by D Kershaw
Website: www.vonniewinslowcrist.com
Do Do Doo Do Do Doo
by Raven Corinn Carluk
Jessie clicked Rewatch, and everyone sang along. He was too stoned to make the motions, but Rachel and Allison continued to do so. Others on the yacht danced, drank, smoked, and used their devices to add to the view count.
“A billion!” Rachel screamed and refreshed the video. Weary, Jesse got to his feet to celebrate the achievement, nonetheless.
The sea stilled, the air turned to ice, and everyone stopped. The song played on, happy and unaware of the ominous change.
Bass growling joined in, a toothy maw breaking the surface. Everyone screamed in terrors as it sang. “Run away.”
RAVEN CORINN CARLUK writes dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and anything else that catches her interest. She’s authored five novels, where she explores themes of love and acceptance. Her shorter pieces, usually from her darker side, can be found in Black Hare Press anthologies, at Detritus Online, and through Alban Lake Publishers.
Twitter: @ravencorinn
Website: www.ravencorinncarluk.com
The Affair
by Ximena Escobar
She didn’t understand his coldness.
She didn’t understand his restless murmur of here,
and away.
She didn’t understand the cloud of his heart
Buried secrets she felt in her own bones,
cells stirring,
Searching.
She longed for his depth,
Overwhelming reflection of the sky,
Her smallness longed to disappear
in the immensity
of his strength.
He pushed her away,
He warned her with fury,
but
By then she had decided
she was nothing without him.
He got in the way of
Every conversation,
Every blank canvas
Any horizon,
Stretching
Swaying,
Pulling her
Until,
Her bones became one of his secrets.
XIMENA ESCOBAR is writing stories and poetry. Originally from Chile, she is the author of a translation into Spanish of the Broadway Musical “The Wizard of Oz”, and of an original adaptation of the same, “Navidad en Oz”, both produced in her home country. Since 2018 she has published several short stories in various anthologies and online platforms, and is now slowly working on her own collection. Ximena has a degree in Arts & Communication Science and lives in Nottingham with her family.
Facebook: Ximenautora
Twitter: @laximenin
Waking Up
by Steven Lord
The lapping of warm saltwater rouses me from the depths of slumber. I am alive.
I lift my head from the moist sand and look around. White beaches unfurl left and right. Lush jungle in front of me, sea behind.
I am alone. Hundreds set off into the vast ocean of the night, all in different directions. None will follow to this speck of dirt in the void.
I have been baptised, immersed in these foreign waters and born anew. I sit down on this alien shore and watch a second sun crest into the blood-red sky. I am home.
STEVEN LORD is a debut author based in the south of England. He is currently attempting to cram writing in alongside a busy day job, with varying levels of success. While his long-term aspiration is to get a novel published, at present he would be pretty pleased with a drabble or two.
Here There be Monsters
by G. Allen Wilbanks
The old maps used to carry the legend, “Here there be monsters,” in the open uncharted regions of the open sea. It was a warning to all who travelled to be wary of the unknown.
But ancient superstitions were soon cast aside for logic and a thirst to explore the previously unexplored.
Sometimes the old ways were better, the captain thought. A little fear is a healthy thing.
A crack like a gunshot filled the air as the keel of the wooden hull broke in the jaws of the leviathan beneath them.
He cursed and prepared to meet the monster.
G. ALLEN WILBANKS is a member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA) and has published over 100 short stories in various magazines and on-line venues. He is the author of two short story collections, and the novel, When Darkness Comes.
Website: www.gallenwilbanks.com
Blog: DeepDarkThoughts.com
Underwater Jesus
by McKenzie Richardson
Jesus’ arms were outstretched, his eyes gazing upward through the turbid waters to the rippling sunlight above. Divers circled the statue, in awe of the oddity resting on the ocean floor. Barnacles enveloped most of the statue’s surface along with bits of sea plants, giving the entire scene an eerie feel.
Despite the warm waters, a shiver ran down one diver’s spine. With a trail of bubbles rising in his wake, he approached the statue, a hand outstretched to touch Jesus’ face.
What a story this would make back at the office.
As he brushed the statue’s chin, Jesus blinked.
MCKENZIE RICHARDSON lives in Milwaukee, WI. Her horror stories have been featured in various anthologies including Evil Lurks, Pandemic, and After: Undead Wars. She has also published a variety of poems and flash fiction pieces.
Facebook: mckenzielrichardson
Blog: www.craft-cycle.com
Treasure
by Cindar Harrell
I sit in my grotto, playing with my treasures. For centuries I have collected things discarded by sunken ships; what the humans forgot were now mine.
But there is one thing I am most excited to explore. A box made of a material I cannot identify fell from the ruins of an old world. Ships long crashed were buried there amongst the stone rubble. I had never seen it before until today. Of all the wonders there, though, this box spoke to me most.
