what happens when you never let go of the ones you love?

    For Vincent, it is the latest in a string of violent events his family has faced since moving to England. But Vincent knows something that the thugs don't: he has in him the spirit of his father who, once upon a time in a far off country, also faced down fear to prove he was Grade A. Stroke of Luck: During a summer cricket match, Alan meets Rachel, and they start a relationship - but soon Alan discovers he is having an affair with a married woman. Though not a happily married one. Rachel's husband abuses her physically and psychologically and Rachel is at her wits' end. Alan vows to protect her - but her husband is not the only one who is a threat. Rachel is being secretly watched... The Walls: When Chris spots a beautiful woman across a crowded restaurant on his business trip to Texas, he never imagines that she would be interested in him, let alone be waiting for him when he returns to his hotel later that evening.As the two strangers talk, the true and haunting reason for their visits comes to light...

    When an oil rig drills too deep under the Gulf of Mexico it breaks the capstone separating our world from the UnderRealms - home to monsters, daemons and dark magiks. The nightmares of our long ago come flooding back into the world where they are met by automatic weapons fire, heating seeking missiles (they're hell on dragons, don'tcha know) and one drunken, dissolute son of a bitch called Dave. But this is not Dave's story. This is the story of the poor bastards who had to put up with him while he saved the world and acted like a jerk.

    That's what Harriet and Arthur Bloomsbury think, but that comforting feeling is a fiction. Hiding among the stone walls, picturesque barns, and hay bales is a horror they can't imagine. It's deadly, impossible -- maybe even paranormal. This short story isn’t your average murder mystery, because this time, the threat isn’t quite so clear. Is it the serial killers hunting you? Your own paranoia? Or the very laws of nature? The suspense is free.

    Originally published in the October, 1933 issue of The Spider.

    McCauleySPILL SITE by Matthew C. FunkA CLEAN WHITE SUN by Mike WilkersonLUCK by Johnny ShawPLUS: an exclusive first look at Tyrus Books upcoming novel from Todd Robinson, THE HARD BOUNCE

    Read a scare … if you dare! Mystery Underground is a collection of scary short stories for kids, middle grade readers, and everyone who likes a good scare. The stories combine the monsters and mystery of Goosebumps with the surprise endings of The Twilight Zone. They are the perfect scary stories to read in the dark, around the campfire, or under the covers at night with a flashlight. States of Emergency includes six short stories from the first three books in the Mystery Underground series. #1: HAPPY HAIRY BIRTHDAY WALLED LAKE, MICHIGAN It’s Cody Wolf’s birthday and a party waits for him. To get there, he takes a dangerous short cut. Halfway along, a snarling werewolf appears in his path. Cody runs but the werewolf pursues. The chase in on! #2: ZOMBIE KING MIDLAND, MICHIGAN Bryce doesn’t want to dress up as something silly for Halloween. He wants to be a zombie. He even calls himself the zombie king. Does he get his wish in the graveyard on a haunted foggy night? #3: DEEP GREEN SEA PENSACOLA, FLORIDA Emma and her family return wearily home after a hurricane. The devastation left behind looks like a zombie apocalypse. But are zombies the scariest things that can rise from the ruin? #4: SECRET OF THE SINKHOLE GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA Brady, Calvin, and Troy discover a sinkhole in a Florida orange grove. There are police cars and flashing lights all around, but no other people. When they climb into the hole, the boys discover the frightening truth about how—and what—causes sinkholes to form. #5: TAR PIT TERROR LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA The fossils of many prehistoric animals—from dire wolves to mastodons—have been found in the La Brea Tar Pits. When Liam and Charlotte discover a saber-toothed cat’s paw, they realize that not all fossils want to be found. #6: NO. 13 PENCIL SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA Jackson is an amazing artist. His drawings of monsters, beasts, and witches are realistic and terrifying. What happens when the creatures come to life? ALSO AVAILABLE #1: MICHIGAN MONSTERS Dive into Terror in the Great Lakes State #2: FRIGHTENING FLORIDA Fear Strikes Florida When the Sunshine State Goes Dark #3: CALIFORNIA CREATURES Beware the Glitter of the Golden State

    

    There's Luke Williams, a young American who's been left in a wheelchair by a drunk driver. Then there's Brian Tully, a wise-cracking bully with connections in Vegas, together with his sheepish family. And finally there's Dan Borowski, an Australian security analyst. Trouble is, Dan isn't there to relax, and though they don't yet know it, nor are any of the others... This short story first appeared in "Storyglossia" in May 2008. Dan Borowski first appeared as a character in "For the Dogs", and this is one of two short stories (the other is "Retrospective") to feature him.

