Alexi took the crumpled address and shoved it into her pocket before turning toward Brit. “You are absolutely sure the yard is empty?” Brit closed her laptop, darkening the room … Continue reading Incommon Haunts: Grim
Category: Comedy
Incommon Haunts: Finished Business
Emma sat on the edge of her mother’s old double bed. She only came in here to dust the furniture and vacuum the floors even though no one had lived there for a few months. And also for the visits.
She ran through the events of the last few days, making sure the omens were the same and that she was sitting in the right place. There was yesterday when the raven flew into the house. Emma tried to chase it out but it just kept landing on the picture of her mother sitting above the fireplace. Then this morning, without warning, she thought she smelt the same scent as the white lilies she placed on her mother’s grave at her funeral.
And finally, just a few minutes ago, there were those two identical twins in the second story hallway beckoning her to her mother’s room. Emma shooed them out and sent them back to the house next door and was determined to have a talk with their parents, but right now, she needed to wait for her mother.
(more…)Incommon Haunts: Sepulchral Pact
At 6:46am, Dom Greis rolled out of his bed, stood up, and scratched his ass. He stretched in his holey t-shirt and boxer briefs. The summer’s morning light filtered in, scattering its rays across both his bed and his alarm clock.
“Need to get heavier curtains.” He mumbled to himself. He grabbed his alarm clock and canceled his 7am alarm, then pulled the curtains fully open.
He cradled the phone in his hands, blinking against its blue glow. His phone flashed a message from his mother, but he was more interested in checking for the weather.
“Sunny, 37. Damn, gonna be a bit of a scorcher, eh?”
He checked his mom’s message, “Gonna be a bit of a scorcher today. Stay safe.”
He walked over to the door of his bedroom while checking his emails for the day. When he opened the door, he felt a chill waft over him.
“Ah, fucking hell. Today?”
(more…)The Gentleman’s Lie: Part 1
The Duchess’s consort was well looked after. After all, people would not look upon her favorably if she lived in wealth while her husband lived in squalor. His apartment, directly attached to the Duchess’s, included its own kitchen, lavatory, study, and smoking room. They were all, of course, smaller than the Duchess’s, as it also would look a bit unseemly if her consort were to have living conditions that matched or even exceeded hers.
The consort’s bedroom was, however, the same size as hers. This was a gift to him, and one she could easily give, as, hopefully, no one of importance would happen upon it and discover her indiscretion. When he asked why, she simply said, “You make me laugh.” and left it at that. The room was lavish. There was a large oak dresser, imported from the north; expensive jewelry, imported from the west; placed in an ornate ivory jewelry box, imported from the south; and a four post cherry wood bed with silk sheets, all imported from the east.
Underneath those sheets, the consort, Duke Theodore Mercier, felt a tickle as the ties of his lover’s mask brushed against his neck. With him was Gabriel Chastain, of the Chastain family of merchants, the wealthiest family of commoners in the area. And Gabe had one goal, to caress every inch of Theodore’s body with his lips, starting from the top. This was a time-intensive task, but he was a man who stuck by his word. And so, as he gripped Theo’s shoulders and pulled him close, as he straddled Theo, one leg on either side of his hips, Gabe brushed his lips gently down the side of his neck.
(more…)Brewed Awakenings Excerpt 4
Still working on the first draft of Brewed Awakenings. I will return to posting short stories January 15th. Until then, please enjoy these humorous excerpts from my novel about coffee that makes people disappear.
Eyes are the windows to the soul. This phrase is what we call a metaphor. Eyes are not literally the windows to the soul, as they don’t actually show you the inside of a soul, or allow a soul to see outside the body. However, metaphorically, they do allow others to see what you are thinking and feeling, and therefore get a brief glimpse into the inner workings of your mind.
Buildings actually have windows, and in a way, they function as the eyes of the structure. This is also a metaphor. If you look to the windows you can see what is going on inside, just like you can get a glimpse of what is going on inside someone’s soul through peering into their eyes.
Buildings actually function a lot like people, beyond just the unsettling similarities between eyes and windows, peering and watching.
Brewed Awakenings Excerpt 3
Still working on the first draft of Brewed Awakenings. I will return to posting short stories January 15th. Until then, please enjoy these humorous excerpts from my novel about coffee that makes people disappear.
Libraries are one of the greatest inventions of mankind, and I am counting all inventions that have so far been invented, including the interrogation skeleton patented by Helene Adelaide Shelby in 1927. It was a ghastly invention that made a skeleton appear to form out of thin air in an interrogation room, in order to scare confessions out of criminals. While not very practical, it definitely gains points for style.
So even with inventions like that, the library is definitely one of the best. A library is a a building, or maybe a section of a building, that contains many many books on a variety of subjects and topics. These books are usually organized in such a way that it makes it easier to find a book that you are looking for. Originally this was done by organizing books into categories, and then by using little cards to show which section any given book might be in. Now, at the front of the Toledo library there are several computers where you can type in a book in order to find where it would be placed. There are also several librarians in each library, who, although they contain frightening power and immense superhuman strength, they are actually quite helpful and friendly.
(more…)Brewed Awakenings Excerpt 2
As I said, no stories for November. I’m still working on my novel Brewed Awakenings and haven’t had time to bust out a short story, so instead, you get an excerpt from the novel I’m working on.
The novel is about Eric and Naomi, two best friends and recent college grads trying to figure out why people keep literally disappearing after drinking Eric’s coffee. It wears its Nightvale and A Series of Unfortunate Events inspirations on its sleeves. Without further ado, here is the beginning of chapter 4.
(more…)Brewed Awakenings Excerpt
No stories for November. I’ve been working on my novel Brewed Awakenings and haven’t had time to bust out a short story, so instead, you get an excerpt from the novel I’m working on.
The novel is about Eric and Naomi, two best friends and recent college grads trying to figure out why people keep literally disappearing after drinking Eric’s coffee. It wears its Nightvale and A Series of Unfortunate Events inspirations on its sleeves. Without further ado, here is the beginning of chapter 2.
(more…)The Milk of Human Kindness
Alex began to unscrew the lid, gently screeching, of a small glass vial. He poured the contents in a circle around the table, just past the runes he found in his extensive research into the arcane and unknowable, which were surprisingly easy to understand.
He began chanting, as one does in situations like this. His particular chant was in Latin, specifically a dialect that has long since been dead, but was commonly found off in a northern set of mountains. As he butchered the consonants, which was not as important as you’d think, he started to light the candles around the table. The book suggested pure white candles, but Alex was hoping that the backlog of Yankee candles his mom had gotten him over the years would suffice.
(more…)
Stephen Hemmer Fiction 