I open it.
Screams fill my ears as every horror was unleashed.
What have I done?
CINDAR HARRELL loves fairy tales, especially ones with a dark twist. Her writing is often fairy tale inspired, but she also loves mystery and horror. Her stories can be found in various. Traveling is a passion for her as it inspires her imagination to run wild, especially in places that have a mystic presence in the air. She regularly moonlights as another human, but no matter who she is, she is always writing. Her novella inspired by The Snow Queen is set to release in 2020 as well as her debut novel, Lithium, and short story collection, Perchance to Dream.
Facebook: CindarHarrell
Blood Runs Deep
by Andrew Anderson
Skipper Tam was devastated.
He’d taken all possible precautions after last time: compulsory lifejackets; safety lines; relentless health and safety drills.
And yet Ben MacAskill was still lost at sea.
Avoiding a Man Overboard at all Costs: The Dangers of Cold Water Shock and Hypothermia.
Not this time—the safety line had been snapped, and a bloodied lifejacket had surfaced minutes after Ben went under.
Tam was at a loss: how to explain to Mrs MacAskill how Ben had died at sea, like his father, uncles and grandfather before him; that something had clearly developed a taste for this family.
ANDREW ANDERSON is a spare-time writer of microfiction, flash fiction and short stories, from Bathgate, Scotland. His work has been published on FlashFlood and Re:Written, and published in Black Hare Press anthologies.
Twitter: soorploom
Tourist Trap
by Raven Corinn Carluk
“Look at the fishies!” The young women giggled, pointing at a passing shark. Half-dressed, toasty tans, they stood apart from the other tourists on the boat.
Loud, obnoxious, brash, Santiago could hear them all the way up on the deck. Only another ninety minutes until they were back in port.
“Come here, fishy.”
“Go to the den
tist, fishy.”
They sounded like every other college girl down for Spring Break. He couldn’t have told them apart; their faces simply blended together.
Made it easier to tell the police he didn’t remember them. And the sharks never left much to be recognised.
RAVEN CORINN CARLUK writes dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and anything else that catches her interest. She’s authored five novels, where she explores themes of love and acceptance. Her shorter pieces, usually from her darker side, can be found in Black Hare Press anthologies, at Detritus Online, and through Alban Lake Publishers.
Twitter: @ravencorinn
Website: www.ravencorinncarluk.com
Repurposed Beauty
by Chris Bannor
The waters rose, and the oceans were filled with the refuse of a civilization that couldn’t control itself. They built higher and wider, but never better. They made people too busy to realise they were happier without the noise and clamour of three devices, the ding of notifications.
When the cities sank, we took the castoffs and made them beautiful. Coral gardens filled once condemned buildings. Fish swam through the broken windows of long-dead cars.
They feared we might someday rise again, but we preferred to wait in the beauty of our water world.
They would destroy themselves soon enough.
CHRIS BANNOR is a science fiction and fantasy writer who lives in Southern California. Chris learned her love of genre stories from her mother at an early age and has never veered far from that path. She also enjoys musical theater and road trips with her family but is a general homebody otherwise.
Facebook: chrisbannorauthor
Website: ChrisBannor.com
Deep See
by A.L. Paradiso
Here’s another, down deep with his SCUBA. Is he one of the good ones who tries to befriend me, or one who wants to eat me? No way to communicate; how can he know I come from another planet, am smarter than humans, and can advance his race?
Spear gun! Bad human! Quick turn; shoot ink; dive deeper for deep see community entrance. I’ll squeeze into covert again, four legs first, four follow. Happy no bones I have; his big bones can’t follow. Foolish humans. When will they learn to come in peace as we did millennia ago? So sad.
A.L. PARADISO was born in Europe, English is his second language, following Italian—then Latin, Pig Latin, French and assorted computer languages. He lives in upstate NY with three cats. In college he took a dislike to writing of any kind and swore never to try that again. Some years later, influenced by Babylon 5’s creator and his own pressure to write about two traumatic events, he turned to creative writing. As of Feb 2020, he has shared 130+ published stories with others online (> 4.6 million views), in eleven anthologies, DRAGON TALES COLLECTION, and two literary journals.
Amazon: www.tinyurl.com/Paradiso-dragons
Books2Read: books2read.com/ap/RWjj5e/AL-Paradiso
Tidal Waive
by John H. Dromey
“Have you heard? A ruthless lone-wolf pirate, armed only with a cutlass, hijacked a sailing ship. It was a bloodbath. Afterwards, he set down his gore-covered blade and climbed up the mast to display the Jolly Roger with its white skull and crossbones on black cloth. When he came back down, the police were there to arrest him.”
“The police? Not the Coast Guard? I thought pirates operated on the high seas.”
