Preview

The following is a little taste of each short story in this compilation, totalling ten short stories.

The Author   *   Mirror Mirror   *   The Sandman   *   My Enemy

The Last   *   Changes   *   Town Spirit   *   Mind Riders

Dream Web   *   Devil's Halo

 

DO YOU DARE?

The Author

“You killed me you bastard!”

The man across the street screamed, pointing an accusing finger in Andrew’s direction.  Andrew looked about him, bewildered, for it had seemed as if no one else had heard him.  He assumed the guy was crazy and everyone else was ignoring him.  He turned back towards him.

“Yes you, arsehole, you killed me!”  The man screamed at Andrew again.

He started to cross the street, stepping directly into the path of an oncoming bus.  Andrew stared in horror as the bus passed straight through him, not slowing or swerving at all, as if the driver did not see him at all.  The man continued walking across the road towards Andrew, appearing again as the bus moved on.  Andrew just stood there mesmerized. 

The man was halfway across the street when a look of recognition crossed Andrews face.  Startled out of his state of shock he ran, he ran as fast as he had ever run before in his life.  Dodging in between people if he could, pushing them out of the way if he could not, ignoring the cries of indignation behind him. He glanced back once, only to see the man standing where Andrew had been only seconds before, laughing, and then he vanished. 

Mirror Mirror

David stepped off the bus into the howling wind, swinging his bag over his shoulder as he watched the bus turn the corner and disappear from sight.  He stared up at the moon as it slid behind a dark storm cloud. Shivering, he drove his hands deep into his pockets, drawing his jacket around him in an effort to keep warm. Then, glancing around he crossed the road to the dirt track that would lead home.

Every night of the week he would commence this journey home after work, a fifteen minute walk from the bus stop, and every night his imagination would play tricks on his mind. Tonight was no different.  He hated the late shift.

With his head down, he trudged along and tried to keep his mind occupied with thoughts on work or anything besides his surroundings.  Then it started: the feeling of being followed, at first he ignored it, but it only got stronger, impressing upon the edge of his mind and eating away at his efforts to keep it at bay, until it exploded into his mind with such force that he spun around, searching the foreboding darkness behind him.  His eyes darted about, probing the night, trying to see whatever it was he could feel. His heart pounded explosively in his ears, making it impossible to hear a thing.

He realized he was holding onto his breath, he forced himself to exhale slowly, and then he drew in a deep shaky breath, the cold air burning his lungs. He started to feel foolish.  Turning around, he continued his journey home. He tried whistling, then stopped, for it sounded eerie in the darkness around him. Deliberately he turned his thoughts inward, attempting once again to block out his surroundings. He thought of Lynn, who was at home in their bed, and quickened his pace, eager to lie down by her side and feel her warm body against his.  He would feel safe when he was home.

His thoughts were disrupted by footsteps behind him, just out of time with his.  He quickened his pace, not daring to look behind him, scared of what he might see.  Or perhaps more frightening was what he might not see.  The footsteps quickened also, still just out of time with his.  He could imagine the figure behind him, its claws reaching out to him gripping around his neck and ripping his head clean off.  Finally, he could take it no more.  He spun around and walked backwards, knowing what he would see: nothing.  He could hear nothing either.  He stopped, listening harder for the footsteps that had also stopped when he had turned around, if they had ever been behind him in the first place.  He stood there and listened in the dark, the wind howling between the trees, waiting for the other to make the first move. 

"Who's there?" he asked finally. "Good one," he thought, "who is going to answer, and as if I want them to. "

The Sandman

Sarah woke, she looked across the room and saw a shimmering in the air above her sisters’ cot, and suddenly she was scared.  Something was happening she knew it.  She tried to call out but found she couldn’t speak or move.  The shimmering grew brighter illuminating the entire room.  Sarah was so petrified she could hardly breathe.  Then a face appeared in the light, looking down on her sister, Andrea..  It was the face of an old man, Sarah wondered if she was seeing an angel.  A hand appeared and reach down to her sister and sprinkled a light dust in to her eyes, a light started to glow from within her sister and then slowly started to rise into the light above her until it became one with the light.  Sarah stared at the mans face as it turned and looked directly at her with his evil black eyes, she knew then it was no angel, she could feel the malice emitting from the light now.  The man started to laugh……

