Liam Hogan is an Oxford Physics graduate whose award winning short story, “Ana”, appears in Best of British Science Fiction 2016. “The Dance of a Thousand Cuts” appears in Best of British Fantasy 2018 (both from NewCon Press). His dark tale “Groomed” appears in “The Twisted Book of Shadows”, from Haverhill House Publishing. He lives and avoids work in London.
The hunter waited, trembling. Across the glade, his younger sister whimpered into her gag.
It was worth the risk. Worth what his father would do if he found out. Jewels, gold, fame: all it took was the right bait.
There was a rustle in the undergrowth. Into the clearing stepped a unicorn, proud and snorting and priapic.
As he raised his crossbow he felt a horn snag his breeches. Felt it tear the worn fabric. Felt hot breath smelling of freshly cut grass. Heard a gentle snicker as the unicorn’s mate probed further. “First time for you too, farmer boy?”
Liam Hogan
Liam Hogan is an award-winning London based writer. His short story “Ana”, appeared in Best of British Science Fiction 2016 (NewCon Press) and “The Dance of a Thousand Cuts” appears in Best of British Fantasy, 2018. Http://happyendingnotguaranteed.blogspot.co.uk or tweet @LiamJHogan.
Huh. Zombies.
Of course it was zombies. The apocalypse scenario that never dies. The dead reborn through the years. Fast zombies, slow zombies, space zombies. Explained away by genetically engineered viruses, or airborne fungal spores, or alien parasites. All of them after your flesh, if not your brains.
A numbers game; the dead quickly overpowering the living and, after a bite or two, converting hunted to hunter.
There shouldn’t be enough nourishment to keep them all going. Didn’t make sense.
But, as Malcolm smashed through the rotten skull with his Louisville slugger, at least these zombies glow in the dark.
Liam Hogan
Liam Hogan is a London based short story writer, the host of Liars’ League, and a Ministry of Stories mentor. His story “Ana”, appears in Best of British Science Fiction 2016 (NewCon Press) and his twisted fantasy collection, “Happy Ending Not Guaranteed”, is published by Arachne Press. Http://happyendingnotguaranteed.blogspot.co.uk or tweet @LiamJHogan.