fate are vague and his body was never found. Below is presented the final entry. The language has been updated somewhat, but an e...

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood! The Robertsons were just coming home from their summer vacation. The swallows were merrily singing as the mockingbirds mimicked their call. I watched as the gray Lincoln Continental pulled into the driveway and came to a stop. Mrs. Robertson was the first to step from the vehicle as she appeared with a refreshing smile. Mr. Robertson followed, as their two children, Penny and Ma...

Halloween was tomorrow night but would be cancelled. Why? A mandatory curfew because word on the street there is a virus that could raise the dead. ‘This sucks!’ Cara had spent the night at Sara's house. Sara was babysitting her little brother because her folks were out of town. ‘I mean have you even seen anyone that's sick, undead, whatever!’ Cara punched the pillow in her lap. Then jumping up, she began to pace. Her hai...

She wiped another tear from her face. Alone in the woods she let them fall freely. Her weeping soft but her pain felt harshly. Leaves filtered the sunlight that dappled the path. Tisha loved the fact no one and nothing else was here, but her. Tucking a piece of her dark hair behind her ear Tisha reached in her pocket and pulled out the note. It was a break-up letter from her long time boyfriend. 'Jerk.' She muttered.'I ha...

She was a scientist. 30 years old, female. Correction. A Geneticist. Studying the effects of cross breeding. Experimentation they told her. Then she found out they were successful. A hybrid. They incubated a half wolf, half human zygote until they could no longer keep it stable in the chamber. It was not completely formed but once they released it, no one could control it and it escaped. She was attacked. Bitten. What the...

I turned left following the path that led away from the corridor outside the dusty room. The walls were tinged red and cast a ghostly glow. Walking further down the path the faint odor of vinegar grew stronger. When I reached another turn I was surprised to see something within the walls pulsing. The walls quivered and stretched. I knew I should run, or at the very least stay away from the throbbing wall but I was drawn....

The smell of earth and dust made me cough and sneeze. Shifting my body I noticed I lay on a hard, gritty surface. When I opened my eyes I saw motes of dust in the shaft of light above me. It was coming from a small hole in the ceiling. It did not look like sunlight. It just illuminated the darkness with a soft glow. I struggled to a sitting position. I felt a heavy throbbing ache in my upper body but I still tried to sit...

It felt like tiny fireworks were exploding inside my skull. My skin was crawling and my mouth went dry. I scanned the room for a weapon. Anything! Something! I needed to move. I ran to the far side of the room away from the door were I heard the scratching. 'Roberts, come on, think!' I muttered to myself. A faint odor of sulfur crept into the room. I gagged and covered my mouth and nose. It is not everyday I come across m...