  

                Sarah woke with a start, the laughter from her nightmare still ringing in her ears.  It had been a long time since she’d had that dream, a long time since she had dreamt of her sister.  Sarah’s breathing returned to normal, the bed wet from her sweat.  She looked over at Steven who was snoring lightly, at least she hadn’t disturbed his sleep.  She thought about waking him, then thought better of it as he would ask questions and she didn’t feel like talking about the nightmare.  She got out of bed and pulled on her dressing gown.  Moving quietly, she walked down to Anthony's room to check on him.  He was lying on his side still with the cushion behind his back to prevent him rolling over.  The room was at a pleasant temperature, Sarah felt his forehead, not too hot.  All the things the Doctor had told her to do, she did.

My Enemy

                "I have to end this."  Chris thought to himself.  "Before I get caught."

                He had been cheating on his wife, Rachel, for nearly two months now, and he was sure she suspected something.  It felt so good though, he wasn't happy with his marriage and hadn't been for a few years.  Instead of trying to work it out though, he had buried himself in his job.  Then he had started going out, saying he was working late at nights and going to the pubs and clubs.

                That was when he met Michelle.  She was an attractive woman, quite a few years younger than he was, but she had been fascinated with him and he with her.  There was something about her, something that drew him to her.  It was a powerful feeling.  They ended up going back to her place that night and since then it had been one passionate meeting after another.  He was even taking time off work to be with her.

                And then it started, the feeling of being watched, of being followed.  He started to suspect everyone he knew, and even those that he didn't, of spying on him and reporting back to Rachel.  Even though they had kept it quiet, had been discreet he couldn't help the feeling that the cat was almost out of the bag.

                He pulled into his driveway, today would be the first time in a long time he arrived home on time.  He wondered whether that was a good idea.  He entered his house and paused for a minute.

                "Hi honey, I'm home!" he called out.

                "Chris?  This is a surprise."  Rachel said as she came out from the lounge room.

                Chris kissed her on the cheek and dumped his briefcase in the study.

                "How was your day?"  She asked.

                "Yeah, good.  Pretty busy day, but I decided I'd been working too hard and came home early, you know, so we could spend a good weekend together."

                "Yeah?  Really?  That's great.  Can I talk to you in the dining room?"  Rachel asked, without even waiting for an answer she turned and walked through to the dining room.

                "Oh crap!  She does know!  Man what have I done?"  He thought, panic setting in.

The Last

                The moon slid out from behind the dark storm clouds as Jarrod stepped out of the hotel.  The wind howled passed him, on down the street as if the minions of hell were chasing it.  Jarrod stared up at the clouds as the moon slid back behind them, plunging the street once again into an eerie darkness.  The storm had been threatening to break all night, yet not a drop had fallen.  Lightning flashed in the distance as Jarrod started his journey.

                Jarrod felt himself being watched.  Could feel the supernatural eyes peering at him from above.  It was up there, on top of one of these buildings.  He had been hunting its kind for nearly 20 years, this Gargoyle, however, had been the toughest.  Normally, come sunrise, he could find them and destroy them.  Some he managed to destroy during the course of the night, however that was when they were at their strongest.

                Jarrod continued walking down the street, wondering whether it would attack him first or just follow him.  Sometimes he would go days without sensing it’s presence, he’d almost lost it completely a few times, it was like it was able to move during the day.  Some nights he would locate it and chase it, other nights it would just watch him, always keeping out of his range.  This one had a cunningness about it.  It was fast, furious and strong, yet seemed smarter than the others he had encountered.  He never took any chances though, he always wore his full body chainmail made from Tungsten at night and was always alert.  While his chainmail would stop a glancing blow, maybe even a direct hit, the claws of the gargoyle could still injure him quite severely.  If he was not alert and his reflexes not at their sharpest, he could lose a limb and more often than not it was the head they liked to take.

Changes

  The stars shone brightly in the sky on the warm spring night, paled only by the light of the full moon.  A light, warm breeze flowed through the trees, down the path and across Gabriel's upturned face as he savoured the exquisite night sensations. 

