He loved him with all his heart, and maybe that's why he never told the truth, afraid of losing the one person for whom he truly cared. But as with all secrets, especially the dark ones, one can only hope to preserve secrecy for so long. As onlookers, we can gloat and laugh at his … Continue reading Carnage | When the Moon Turns red
I lay down, confused, paralyzed, and enveloped in a veil of total darkness and quietude. Frantically, I attempt to rouse my body, seeking evidence of authority over my own flesh. But nothing. I can’t do anything. It’s as though invisible arms keep me stuck in position, dooming me to a lonely and rigid existence. I … Continue reading The Dark Room
Creak, says the door, despite my attempt to open it smoothly. Sweat floods my cheeks and a sense of heaviness forms in my gut, but I do my best to press it down, for I cannot afford to let the fear win. I would pay the ultimate price for such a mistake. Get moving or … Continue reading The Darkest of Creatures
Our world is ablaze, and where flames reign nothing but ashes will remain. Surprisingly, we are still alive — my brother and I. Protected by the sturdy confines of our house. And yet I know not what good it does. Because it will not be long until we become fodder for the greedy bonfire as well. Screams … Continue reading Bonfire: In the deepest of voids resides the most radiant of lights
“Wake up,” yells the young man as he frantically tries to rouse his brother. Pulling and pushing and blowing air into the mouth — doing anything and everything he can think of. All he gets in response to his effort is silence. Frightful and heart-wrenching nothingness. The pool of blood expands with each passing moment, and so … Continue reading Carnage
I pinch my arm in disbelief. Carnage. Slaughter. Evil. I try the feel of each word on my tongue, but none is adequate to describe… “this”. I find myself surrounded by bits and pieces of human flesh and bones. The once green forest floor now painted red. The gore is scattered here and there, but … Continue reading The Last Step
Jacob stumbles inside the room. Fists clenched in anticipation - and yet he is met with nothing but darkness and silence. Tentatively he moves farther into the room. "Slam" Jacob jumps at the sound of the door slamming shut behind him and he puts weight on his bad leg in a stroke of bad luck, … Continue reading The Haunted Cottage #END
"Thump" Jacob falls onto the cold stone floor in a jumble of arms and legs. The fall was not very steep, and yet he managed to fall into an awkward position with his right leg twisted backward. At first, he feels nothing but numbness in the leg, but soon the discomfort starts to slip in. … Continue reading The Haunted Cottage #4
Jacob finds himself with his back to the floor in a place he doesn't know. His head throbs terribly and mind-fog obstructs his attempts at making sense of things. Darkness surrounds him, the only light source being a candle next to the door, casting eerie shadows on the wall in the shape of dancing demons. … Continue reading The Haunted Cottage #3
There is a place somewhere on earth, in the farthermost reaches of a labyrinth of trees. An ancient cottage, old as the forest itself, and possessed by creatures of old - spiteful creatures that were forsaken by man. It is said that once the door slams shut behind you, it is all over. Destined to … Continue reading The Haunted Cottage #1
Benjamin Bratz 