New Beginning

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by Melinda Pouncey

 

It began with a worldwide contagion.Warning signs were ignored, governments slow to respond. It spread rapidly, overwhelming resources, crashing economies. Then, just as quickly as it started, it was gone; and most of the population with it.

They didn’t die, that would have been a mercy. Instead, they lingered on, blind, pale, walking corpses shut up in their homes, afraid to come out into the light. We left them there. We were used to living rough. Now in scattered communities far from the plague ridden cities, we share, we work together.

I never knew there were so many stars.

Melinda Pouncey

Melinda Pouncey is a retired psychologist who enjoys exploring the complexities and scope of the human imagination. She has written numerous short stories and poems in a variety of genres and is, most recently, focusing her attention upon horror and fantasy. Melinda has several drabbles in Black Hare Press anthologies.

The Last One Alive

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by Andreas Hort

 

Every day they trudge around the city on their endless journey for satiation of their hunger. I can imagine their suffering; I’m starving, too. Only not for flesh. For human contact. For the last six years, day after day, I’ve had no one to talk to but myself. I… I think I might be the last person alive.

But there’s a way to satisfy my hunger.

They always travel in packs, you know? They’re never alone. So, I’m gonna head out now, to join them. I’m terrified. Of the teeth, the pain… but I’m more terrified of another day alone.

Andreas Hort

Andreas Hort resides in the Czech Republic. In his free time, he writes and takes steps toward his goal to move to an English-speaking country. His works have been published in several anthologies. He likes chatting with people with similar interests, so feel free to get in touch:
https://twitter.com/TheAndreasHort

Obey

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by Paul J Scribbans

 

“Harry! You promised Dad!”

“I won’t shoot, I’m just using the scope.”

Charlotte glanced uneasily at her older brother. She’d learnt the hard way to obey her parents; Harry wasn’t. Her mother told Charlotte to be quiet last year. She disobeyed and her mom died terribly.

In the gorge below their father was stalking a zombie; machete ready to cleave its skull.

“I reckon I could take it!”

“No, Harry!”

It was too late. The shot shattered the silence. Their father’s knee exploded, and he went down screaming. The children watched in horror as the zombie devoured their incapacitated father.

Paul J Scribbans

Paul J Scribbans is a writer who has lived his entire life in the Lake District, UK. His working background is in Information Technology and he didn’t start writing seriously until his early forties. Apart from writing, he enjoys reading and absorbing himself in the local countryside with hobbies such as trail running and hiking. His genres are Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror which adopt strong environmental and survival themes.

Surprise!

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by Maxine Churchman

 

Sylvia, the bride-to-be, gasped when she saw the highlight of her hen weekend. Charlotte had done well; organising events on the small Caribbean Island to keep everyone partying. Now, at the end of their last meal, a huge pretend wedding cake was wheeled in and sat in the centre of the dance floor. Everyone watched as Sylvia threw the catch.

Laughing changed to screams as the zombie leaped from the cake; pinning her down. She smelled rotten meat as it bit into her face. The last thing she saw was the grinning face of Rob’s ex-fiancé, watching from the crowd.

Maxine Churchman

Maxine Churchman is a mother and grandmother from Essex UK. Her hobbies include reading, hiking, yoga and more recently writing. So far she has concentrated on dark drabbles and short stories but hopes to make progress on a Novel in 2020.
cccmaxine.blogspot.com

Hades 11 by Paul Warmerdam – Launches 4th August 2020

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Paul Warmerdam is a Dutch-American with decades of experience writing stories, who only recently decided to start submitting them. He lives in the Netherlands, where there’s plenty of rainy hours shut indoors with a story in mind.

Read more

Kill the Messenger

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by Shawn M. Klimek

 

Kendra hurried back to the shelter to share the bad news. Dr. Armstrong’s serum had backfired. Despite early hopeful signs, all those treated had eventually regressed. Worse, the contagion seemed to have evolved a new vector. Armstrong had seemed about to explain when he tried to bite her instead. Was it airborne now? She didn’t dare wait to find out.

She banged on the shelter door. “It’s Kendra! Quick! Let me in!”

“Are you alone?”

“Yes!”

“Wounded?”

“No!”

As the door latch clicked, she suddenly couldn’t remember why she had come. But then the smell of flesh called her inside.

Shawn M. Klimek

Shawn M. Klimek is an award-winning writer and poet based in Illinois, credited with more than 150 published works of speculative fiction, horror, and humor. Find a complete index of these (plus bonus reads) on his writing blog, http://jotinthedark.blogspot.com, or follow his ongoing writing and publishing adventures on Facebook @shawnmklimekauthor.