Madelyn's Nephew

by Ike Hamill

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  The big TWO was marked in tall, white numbers that danced against the black face of the building. Liam nodded and limped on. Despite his stoicism, the injury was slowing him down. He knew that the muscles on the left side of his body weren’t working as well as they should. He had the sense that they might never work properly again.

  The door was propped open.

  Liam pulled it open and slipped into the dark interior. The purple glow of the Quiver remote was stronger now. He swept it in front of himself and spotted a sign. Unit seventeen was on the third floor. The stairs might as well have been Denali. Liam limped forward and tugged at the railing with his free hand. Climbing the first step took all of his effort. The second was a little easier.

  He focused on nothing more than raising his foot up to each new tread. Then, with it firmly in place, he mustered every ounce of energy left in his body to elevate to the next level. The constant dripping sound followed him up the staircase. As he rounded to the second flight, leaning heavily on the railing, he realized that the dripping sound was following him because it was coming from him. He left a trail of blood up the metal stairs.

  Liam saw his goal by the glow of the purple pad. The door to seventeen was open. The floor was covered in paper. He nearly slipped on the litter and steadied himself against the wall. When he shuffled on, he left a smeared trail of blood and burned skin behind. Liam continued to the big room of unit seventeen and looked through the windows that took up two walls.

  He didn’t know which direction was west. Between the dark path and the winding stairs, he had lost his sense of direction. He swept the Quiver remote in front of himself, hoping the purple light would show him a clue. In a way, it did. It was brighter when he pointed it towards the windows on his left. Liam spotted the moon through the trees and shuffled in that direction. It had to be west.

  As he reached the window, he could see the dry lake bed down there. The orbs were circling again.

  He tried to remember the exact words of the young woman. Once he got to the west window, he should be able to make contact. That’s what she had said. He should have asked what the hell she meant by that.

  Liam looked down at the Quiver remote.

  Of course it wasn’t a Quiver remote—not anymore. Quiver remotes had never sported that crazy purple glow, and they had never needed a bird’s nest of wires poking from the end. Clearly, someone had taken the old remote and repurposed it in order to fight Zumbidos. Maybe “fight” was the wrong word. Liam propped himself up with a bloody hand against the window. He laughed at himself. He had given his life for this mission and he didn’t even know if he was trying to fight the things. Nobody had really explained it.

  Liam’s eyes began to lose focus. He could feel his body beginning to sway. Consciousness was on the wane.

  He blinked. There was a second purple light from the device. As his vision came back into focus, he saw that he was wrong. The second light was out there, in the distance. He raised the Quiver remote until the lights were side by side in his view.

  He hovered his thumb over the glowing pad. That had to be the signal. Besides, if he didn’t hit the button now, he would probably pass out before he got the chance.

  He pressed down on the pad.

  His device lit up with cold purple fire.

  A line of purple light shot through the window, closing the gap towards the light in the distance. He turned his head to see another bolt of purple light coming at him from the south. His line hit the one in front of him just as the one from the south reached his Quiver remote. Liam was a corner of a giant triangle of purple beams.

  His wet hand slipped on the window. Liam nearly lost his balance. Only the pain from his injured ankle kept him from slipping down farther.

  The triangle pulsed and beads of energy began to course in a pattern around the perimeter. The ebb and flow of the light reminded him of the orbs. Liam slipped again.

  The glow was so bright that he could see himself for the first time. It had been dark when the orbs had sent their burst towards him. He hadn’t gotten a good look at the damage. To be fair, he had been actively ignoring the injury. Now he saw it, and he was appalled. A big chunk of flesh was missing from his side. His jacket, skin, and muscle had been burned away. He saw his own bleached white bone exposed to the air. He could barely believe it.

  For an instant, pride swelled through him. Even devastated by the orbs, he had managed to climb two flights of stairs and continue with his mission. His moment of pride was cut short when his hand slipped again on the glass and he tumbled to the floor. The purple beams cut off as the Quiver remote fell from his grip.

  Liam landed on his burned side.

  The needles of pain were the last thing he felt. His face was twisted in agony as his body let out its final breath.

  The Claiming

  It wasn't her fault.

