Fantasy & Horror Short Stories
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Finally, Alice arrived at Stonehedge. Exhausted, she tumbled from her bicycle to the cold ground, and crawled to the large stone monument. As tears streamed down her face, mixing with the falling rain, she tried to place her small arms around it. Unable to get a firm grip, she ran to one of the smaller inner stones when the ground suddenly gave way beneath her. Tumbling into a large hole, she tried to crawl free of the mud that clung to her body like quicksand. In vain she struggled to get up, but only slid deeper into the earth. As the hole filled with thick brown mud and rocks, Alice turned to look at a sharp ray of light behind her. She quickly crawled to where the light was coming from, pushing the rocks in her path to the side so she could squeeze through the small crevice. As she moved closer to the opening the light grew brighter. Energized by the thought of breaking out of her underground tomb, she finally crawled to a lagoon where a flickering candle was perched on a rock in the middle of the water. Alice stared at the candle, not knowing what to do when a soft voice coming from above whispered to her. She squinted to see better. When her eyes adjusted to the faint light she noticed a creature squatted on a ledge watching her. The creature was like nothing she had ever seen before. But she wasn't afraid of it. The creature was small in stature, maybe three feet tall, very thin and had pale, luminescent skin. The startling features were the four translucent wings on its back, like a dragonfly, and its huge black eyes. It had the eyes of an insect. As Alice stepped closer she noticed the creature's ears were dainty and had pointed tips. Its arms were long and had small thin hands, with tiny feet. "Who are you?" Alice asked. The creature smiled and answered, "I am the one you have been seeking. Welcome Alice!" "How do you know my name and how do you know I have searched for you?" Alice asked. The creature smiled again and stated softly, "You prayed to the old gods of Stonehedge and you believed in us. You asked for our help. I have been sent to help you. We know how desperate you are and we will not abandon you." Alice smiled at the creature, "You sound just like my principal Mrs. Carbunkle. Do you know her?" The creature arose and came down to Alice's side and said in a whisper, "We know that you like her very much and that she likes you in return. It is easy for us to speak with you in a voice you are familiar with." While holding the creature's hands in hers, Alice felt a warm glow envelop her. For the first time in her young life she was not afraid of anything. She was comfortable and at peace. Alice had to blink a few times to make sure she was not dreaming and that this wonderful creature would still be with her when she opened her eyes again. "What's your name?" The creature smiled and gave a musical laugh, "You could never pronounce my name. Names do not matter. I need you to do something Alice. It's very important, will you do it?" "Of course, I would do anything for you." Alice said with a smile. The creature cocked its head sideways and said, "It's not for me Alice... it's for you." The creature turned towards the lagoon and pointed towards the candle on the rock. "I need you to swim out to that rock, take the candle in both your hands and swallow it, while keeping the flame lit." Alice looked at the creature as if it was crazy, "Wha...What did you say?" The creature took Alice's hands once again as it looked deeply into her eyes and in a low, soft voice said, "That candle is power, respect, courage. It is everything you need to live your life without fear and to become successful in whatever you do. You can do this Alice. The way you believed in the old gods, believe in yourself. You are strong and you are brave. Go forth, take the candle, swallow it and I will always be with you." Alice looked out into the lagoon and back at the old god's creature and with trepidation she slowly walked into the lagoon. The water was warm and calm. Alice wasn't a good swimmer but she was able to make it to the rock easily. She stood on the rock and lifted the candle. When she brought it close to her body, Alice felt the candle give off a cold flame. She looked back at the creature still watching her from the shore. She lifted the candle to her mouth, opened wide and slowly, steadily moved the candle down her throat. She started to choke, but continued anyway because she believed in the old gods. If this is what they wanted her to do, then she would do it or die trying. As the candle slowly went into her body the candle stayed lit and gave off a glow as it entered her and traveled through her. When the candle reached her heart it stopped and Alice passed out.
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About the Book
The thirteen stories draw readers into a compelling web of intrigue and suspense. Some are funny, others sad, and still others capture the inner conflicts that torment us yet hint at hope for a brighter tomorrow. Readers immediately identify with the bigger-than-life fictional characters that make us ponder our inner selves, fantasies, dreams and passions, and question how far we’re willing to go to get what we want. —The Mirror. Scorned by superstitious villagers, gypsy witches are forced to defend themselves against the church and government persecution. —The Feather. Caught up in an eternal struggle, a courageous young man pays the ultimate price in order to defend family and friends. —The Bank. Down on their luck, three people risk paying a heavy price so their dreams come true. —The Wood Fairy. Con artists’ evil acts of desperation find that nature has its own method of justice. —The Taxi. One way or another, there is no escaping the universal laws of justice. —The House in the Clearing. A chilling climax provides the background of a centuries-old curse where past and present collide. —Like You But. Lighthearted, endearing tale of unrequited love. —Fireman’s Test. Terrified firefighter finds himself in a life-and-death struggle to avoid confronting crippling fears he’s kept buried for decades. —The Ashtray. A young couple’s wrongdoing has them on the run. Yet they find that justice has sealed their fate. —The Flame of Courage. Abused by her family, a young girl prays for help. Out of desperation, she finds a way out of her torment that changes her life for the better. —The Aqua Detective. A merman detective’s police skills and curiosity lead him to New York City to help solve a case where help comes from an unexpected source. —The Sorcerer. An evil leader of otherworldly beings gets his comeuppance when he confronts something he can’t control. —Satan’s Bible. A two-thousand-year-old relic resurrects a biblical legend that brings modern technology, the Catholic Church, and a nun to battle demonic possession.
About the Author
For more than two decades, Joseph (J. A.) Graffagnino has been writing articles about telecommunications technologies for technical magazines, along with stories about his hobby, tropical fish, published in well-known global hobbyist magazines, such as Aquarium Fish, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium and Tropical Fish Hobbyist. He has also lectured extensively about the subject throughout the United States. But Graffagnino’s true passion is writing fiction, a craft he’s been honing for three decades. His first thriller fiction short story, “The Taxi,” was published in 2010, and his first novel, “The Journey of Mary/ Ma Li,” was published by Dreams Publishing Company in 2013. The author lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and many tropical fish aquariums. Website: http://jagraffagnino.com; E-mail: jag.author@gmail.com.