    Struggling with writer’s block and a tight deadline for his new novel, David Pragmore suggests a retreat away from Hartford to his wife, Susan, in order to find fresh inspiration. The publishers want David’s new book to shine in the horror genre, so when David reads about the odd manor with a haunted past, it seems like the perfect place to recapture his muse. But David and Susan quickly discover that some stories aren’t meant to be told.The Haunting of Saxton MansionAuthor Rob Hooper and his wife, Janet, are looking for a quiet place to live. The grandiose, isolated Victorian-style relic is everything they could want. A mysterious, widowed owner offers them a deal that can’t be passed up. But they quickly discover that some things are too good to be true.

    Tired, weak, and nearly broken under the weight of his guilt, he wanders the streets waiting for death to catch up to him. But when he is beset by bandits, he gains a new perspective. Maybe he doesn't have to feel guilty about feeding, after all.Theron - Theron travels by ship to his long ago home of Athens, Greece. He soon discovers the Council of Thirteen has put a price on his head so large every Bachiyr in the city will try to collect it, which leads to a very tense reunion with an old lover.The Ugliest Thing, by Daniel Arenson - Just what is it about the image in the telescope that makes people lose their sanity? Is it worth the risk to see for yourself?Also included is a preview of 61 A.D., the thrilling sequel to David's 2010 horror bestseller, 33 A.D.

    Winston K. Marks (1915-1979) is one such unjustly forgotten author.Included here are 12 science fiction stories, published between 1953 and 1959, representing some of his best work:THE WATER EATER (1953)UNBEGOTTEN CHILD (1953)…SO THEY BAKED A CAKE (1954)BACKLASH (1954)TABBY (1954)BREEDER REACTION (1954)FORSYTE'S RETREAT (1954)MATE IN TWO MOVES (1954)THE TEST COLONY (1954)BROWN JOHN’S BODY (1955)THE MIND DIGGER (1958)THE DEADLY DAUGHTERS (1958)If you enjoy this book, search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see the more than 100 other entries in the series, covering science fiction, modern authors, mysteries, westerns, classics, adventure stories, and much, much more!

    It always does."In a big house in the English countryside, a reclusive and increasingly unstable author toils over a book which will close the best-selling trilogy of Jade Nexus fantasy novels.Speculation and rumour are rife among hardcore Jade Nexus fans that their heroine will die at the hotly-anticipated novel’s conclusion - a possibility against which they have begun to loudly protest via social media as the release date nears.How do you deal with such intense pressure? How do you cope with distractions to your work such as a violent intruder, panicked messages from your agent and a potential love interest moving into the cottage across the field? And far worse than any of those problems... what do you do about the Beast in your basement?BEAST IN THE BASEMENT is a contemporary horror novella about obsession, revenge, censorship, blame culture and parental responsibility. A dark tale with a real kick.Read it fast before someone spoilers you!Author Jason Arnopp's previous credits include the feature film STORMHOUSE, DOCTOR WHO: THE GEMINI CONTAGION, THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES: DEADLY DOWNLOAD and the New Line Cinema novel FRIDAY THE 13TH: HATE-KILL-REPEAT. He is also the author of the non-fiction Kindle book HOW TO INTERVIEW DOCTOR WHO, OZZY OSBOURNE AND EVERYONE ELSE.Parental advice: this novella features strong bloody violence, profanity and some sexual scenes. Not recommended for minors.

     Someone with the same habits, the same hobbies, the same interests. She wants The One. And she will do anything to find her. If you like a quick, little read with a touch of romance, a touch of spooky, then you will love KC Luck’s page-turning short story. Note: This is a short story and includes strong female characters in a lesbian relationship.

    ‘Chauthi khidaki’ is a fantastic scientific tale built around the concept of Time. ‘Porkhel’ uses theanalogy of a childat play with her dolls, to highlight that human beings are mere pawns in the hands of Fate. ‘Sucheta Chakrapani ani Ticha Kokilkanth’ tackles the tangle between an artiste and her art – a fantastic rendering reminiscent of magical realism. Matkari’s stories give us the feeling of entering a jungle at dusk. The reader begins his journey along the border that separates reality from fantasy. Matkari employs different narrative styles and structure to lead the reader along familiar as well as unfamiliar paths in this jungle.While being immensely attractive, this journey takes the reader into ever deeper regions.