  It wasn't Lizzy's fault that she saw the cloaked people out in the yard. It wasn't her fault that she was drawn by the moonlight to watch them as they advanced on the house. And it definitely wasn't her fault when people began to die. Lizzy didn't want the strange dreams where she saw how they were killed. Even her sister was starting to suspect her.

  It wasn't fair because it wasn't her fault.

  Lizzy was claimed.

  Inhabited

  They were looking for an adventure—a night of harmless fun. Miguel has a map. Kristin’s friend has the equipment. The mine leads to the cave, and the cave is where they’ll find their fortune.

  But down in the darkness, something waits.

  It needs them.

  The caves hold a secret. They’re Inhabited.

  Extinct

  Channel Two predicted a blanket of snow for Thanksgiving weekend—unusual, but not alarming for the little Maine island. What comes is a blinding blizzard, and a mass disappearance of nearly every person Robby Pierce knows. He and his family flee, trying to escape the snow and the invisible forces stealing people right from the street.

  Miles away, Brad Jenkins battles the same storm. Alone, he attempts to survive as snow envelops his house. When the storm breaks, Brad makes his way south to where the snow ends and the world lies empty. Join Brad, Robby, and the other survivors as they fight to find the truth about the apocalypse and discover how to live in their new world.

  Post Grace

  Grace Anne Orlov died peacefully in her home on Thursday, the 7th. Her husband, John, survives her in body if not in spirit. John studied killers and death, but failed to learn how to live alone after more than forty years of marriage.

  Along with two daughters, a son, two grandchildren, and a stray bastard, John has a lot to figure out.

  What he doesn’t know might kill him.

  Migrators

  Do not speak of them. Your words leave a scent. They will come. Somewhere in the middle of Maine, one of the world's darkest secrets has been called to the surface. Alan and Liz just wanted a better life for themselves and their son. They decided to move to the country to rescue the home of Liz's grandfather, so it would stay in the family. Now, they find themselves directly in the path of a dangerous ritual. No one can help them. Nothing can stop the danger they face. To save themselves and their home, they have to learn the secrets of the MIGRATORS.

  Accidental Evil

  Kingston Lakes is a quiet town. During long summer days, the residents barely have a care. They almost never have to worry about the rise of a bloodthirsty demon who wants to feast on their flesh and enslave their immortal souls.

  Almost never.

  The Hunting Tree

  For thousands of years a supernatural killer has slept in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. An amateur ghost hunter has just woken him up. Now that he stalks the night once more, he's traveling east. Although the monster's actions are pure evil, he may be the only thing that can save humanity from extinction.

  Transcription

  Thomas has found the biggest story o
f his career, and he can’t believe his luck. He’s sitting in the prison cell that at one time housed each of The Big Four, the state’s most notorious murderers. There’s only one problem: he’s beginning to understand what drove them to commit their crimes. He’s beginning to feel their madness.

  Years later, his son suffers a curse. Every night, he’s compelled to transcribe his father’s stories. If he misses a single night, he’ll do something terrible. It has happened before. James has given up everything to his curse, and it controls every moment of his life. James can only imagine what will happen if one of the stories gets out. In the worst case, people will die.

  And the worst case is coming.

  Camp Sacrifice

  Welcome to Camp Sacrifice.

  You’ll find your cabin clean and comfortable, but please bring the following items to get the most out of your vacation this summer:

  1 - personal story of bone-chilling fright

  1 - mirror for summoning spirits

  1 - sharp knife for things that stalk the night

  1 - shovel to dispatch the undead

  Oh, and be sure to cancel your autumn plans.

  Punch List

  Jeff doesn’t want to think about the future. He’s not even sure he can deal with the present. High school, friends who aren’t friendly, and his crumbling family are hard enough. It’s time for him to make a change. Maybe, with a little luck, he’ll survive the summer.

  Wild Fyre

  The perfect technology would anticipate our every need, solve our problems, and answer questions we hadn’t thought to ask.

  The perfect technology would defend itself.

  It would spread everywhere.

  It would kill if it had to.

  In this unique blend of Sci-Fi and Horror, Ike Hamill will bring you into the world of Fyre. The question is, will she let you live?