A man feels uncomfortable at a children’s party because of his affair with the hostess, some unfortunate events related to his drinking, and the hostess’ husband’s collection of war memorabilia. There is…
Category: Story a Day 2022
“Antarctica” by Claire Keegan
A married woman goes into the city for Christmas shopping and to have a brief affair; she finds a man who is not at all what she bargained for. This is a…
“The Language of the Mud” by Betty Rocksteady
A teen’s father, then neighbor, then aunt, disappear in a blink of the eye in a muddy spot in the backyard; when they return they’re not quite the same. This is a…
“Reading Lists” by Seanan McGuire
A woman who needs to find a book to write a report on for her adult literacy program stumbles on a room in the library that is “temporally out of order,” and…
“This Narrow Escape” by Betty Rocksteady
A woman finds her home, and her husband, inexplicably shrinking. A nice little weird tale, with a nice closing image of expansiveness overcoming the ratcheting reduction that characterizes the story.
“Root Rot” by Betty Rocksteady
A hook-up goes terribly wrong. A nicely squelchy horror story – terrors are presented with no explanation or back story, sort of like an intense short film, with haunting and disturbing images.
“Fishfly Season” by Halli Villegas
A woman moves to a posh suburb with her husband and senses danger and terror beneath the serene surfaces. This is a good story that builds subtle dread; it’s never clear whether…
“By Night He Could Not See” by Joel Lane
Mysterious murders, with the victims found with hands and heads covered in paint, lead a man to believe that someone is seeking revenge for a terrible crime he participated in long ago….
“Dead End” by Nicholas Royle
A man on vacation with his mistress is haunted by guilt and frightening premonitions. This is an elusive little story; I wasn’t sure at first if the images of a car crash…
“The Burning Circus” by Angela Slatter
A trapeze artist who has been unjustly imprisoned seeks out her former circus to deliver vengeance. This story holds its cards close to the chest and plays them out slowly, delivering a…