New Year’s Eve, Party for One: Truth or Dare

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by Zoey Xolton

 

“Dare,” said his exotic drinking companion.

“Alright,” Rowan slurred. “Take it all off.”

The foreign beauty teased her bottom lip between her teeth. “All of it? You sure you can handle that?”

“Try me,” he said confidently.

Roxy smiled, then, one by one, peeled off her garments. Her slinky dress, bra, and G-string slipped down her legs to the floor. She winked at Rowan, before grabbing at her breasts and ripped outward. Flesh tore away, and she slid out of her human suit.

She twirled, showing off her red, demonic form.

Rowan had a heart attack.

Roxanzetherus grinned. “I win!”

 

Zoey Xolton

Zoey Xolton is a published Australian writer of Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and Horror. She is also a proud mother of two, and is married to her soul mate. Writing is her greatest passion. She is especially fond of short speculative fiction and is working on releasing her own collections!
www.zoeyxolton.com

STORMING AREA 51: Survivor Stories

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WORLDS : A Science Fiction Microfiction Anthology

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ANGELS : A Divine Microfiction Anthology

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MONSTERS : A Horror Microfiction Anthology

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A Savage Christmas

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by Shawn M. Klimek

 

After two years imbedded with savage, aborigines, the missionary couple radioed that they had finally mastered the tribe’s primitive language.  It being December, the responding resupply package had included, besides the usual toiletries and fresh batteries, greeting cards signed by the church elders, a giftwrapped, gingerbread stable containing a chocolate nativity scene, and a letter from the bishop urging them to introduce Jesus without further delay.

“The chocolate Holy Family might help,” he suggested.

Radio silence foreshadowed tragedy: the missionaries’ bodies were never found.

The tribe’s oral history, however, cite this as the year white people introduced them to cannibalism.

 

Shawn M. Klimek

Shawn M. Klimek is the middle child of seven creative siblings, a globetrotting, U.S. military spouse, internationally best-selling writer, award-winning poet, and butler to a Maltese.  More than one hundred of his stories or poems have been published since 2018, including in BHP’s Deep Space, Eerie Christmas, and the first six books in the Dark Drabbles series. Find an index of his publications (plus bonus reads) at A Jot In The Dark

BEYOND : A Horror Microfiction Anthology

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12 Drummers Drumming

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by Rowanne S. Carberry

 

Claire runs faster. Heart beating louder than the drumming that surrounds her.

Shadows move closer, the drumming more insistent.

Eyes blur with tears, sweat stings her skin, their faces flash through her mind.

She stumbles.

Sprawled on the ground, 11 people surround her.

Shrouded in black, blood pours from their eyes.

They drum faster, her heart beats with them. Blood pours from her eyes.

One final beat of the drum and her heart – it ends.

Claire is wrapped in a cloak, the 11 wait.

She rises. A drum placed in her hands she beats a rhythm. 12 of them walk.

 

Rowanne S. Carberry

Rowanne S. Carberry was born in England in 1990, where she stills lives now with her cat Wolverine. Rowanne has always loved writing, and her first writing piece published at the age of 15, but her ambition has always been to help people. Rowanne is currently studying for an MA whilst continuing to write, hoping to help people with both. Although Rowanne writes in varied genres each story or poem she writes will often have a darkness to it, which helped coin her brand, Poisoned Quill Writing – Wicked words from a poisoned quill.

 Facebook: PoisonedQuillWriting

Instagram: @poisoned_quill_writing

UNRAVEL : A Crime Microfiction Anthology

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Eleven Pipers Piping

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by Karter Mycroft

 

I raise my flute with trembling hands, rattling my shackles. The others blow in harmony, all shivering, some crying as we slog through another piece.

The man holding the chains scowls.

“Stop dragging.”

I play faster. It is so cold I start choking.

He jerks my bonds, sending me tumbling over the music stand.

“I said stop dragging. Play in time or I’ll start making cuts.”

Tears freeze on my cheeks. I cannot remember when we started playing.

“How much longer?”

His scowl turns upward. He gestures to the corpse at his side.

“Until my love says you can stop.”

 

Karter Mycroft

Karter Mycroft is a Los Angeles-based author and co-host of The Genre Hustle podcast whose work has been published in Lovecraftiana and Murder Park After Dark.