Chapter One   I was once a young man riding the long train of my uncle, Pope Calixtus III. I began a career within the Roman Catholic Church. I was full of energy, passion, and a certain amount of intelligence. This led to lucrative appointments– a Cardinal-Deacon at the age of twenty-five, then Vice-Chancellor. With ...

Lula Mae Darling melts behind the cash register of a gas station off Interstate 95. Through the translucent cigarette ads, a faded, peeling South of the Border billboard glows into the night; its hypnotic imagery pressures children into every parent’s nightmare: a roadside amusement pit stop money guzzler. She’s never been. She doesn’t even know ...

The writing bug has not only bit me, but it’s practically swallowed me whole! Lately, I’ve been typing away all day long—sometimes until 8:00 pm. I decided to create a list of creepy writing prompts to help others that may be in search of a few ideas. Also, I’ve included my previous list of eerie ...

I rush home from school. This may be the night. This is our chance to be a normal family. All the insanity waits beyond the wooden dining room table. Nothing else carries the weight of the dinner ritual. If done correctly, it eases my family into the illusion of a peaceful evening; if not, it ...

I base my little tale on the actual life events of my grandfather, Wilburn Elliott. The Elliott characters in the story are all real, and I used their real names. However, the other men who appear in this tale are all fictional people I created to fill in the gaps in the story. You see, ...

Part 1 *** The oracle’s eye sockets were not filled with flesh and veins. Alternatively, where life should have resided, a sickly yellow light took its place. Most of the form of the oracle was, in fact, light. When one gave themselves fully to the power of the gods, the gods remade them. Many who ...

I dedicate this story to my sweet companion Star, who went to ‘Doggy Heaven’ last week.   It was a rainy Friday night, and Lizzie cuddled up with me to watch the premiere of High School Musical. Although the movie was not as interesting as the Food Channel, I can tell that it was something special to ...

“Hadera, you okay?” A stocky man asked one of his longtime colleagues. Hadera jolted from her spot at her workstation as she looked up at the gentleman that startled her. “Oh um…yea, I’m fine. Just…I’m just really tired,” Hadera lied as she tried to adjust herself in her seat. Truth be told, she wasn’t feeling ...

Filled with nervous anticipation, Willie scanned the station. His focus scattered as he looked from face to face, hoping one would be familiar. People bustled everywhere. The troupe glided through the crowd of pedestrians, each man searching for anything out of the ordinary. Tobias lifted Willie on his shoulders to get a better view. “Anything?” ...

Willie walked across the desert, day and night, sticking close to his road companions. His whole body felt like mush. He couldn’t remember exactly when his feet went numb, but he kept them moving. It’s not so easy to start back up once you stop. It’s best to dig in and keep walking until you ...