Tag: literally stories

Editor Picks, General Fiction, Latest News, Short Fiction

WEEK 435: Crows; Brilliance and a Fourth of July Salute to the UK

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And the Brain Dead Shall Lead Them

If it weren’t for slogans and bumper-sticker philosophies, management would have very little to say at work meetings. Just the other day, at a meeting, I heard the slogan “Write What You Know” “shared” by a member of the “team” (as anyone who has worked at least one day in life, the preponderance of facetious quotation marks soon becomes obvious). I work in a government warehouse that delivers supplies procured from the “civilian sector” to various locations on base. Cases of toilet paper and flats of bottled water, that sort of stuff. There ain’t a whole lot of writing what I know in that field, yet it got said because it has taken its place among managerial verbal dingleberries such as “Wow, let me look into that and get back to you”–which, translated from management-speak, means “I do not care, and hell will grow petunias before I get back to you.”

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Fantasy, Humour, Short Fiction

SaragunVision ’23 By Leila Allison

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A Nocturnal Visit

I entered my office one morning and discovered a playbill pasted to the window. It was on the outside facing in. A quick check of the spy-cam I recently installed revealed that a Trans Weasel named Penrose had stuck the playbill to my window precisely at the stroke of midnight.

In Penrose’s case “Trans” doesn’t refer to gender (of which she or he is mysterious about). Penrose is a minion of the Witch HeXopatha; HeXy often endows her beloved animal toadies with abilities not normally associated with their species. In that context only, it was perfectly normal that Penrose had morphed into a Flying Weasel.

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All Stories, Science Fiction

Goblins and Ghosts in the Nebula of Ants by Steven Lebow

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There are, of course, spooks and sprites, goblins and ghosts, on every habitable planet in all the galaxies. Even here, in the Ant Nebula.

Are they indigenous to those planets? Or were they brought there by the space travelers who journeyed millions of miles from the earth?

Who knows?

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All Stories, General Fiction

Meeting of the Minds by Neil Jefferies

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One. Two. Three. Four. How. Are. You. Today? One. Two. Three. Four. How. Are. You. Today? One. Two. Three… What is that? A mole? When did that get there? Oh god. Fucking fuck. It’s OK, you’re FINE you ugly hog, you. Ian is going to hate this. You think he’ll take you in? With that thing on your face? Keep dreaming. People, better yet, Canada doesn’t care what’s in that peanut brain of yours, they care about what is covering it up. Go ahead, tell yourself that’s a stupid thought. Tell yourself you’re OK.

‘You are OK’.

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All Stories

Sunday Whoever.

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We consider ourselves extremely fortunate at LS Towers to interact with so many interesting writers. One such who has been with us since 2018 when we published the first of her unusual and fascinating stories. If you haven’t had a look at her back catalogue do yourself a favour and visit L’Erin Ogle forthwith – but read the interview first!

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Latest News, Short Fiction

Week 434 – Thirty For Dave, A Wee White Card You Put A Stamp On And Tony Christie.

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We had someone this week who stated that since we had refused a submission, they reckoned that, in their experience, we would not accept any of their work.

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All Stories, Crime/Mystery/Thriller, General Fiction

Nicholas by James W. Morris

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Charles D called me neurodivergent, which he thought was a good insult but I told him it just meant I wasn’t average, which I’m not. He was flummoxed. A good word, flummoxed. It’s in my Favorite Words book.

Then I remembered to smile knowingly at Charles D, which is something Aunt told me to do with bullies or attempted bullies. Aunt, as she always tells me, knows her shit. Charles D eventually wandered away.

Aunt took me in when Dad died (Mom’s location unknown). Cause of death was organ failure but isn’t it always? A liver fails when you drink too much. A brain fails when a bullet is shot into it. Lungs fail when you drown.

Made a note. Find out a more specific cause of death for Dad.

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All Stories, Horror

Government Assistance by Alyce Wood

literallystories2014

I knew the neighbours’d complain if we let it rot out front again.

It was growin’ dark when the doorbell rang—four thirty dusk in December dark and only a little before curfew. It made me jump, though I’m sure I knew it was comin’, the same way I’d known it each time before (all except the first).

I hovered between the kitchen and the hall and rolled my left foot to grind my big toe in the hardwood. I didn’t want to answer it, but I had to. Nobody else wanted to either, I suppose.

When I shouldered open the screen there was nobody there, like usual. Or nobody livin’.

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All Stories, Science Fiction

Helix by David Henson

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How do I prove humanity isn’t a computer virus? Xander Neurix wonders. He’s getting desperate. Is desperate.

As his wife rubs his shoulders, he bounces his son on his knee. “You’re so tense,” Astra says.

Xander quiets his leg to concentrate on his wife’s massage. “Things at the Chamber are … complicated.” Xander hates to keep something so important from Astra, but is unsure how to tell her about the alarming situation unfolding.

Zaden kicks his heels against his father’s thighs. “More turbulence.” Xander begins bouncing his leg again.

“I need a break.” Astra shakes her hands. “You’re practically living at the Chamber. I thought Helix was requiring less and less from you and your team? We hardly see you.”

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