Writes
11 of 13 Short Stories Before Halloween The house squatted at the end of the cul-de-sac like a sulking child, all Gothic Revival gingerbread and peeling paint. Eleanor Crane, Nell to anyone who’d survived more than one conversation with her, pulled her car into the weed-choked driveway and killed the engine. Through the windshield, she counted the architectural red flags:… Continue reading The Last House on Gable Street
10 of 13 Short Stories Before Halloween Hey friends, I’ve been going through some health stuff lately, both the physical kind and the mental kind, and it’s been a little rough. The writing helps, though. Even when I don’t feel great, putting words down is a way to keep moving, to make sense of things. So I’m trying to write… Continue reading The Complimentary Curse
9 of 13 Before Halloween The clinic waiting room was decorated with plastic spiders and orange twinkle lights. Alex almost laughed at the juxtaposition, seeking relief from treatment-resistant depression surrounded by fake cobwebs and grinning jack-o’-lanterns. They’d tried everything else first. Seven different antidepressants over four years. Therapy: CBT, DBT, EMDR, all the acronyms. Exercise. Meditation. Supplements. Light boxes. That… Continue reading The Halloween Infusion
8 of 13 Before Halloween The rain came down in sheets as six figures emerged from their limousines outside the unmarked facility. Halloween night, and here they were, summoned by the mysterious Dr. Seraphina Oleander to tour what she’d promised would be “the future of regenerative medicine.” Colonel Margaret Ashford arrived first, her military bearing unmistakable despite her civilian clothes.… Continue reading The Regeneration Project
7 of 13 Short Stories Before Halloween The scratching started at 2:47 AM. Cassandra had heard it before, soft, insistent, like fingernails on wood, but tonight it was louder, more urgent. She pulled her blanket tighter and stared at her closet door, the only shadow in her moonlit bedroom that seemed to breathe. “Not tonight,” she whispered. “Please, not tonight.”… Continue reading The Closet Council
Home is where the weirdos are (6 of 13 for Halloween) Amy clutched the last cardboard box labeled “Kitchen Stuff” and surveyed their new room. It was smaller than the pictures suggested, but the rent was cheap enough that neither she nor Ash were complaining. “Is that a wolf?” Ash stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the massive gray… Continue reading The Misfit House Halloween
5 of 13 for Halloween Maya had learned long ago not to mention the voices to anyone who mattered. People were charmed when she seemed to know exactly what they needed, attributing it to intuition rather than the whispered suggestions from Mrs. Chen, who’d run the laundromat for forty years before her heart gave out. She still liked to help.… Continue reading A Clay Pot’s Last Journey
Supernatural Side Hustle (4 of 13) I’m writing this for those with a permanent side hustle — I see your hard work and I thank you for the deliveries you’ve made. I’m sorry for answering the door in my pajamas and without a bra. In my defense, those things are torture devices. Thank you. The notification chimed on Wren’s phone… Continue reading Broom for Improvement
3 of 12 Spooky Stories for Halloween Sorry this one is a little late. I had a fun treatment yesterday that made me so sick. I crashed early and am still currently in my pajamas. Ugh…but, the story for yesterday is a good one. I love black cats and witchy fun moments. Tonight’s story might be in a similar vein.… Continue reading The Familiar Stranger