Closing his eyes Gabriel breathed in deeply, the spring scents filling his lungs and lifting his spirits.  Opening his eyes once again he continued walking down the path that wound it's way through the park near his home.

Gabriel loved walking at night, the world was a different place.  He felt safe at night.  Safe from the bustle of the day, safe from the invasion of other people into his calm world.  He enjoyed the sensations of the night, he never felt more alive than when he embraced its eroticism.  Most nights he would start his walks around ten and would not arrive back home until the sun started to rise over the horizon, bringing with it the distractions of the daylight hours.  Sleep was a chore to him.  He hated sleeping, saw it as a waste.  Most people waste a third of their life sleeping.  Not Gabriel, he wanted to experience everything life had to offer him.

He reached the park bench in the center of the park where he usually lay to gaze up at the stars.  Laying down he placed his hands behind his head for support.  The clear night sky gave the stars an unusual bright sparkle to them.  He lay there feeling the light caress of the breeze over his body.

"It's a good day to be alive."  He said aloud.

  Closing his eyes once again he breathed in deeply.  He could feel and sense everything around him and in him all at once.  He could feel himself getting aroused by the sheer sensations.  Could feel the arms wrapping around his body.

  Gabriel's eyes flew open as the shadow above descended upon him, the arms locking him in a tight embrace.  Panic flooded his mind and body.  The night sensations quickly forgotten as he felt a cold pressure on his neck.  He attempted to struggle, his limbs failing to respond.

Town Spirit
 

                Labour pains struck her again as she lay there on the bed surrounded by a team of eager onlookers.  She was breathing harder now.  The time of birth was close at hand.  The hour was upon them.

                Births in the small town of Ravensthorpe where few and far between.  Hence the team of onlookers where there to witness this special event, they where also there to ensure the arrival of the new town member occurred with out complications.

                Ravensthorpe was fairly cut off from the rest of the world and had few visitors.  Most people just passed right on by.  No-one moved to Ravensthorpe so a new birth was an exciting event.  A new-born that survived without deformities would be even better.  Being a small town, cases of incest where common, and deformities where dealt with swiftly. 

                A man in a brown cloak stepped forward and reached unceremoniously between the woman's leg as the babies head began to emerge.  He removed the baby and raised it high above his head for all to see.  It was a boy.  The group murmured their approval as the mother begged for her child.  All seemed to be well until a shriek filled the air, silencing them all.

                The group feel quickly to their knees as one.  All but the man holding the baby aloft.

                A figure emerged from the shadows draped in a black cloak, reaching a long arm out towards the baby, then just before it made contact it retreated rapidly to the shadows.

                "Kill it!"  Came the hissed order from the darkness.

                The man holding the baby aloft passed the baby to another member who scurried out of the room followed by the howls of the mother.

                All the while not a murmur had come from the baby who silently regarded the group with his icy blue eyes.

Mind Riders

            There is a whole world out there that most of us do not know about.  It invades our life on a daily basis, most of us shut it out, ignore it, or do not even know about it.  Then there are others who are not so fortunate.

            I am not talking about paranormal phenomenon such as ghosts.  Invaders from space, that are infiltrating our population.  I am not talking about government cover-ups or the shows you can watch on Discovery Channel or National Geographic to learn about the world of insects.

            I am talking about the world of the Mind Riders.  That is the name I have given them. I am going to tell you my story, wether you believe it or not is up to you.  The same as wether you believe some of the other things I have mentioned.  I do not know what I believe in anymore.  I do know, however, that my mind is open to the possibilities.

Dream Web

                Anna peers through the windscreen, trying to see through the torrential rain as it beat down on her car.  The windscreen wipers seemed to have no effect causing objects in front of her to become distorted through the water. 

                She eased up on the accelerator and pumped the brake gently as she began to get nervous, visions of her car careening out of control and slamming into another vehicle or a pole flashing through her mind adding her trepidation.

                Anna had no idea why she had agreed to go around to Jason's over the phone.  She hated driving in this weather and he knew it.  She turned the music on the radio down so she was better able to concentrate on the road ahead of her.  She was not far from his apartment now and then she would be safe again.

