Tag: crime

All Stories, Horror

Beetles by Brandon McWeeney

literallystories2014

The beetles live in the stump out back, festering beneath the rotting remnants of an old dule tree. I call them, and they rise—the black coil of death—thousands of them climbing up, up, up and over each other, hissing and clicking, putting her together like sentient fog. Black fog. Only sometimes, especially when they’re hungry, they don’t quite get her shape right; I appreciate their efforts and reward them dearly, but when they get her wrong, I want to scream.

Continue reading “Beetles by Brandon McWeeney” →
All Stories, Crime/Mystery/Thriller, Short Fiction

The Rules of Love by Arjun Shah

literallystories2014

“You are not here to become a man, because to become a man you must first learn the rules of love,” Vikram Paya, the best of us, began on the first day of the Dhoon School Weekly Newspaper class. “No, my old sons of Bombay, my riotous banchods of Delhi, you fish-eating Bengalis, and the rest of you celestial bodies, suburbanites, the few villagers—you are here to go to better places, because, after all, The Dhoon School is but a waiting-place for Cambridge, for Oxford… for the lucky few of you—here, you will not learn to be great men but exemplary boys…”

Continue reading “The Rules of Love by Arjun Shah” →
All Stories, Crime/Mystery/Thriller, General Fiction, Short Fiction

Bald White Man in His Sixties by J C Rammelkamp

literallystories2014

It started on Facebook, a notice from a neighborhood dog fanciers’ page about somebody dousing a piece of steak with anti-freeze and tossing it over a fence to an unsuspecting dog, which ate the meat and died.  (Apparently these attacks have been happening for quite a while now, and they believe it is the same man.)  Then it was taken up by the neighborhood listserv, the modern-day call-tree, and further warnings about this criminal – described as a bald white man in his sixties – prompted an outpouring of fear and outrage.  (He appears to be targeting pitbull breeds in the Lakeview area of Potawatomi Rapids.)  A vigilante call went out; posters went up on phone polls; you heard nervous chatter in the grocery.  You could practically hear the bugle summoning us to action.  (Let’s work together and catch this guy so no more of our neighborhood pets have to suffer from his horrible acts.  PLEASE SHARE & SPREAD THE WORD!!!)

Continue reading “Bald White Man in His Sixties by J C Rammelkamp” →
All Stories, Crime/Mystery/Thriller

Orders of Magnitude by Kieran Wyatt

literallystories2014

I try to learn one interesting fact a day. It’s best when this happens naturally. A dollop of Fairy Liquid ingested over a period of a few weeks will cause serious sickness. Dollop was Melanie’s word. It was unlike Melanie. Almost onomatopoeic.  

Continue reading “Orders of Magnitude by Kieran Wyatt” →
All Stories, Crime/Mystery/Thriller, General Fiction

Everyone Dies by Danni Meek

literallystories2014

There’s a man in my home.

He’s staring out of the large windows, the ones that I sit by and read my books because they’re the only source of natural light on this side of the apartment. The light from the moon almost gives him a glow, making him look vaguely angelic. It’s almost comedic how ironic that is, considering the fact that he’s broken into my home.

Continue reading “Everyone Dies by Danni Meek” →
All Stories, General Fiction

Jerry’s Last Problem by Jennifer Maloney

literallystories2014

The Doctor is cleaning up Jerry’s mess, as usual. With a grunt, he bends, grabs the dead boy beneath the armpits and drags him toward the stairs. While the Doctor works, Jerry hides in an attic bedroom of their mind, eyes closed, fingers in his ears.

Continue reading “Jerry’s Last Problem by Jennifer Maloney” →
All Stories, Crime/Mystery/Thriller

The Summoned by Alex Sinclair

literallystories2014

(Adult content – refer to the tags at the bottom of the page)

Mick blindsides me as I finish a cigarette and I fight the urge to crack him.

I’ve never liked him. His teeth are black from all the bootlicking and he’s punchable in a way that would make a heavy bag jealous.

Continue reading “The Summoned by Alex Sinclair” →