Very short stories #16

I hope you’re having a good 2020 so far! Since the end of January marks my birthday, I’ve made A Quiet Rebellion: Guilt free for a few days. You can get it for Kindle here (and it’s only 0.99 if you miss the free period).

Here are my book reviews so far this month:

Murphy’s Law by Rhys Bowen
Baking Bad by Kim M. Watt
Oh, No, Octavius! by Michael Gallagher
Boyd & Sarge: NTPD Law and Disorder by Blair Denholm
March Violets by Philip Kerr
The Gate by E.B. Brooks

I also asked my Twitter friends if they had any books/stories out on Kindle Unlimited. Here’s the thread: you may come across something to your tastes.

And now for some very short stories. These ones are from October last year.

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night

“Guess what? I’m having dinner up at the castle.”
“Grats, I suppose. Friendly word of advice—whatever you do, don’t stay the night.”
“Ha! You’re just jealous. You can’t scare me with tales of vamp—”
“Jealous? Ha! The water heater doesn’t work.”

---

demon

I saw the stranger ride in, black suit free from travel dust.
He dismounted. “Ma’am, I’m after a gent named Foster.”
I laughed. “He’s no gent. Always in the saloon. Some demon must be chasing him.”
“Much obliged.” He tipped his hat, revealing horns, then ambled off.

---

monster

“Pepperoni, chillies… what about the base? We can offer pixie or monster.”
“Nothing in between? I’m hungry, but not that hungry.”
The server eyes the customer. “We’re out of humans, unless you bring your own.”

Image by Lobsterapps from Pixabay

---

devour

“Ugh, I don’t feel so good.”
“I told you not to devour the planet in one go.”
“But it was so tasty!”
“Yeah, but it’s also full of crap.”

---

dirt

Dee glances up from her paper. “Cute dress.”
Sue twirls. “Had to mend a tiny tear. Got it dirt cheap from that new shop.”
“Hmm. Guy there gives me the creeps.” Dee turns a page. “Oh dear, another missing woman.”
Sue stares at the photo. Same dress, down to the tear.

---

invincible

“I need a spell,” gasped the customer.
I eyed his sweating face. “You in the big fight?”
“Yeah. Need Invincible.”
“Sorry, cast that earlier.”
“Damn! I’m dead. Owe too many people.”
I waggled my fingers. “Try this.”
“What is it?”
“Uncatchable. Start running now.”

Image by analogicus from Pixabay

---

cellar

The cellar door scrapes open. The basement stairs creak, and skeletal footsteps click on wood.
A chill draft tickles my neck.
I gaze at the tarnished coins before me and sigh. “What have I told you about keeping the house warm?”
“SORRY,” says my lodger.

---

horror

“Did you regret reanimating his corpse?”
“Not at first. He was almost like the original.”
“But?”
“The little changes grated. Scrambled brains for breakfast, sleeping in graves. The true horror was—”
“What?”
“He starting putting cream in his tea.”

I hope you’ve enjoyed these little stories. See you next month!