                Rounding the bend she eased her foot off the brake, then back on again, when her foot slipped and pressed down on the accelerator causing the rear end of the car to fish tail out of her control.  She pumped her foot back on to the brake, locking up the rear wheels and causing her car to slide even more uncontrollably. 

                Anna looked up on the downward stroke of the windscreen wipers just in time to see the headlights of a large truck bearing down on her.  She stared wide-eyed like a rabbit caught, unable to react in anyway, just watching death bare down at an alarming speed.

  

                Anna woke up with a fright, gasping for breath.  Her heart racing at an alarming speed as she remembered vividly the truck crashing into her sideways, squashing her in her seat.  She shuddered and drew the blankets tighter around her in an effort to take away the chill she felt in the depths of her soul.  She glanced out the window at the storm that had released its fury on the world.  She felt nervous, usually she loved storms when she was snuggled in her bed.  Not this night however.

                The phone rang, startling her.

                "Who'd be ringing this late?"  She thought.  Then remembered she had gone to bed early, it was not even nine pm yet.

                "Hello?"  She asked.

                "Hey babe, how are you?"

                The chill disappeared as happiness spread through her body like wildfire.

                "Jason.  Hi, I'm good."

                "So you want to come over?"  He asked her.

                Anna froze, her mouth open to answer "Sure", when she remembered her dream.

                "Babe?  You there?"

                "Sorry Jason, I'm here."  She replied, her mouth suddenly feeling very dry.

                "So do you want to come over or not?"

                "Babe, you know I hate driving in this weather.  Why don't you come over here?"

                "Nah, I can't I've had a few drinks.  The weather's not that bad is it?"

                "Haven't you looked?  It is a huge thunderstorm.  I am all alone tucked up in bed, just waiting for my human electric blanket to join me."

                "Don't tease me like this, I have had too many to drive."

                Anna heard a click before she asked.

                "Why not catch a cab?"

                "What was that?"  Jason asked.

                "Did you hear it too?  It is probably just the storm playing with the phone lines."

                "Oh, okay."

                She was about to ask him if he was going to catch a cab again when she heard a thud from another room in the house.  Her heart beat wildly as she realised what the click was that she had heard.

                "Jason?"  She whispered.

                "Babe, why are you whispering?"

                "There is someone in the house with me!"

                She waited for his response.

                "Jason?"  She asked urgently.

Devil's Halo

            The wind buffeted against the hospital windows as the worst storm Fremantle had seen for over a century hit the shores.  The entire foreshore was under water, boats had been thrown onto the piers, through walls into the buildings.  A once beautiful place to see was in ruins.

            The emergency department of the hospital had been flooded with casualties from the foreshore, as the storm had seemingly come out of nowhere.  All weather bureaus had predicted fine weather for the entire week.

            A woman cried out in pain from a room in the maternity ward, drowning out all other noises in the corridor.  Lights continually flickered on and off, threatening to go out altogether.  A few more nurses rushed into the room as the doctor prepared for her to give birth.  They were all oblivious to the man in the corner.

            The woman reached out in his direction.

            "Please don't hurt my baby."  She pleaded.

            One of the nurses hushed her as she administered some more painkillers.

            "Doctor!"  One of the nurses called out urgently.  "Heart rate is rising, blood pressure …."

            Another scream of pain split the air like a knife as the woman's body convulsed, arching her back upwards.  Her stomach swelled to almost double its size.

            The doctor stood there, shocked, as the swelling grew even larger still.

            "Doctor?"

            There was no response.  The man in the corner shifted slightly.

            "Doctor?  What is happening here?"  The nurse asked, backing away with the other two nurses, who still had surgical utensils in their hands.  There eyes were open wide in horror.

            "I don't know."  The doctor replied as the power finally went out.

            "Don't panic."  The doctor barked at them.  Panic seemed to be on the verge of gripping him.  "The emergency generator will kick in any second now."

            Lightning flashed, illuminating the doctors' face, frozen with eyes wide open.  His mouth was agape as if he had been about to add something to his last sentence.  The light faded as his head rolled off his shoulders.  The man in the corner rose above him.