Tag: literally stories

All Stories, Fantasy, General Fiction

The Empathy Solution by David Henson

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A brawl erupts at the supermarket checkout when somebody cuts in line. You’d think people would be used to it. Such behavior is practically a sport these days — along with running red lights, talking on the phone in restaurants and theaters, coughing and sneezing with uncovered mouths.  Besides, there are worse things. Smash and grabs. Carjackings. Fraud. Embezzlement. Insider training.

Most people aren’t crooks, but jerks are common as cruel memes. The so-called experts say people no longer believe social norms apply because they have no empathy.

It tempts me to become a recluse like my brother.


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All Stories, General Fiction

Nicky by Graham Mort

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She’s there, behind the bar as I walk in. Immaculate white blouse, tucked into a pair of faded jeans. 501’s. Belt buckle tight at the waist. Blonde highlights in a short bob, cut into the neck. Silver ear studs. Big white teeth as she greets me.

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All Stories, Fantasy, Short Fiction

The Last Horologist by Arthur Davis

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I am a horologist.

Secreting myself in this mid-American city of lost souls, I specialize in the art and science of timekeeping. I have been at my craft for more than a century.

The filth in the street, horses and their droppings that smear the city in a perpetual stink, damnable new cars and incessant street noise have become unbearable, as has the lack of civility and morality. Men in terrible pain limp along the streets only able to stand with crutches, leg braces, and wooden limbs. They are the fortunate ones who survived the war.

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Literally Reruns, Short Fiction

Literally Reruns – Troublemaker by Cathy Adams

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Reach a certain age and you become invisible. As I write this I’m sixty-four and have been invisible for a long time. That appeals to me, but the opinion is not universal. There’s something terrible in the human mind that needs to vanish before we can evolve into something better. The sense of tribalism that extends through race, gender and age. I become angry with humor pointed at age, not so much because of my own, but from the cruelty of it. Never punch anyone who may not be in the shape to hit back. Only cowards do stuff like that. Young versus Old is preposterous. It’s like punching yourself in the face.

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All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Short Fiction

Week 484: Omens and Owomens of the Superstitious World; A Week of Good Works; The Latest Ten on the Unsteady Jukebox (Part Three)

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Every night I sit here and bring submissions aboard. Although necessary and the soul of this undertaking, the “hi-how-are-ya” task gets redundant after a while, especially when there are twenty or so waiting. All that politeness and language watching is alien to my being and sometimes I will send a unique reply that either proves that I am not an AI, or if I were one that maybe a refund should be asked for from the Robot Store.

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All Stories, General Fiction

Scarf in the Dark by Crockett Doob

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My doorknob is low. The door is regular-sized, just upside down. But I know that can’t be true because the windows are up top. So my new theory has been that the door was sawed off, like a shotgun. The point is my doorknob is lower than most and is demonstrative of what’s inside: a very small apartment. Or, as I like to call it, “My hallway by the sea.” Because I live in a beach town.

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Fantasy, Humour, Short Fiction

Fairytale of Saragun Springs By Leila Allison

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When a species becomes extinct on Earth, a male and female of the kaput species are secretly stored in the fantasy multiverse, and live and multiply serenely until it is time for their Big Comeback. A sort of reversed, time-released Ark concept. Such is the case with two Passenger Pigeons named Kirsty and Shane. Both are well over a hundred years old because there’s no such thing as permanent death in fantasy realms. No one around here looks too hard into the Why and How of the thing because that might lead to belief in an “Ineffable Hand” and the inevitable buzz-killing, organized religion start-up, which no one wants in a realm where “Do What Thou Wilt” sums up one’s daily To Do list.

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All Stories, General Fiction

Scholars of the Rocks by Yoon Chung

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Seo-woo lay flat on the floor of the shrine. He didn’t know what the g(x) was for equations f(x)=7-4x and f(g(x))=-1. He didn’t really want to because it was only fifteen minutes away from twelve. The four of them were supposed to arrive by noon. Pillowing his head on the book, he went to check their group chat for the fifth time in five minutes. It was quiet, which was good—no one was flaking. He was about to ask where they were staying again when he stopped himself. He’d already asked twice. They had chosen a cheap motel in the fishing village a few kilometers away from his place. They could have stayed at his temple, and he’d said as much, but they were determined not to bother his mom or the visitors.

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All Stories, Horror

The Monster And The Boy by Jaime Gill 

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Today, the monster steps into the world. Today, unhooded, he is seen.

He has done this for many years now, ever since he began to understand the possibilities Halloween offers him. For one night, the town is transformed, becomes a wonderland of the ghoulish and grotesque. A town made for him.

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All Stories, auld author

Auld Author – The Bad Place by Dean R Koontz- by Hugh Cron

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Okay, this is a weird one.
I have a story about a story that has fuck all to do with the story.
Please bear with me.
I’d like to write about Dean R Koontz’s ‘The Bad Place’.
As I have said before, with any of these that I do, I want to tell you more why the book has stayed with me rather than all the technical stuff. I have read six or so of Mr Koontz’s books and have enjoyed them. He does have a tendency to use
children and dogs within his plots. (The dogs, I can forgive – Kids not so much!)
But this book stands out due to it being so random. Here comes the story within a story, well sort of. Years back I read something that stated Bobby Darin had said that he could write anything. Someone, a DJ, I think gave him the line ‘Splish Splash, I was taking a bath’ and well, we know the rest. The reason that I mention this is, I reckon (Wrongly, I might add!!) that Mr Koontz was bet that he couldn’t get these topics into a story.
Telekinesis.
Inter-Planetary travel.
Vampirism.
And hermaphroditism.
By fuck he did!
I give you ‘The Bad Place.’
What a bonkers but entertaining book!!
And I don’t want to spoil anything but I do need to give you one line.
When the MC knows that the evil guy was coming for him, he tried to warn his pal. They were both in a unit for Special Needs. He told his friend, ‘There’s a bad thing coming’ and the wee soul replied, ‘What, poached eggs?’
May sound like fuck all but it makes me laugh every-time I think on it!!
Koontz isn’t my favourite horror writer, I prefer King, Laymon and to me, the best ever, the late great James Herbert. But for something so inventive that, in my mind, has a link to Bobby Darin, I would suggest that you have a look at this book. It is by far, the most inventive book that I have ever read.

Hugh Cron

Hugh