“Not this one. He has thalassaphobia, a fear of the ocean. The ship was in dry dock. A passing motorist recognised the pirate flag and called the cops.”
JOHN H. DROMEY was born in northeast Missouri, USA. He enjoys reading—mysteries in particular—and writing in a variety of genres. In addition to contributing to the Black Hare Press series of Dark Drabbles anthologies, he’s had short fiction published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Martian Magazine, Mystery Weekly, Stupefying Stories Showcase, Thriller Magazine, Unfit Magazine, and elsewhere, as well as in numerous anthologies, including Chilling Horror Short Stories (Flame Tree Publishing, 2015).
Explore the Depths
by A.R. Johnston
People have only searched the surface of the waters. There is so much more below the surface, where there is no light, and no air to breathe. Water is beautiful, but there are things to fear within. Things you have never seen before live in the water; gliding monsters. Be afraid of what you do not know. They will come, these monsters, the most beautiful ones with shimmering scales and teeth that will tear. Or if you’re lucky, they will kiss you, and drag you down to a watery death.
Dark waters are a scary place. Will you go below?
A.R. JOHNSTON is a small-town girl from Nova Scotia, Canada. She is known to write mostly urban fantasy, though she goes where the muses lead her and you never know where that may be. She is a lover of coffee, good tv shows, horror flicks, and a reader of good books. She pretends to be a writer when real life doesn’t get in the way. Pesky full-time job and adulting!
Facebook: arjohnstonauthor
Website: arjohnstonauthor.wordpress.com
Elf
by Lesley Drane
I waited at the quayside whilst my husband negotiated the speedboat hire.
“This beauty is ours for two hours, Elf.” His annoying nickname for me.
Terry jumped in and held out his hand. I was dubious, anxiety creeping along my bones. I couldn’t swim.
“Come on, it’s ok, the cove isn’t far. Then we can finally get to the beach we could only see from the jeep.”
The beach was empty, no boats nearby. Terry jumped into the water, then helped me. He kissed me.
“I love you, Elf, but love the million dollar life insurance more. Bye my sweet.”
LESLEY DRANE is a widow, and lives with her two year old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Stephanie. Lesley enjoys to write stories about the supernatural and murder mysteries. Lesley also makes book sculptures using preloved books.
The Key to a Profitable
Fishing Trip
by Crystal L. Kirkham
“Thick as pea soup out there,” the captain said as he joined me out on the deck.
“Good thing for GPS...” My voice trailed off at the sight of a figure striding across the water. “What the...?”
“Ah, that’s just Davy Jones, come to collect what’s owed.” The captain grinned at me. “We filled the tanks with the best crab this trip.”
“What?” I backed away as a skeletal hand gripped the railing and a creature stepped onto the ship, eyes fixed on me.
The captain said nothing as the creature wrapped its icy fingers around my throat and squeezed.
CRYSTAL L. KIRKHAM is a multi-genre speculative fiction author. She has published novels across several genres including her fantasy adventure Feathers and Fae (October 2019 from Kyanite Publishing) and her self-published urban fantasy series, Saints & Sinners. She is also a contributing author to multiple best-selling anthologies. Hailing from the wilds of Canada, she is an avid outdoors person, unrepentant coffee addict, part-time foodie, servant to a wonderful feline, and companion to three delightfully hilarious canines - Treble and Freddie the Standard Poodles, and Nahni the Australian Shepherd.
Website: www.crystallkirkham.com
Chum
by Evan Baughfman
They became chums upon learning they shared a passion for deep-sea fishing.
Danny’s father had left him a boat. Mikey’s father had taught him how to catch marlin.
Both of their fathers—members of the Mob—had shown their sons how to solve problems “the family way.” Over time, Danny and Mikey became seasoned problem-solvers.
Until Mikey had a kid. Got a conscience. Became the problem.
He swore he’d confess to all their sins.
So, Danny took care of Mikey the family way. Took Mikey on his father’s boat.
Tossed his old chum by the bucketful to sharks circling below.
EVAN BAUGHFMAN works in a very scary place: a middle school! He writes all genres, but hor
ror is where he’s most comfortable. Much of his writing success has been as a playwright. He’s had many different plays produced across the globe. Heuer Publishing has published his Poe adaptation, “A Taste of Amontillado”. Additionally, Evan has adapted a number of his short stories into screenplays, of which “The Emaciated Man” and “The Creaky Door” have won awards in various film festival competitions. Evan’s “Just Plants” was recently published in Soteira Press’s horror anthology, The Monsters We Forgot - Volume 1.
Deep Sea Joyride
by Shawn M. Klimek
Jules twisted the knob on the control panel which would dim the stolen submersible’s interior lights.
“Hey!” Marcel objected. “I’m reading!”
Jules shook his head. “Just outside this view portal are exotic, deep sea creatures most humans have never seen, and your fool face is buried in that book!”