Okay, thought Ella. Repeat the plan back to me again. She said this while she paced around my hospital bed, where I still lay strapped down by restraints. The slow, monotonous ticking of the clock on the wall accompanied the occasional squeaking of gurneys down the hall. The only sounds as the clock struck 4 ...

Chapter Five *Warning: This story contains thoughts of / attempted suicide I was back in my old apartment bathtub, admiring the complex series of cracks in the ceiling as I drifted asleep, slowly bleeding out. I started to slip, to fade down and away. Lower and lower into the tub until my eyes fluttered closed, ...

For some reason, I always thought that I was safe from ghosts in the daytime. At least, I would never see one outside on a sunny day. This was the backbone of what gave me the courage to accept Joey’s “triple-dog-dare.” I’m sure trying to impress the new girl in our neighborhood who joined our ...

This week we are taking a trip to Elfin Forest. Haunted houses are spooky, but you can leave or move most of the time. Haunted forests and land are a whole different issue, plus San Diego County is less known for its haunted forest and more for its beaches and surfing unless you ask locals ...

The path narrowed as she ran; her lungs burned with each breath. Then, up ahead, a steep incline appeared. She knew the area well enough and remembered there was a small, dark cave to take cover. With little time left for escape, Petra slid down the hill to the cave. Crouching in the darkest corner, ...

Paige sat at the bottom of the front porch poking at the grass with a stick. At fifteen years old, summer break should be a time of fun at the beach and the discovery of life with her friends. Not this time—Paige’s mom often traveled for her marketing job. This summer, her mom must travel ...

Rayna had forgotten what it was like to sit on the front porch—savoring a cup of roasted coffee while a cool, gentle breeze caressed her face. Evenings were even better because she could see the stars twinkling like diamonds in the night. Having a busy schedule teaching and creating lesson plans, Rayna hadn’t had the ...

It was as if the trees sucked the sound out of the world. Not even birds could be heard and Mike felt as if they’d been completely cut off from any other living thing. Nathan commented, “I’ve never heard such silence in a natural environment.” “Nothing about this is natural,” Mike said. Reina rolled her ...

“Arliss Bennett, you were the one who scheduled us a client at 8:00 in the goddamn morning so get the fuck up already!”   Wearily, I rolled over and glanced at the clock. 7:45 AM. Ah, hell. I’d barely slept two hours. No wonder Skena was about to blow a gasket. She must have been ...