Tagged: Drabble

Trembling With Fear

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Unholy Trinity: Laundry Day by Debbie Paterson

Our church worships at the altar of the Unholy Trinity. Its gospels are delivered as a trio of dark drabbles, linked so that Three become One. All hail the power of the Three.

 

Laundry Day

 

The laundry pile is larger, spilling into the bath. She sighs and grabs an armful.

 She heads to the kitchen, loads up the machine and switches it on. At the window, a shadow passes by.

 She’s alone in the house, her husband working again, more overtime. More time away, more time she’s alone. It used to bother her, the empty days, empty nights. It doesn’t anymore though.

 The lurking shadows bother her more. Creeping, stalking, there.

 As she sits, a shirt sleeve tightens around her throat, followed by shadowed fingers from behind. She didn’t notice the shadow that followed in.

 

 

Missing

 

It takes a few days for him to notice. The laundry basket is steadily filling up, a smell permeating the hall.

He’s too busy with work, overtime, bills, rent. He’s spotted her several times, wandering from one room to another but she doesn’t stop to speak. He guesses she’s angry at him for something, though he knows not what.

Instead the basket is full to overflowing, and the smell is getting worse.

He’s run out of shirts then trudges to the hall. He grabs an armful of dirty washing and there, in the laundry basket is his wife’s severed head.

 

Notice

 

He finds the body in the bath covered in clothes and she’s buried underneath.

There’s a shadow, holding his wife’s head. He’s cold, so, so cold. It walks away out the door.

He stares, not quite believing. Not quite sure what he’s looking at, that his wife is lying dead in the bath. And something has been in his house for days and he hasn’t noticed.

Something has been living there and he didn’t notice. Something killed his wife and he didn’t notice.

Like most of his marriage, he didn’t notice her and it’s only now he notices her absence.

 

Debbie Paterson

Debbie is a 38 year old writer from Scotland, living with her partner, two cats, elderly dog, two turtles and a grumpy spotted talking catfish. She enjoys reading, cooking, collecting and video games. She has always had a passion for stories, particularly those with interesting characters and a strong plot.

Trembling With Fear

 by 

Trembling With Fear 8-18-24

Greetings, children of the dark. I’m officially on hols this week – well, technically as you read this I’m back home, but I was away while the boss man needed this week’s edition – so we’re going to jump straight in.

This week’s menu of dark speculative fiction kicks off with a haunting piece of art from the pen of Caitlin Upshall. That’s followed by the short, sharp speculations of:

  • Debbie Paterson’s coming dark,
  • Jack Fennell’s nightmare harvest, and
  • DJ Tyrer’s abandoned jungle.

And remember, we’re always looking for submissions to our drabbles (insatiable need!!), as well as the unholy trinities of three interconnected drabbles and the much longer serialised fiction column. Our special editions and short stories, however, have very specific windows. 

If you want to remind yourself of our various deadlines, you’ll find them always on our submissions guidelines page. To recap, our open windows are:

Special editions

  • Valentine’s: 1 December and 31 January.
  • Summer: 1 April to 31 July. 
  • Halloween: 1 August to 13 October.
  • Christmas: 1 November to 7 December.

Short stories for the weekly edition

  • Winter: 1-15 January
  • Spring: 1-15 April
  • Summer: 1-15 July
  • Fall: 1-15 October

Next week, I’ll hopefully be over the post-con blues after a few days in England’s northern witch country surrounded by the moors of Wuthering Heights. 

Over to you, Stuart.

Lauren McMenemy

Editor, Trembling With Fear

Join me in thanking our upcoming newsletter sponsor for the next year! Please check out Charlotte Platt’s ‘One Smile More’!

Ena Sinclair, a Scottish mage and spy, abandons her role in a prominent Edinburgh college and escapes to London to avoid an arranged marriage.

But London is not safe: a mage killer is on the hunt…

Abducted by vampires ‘for her safety’, Ena is terrified the nest owner will drain her to fuel his power but also curious to learn about his magic. Taking this once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn more about what her college had warned were dangerous creatures, Ena finds herself fond of the nest, particularly their bonded leaders, Addison and Tobias.

As survivors of the Immortal War, the pair still navigate a schism in vampire society that they are trying to heal. They now seek a peaceful life and offer Ena protection until she finds her own path.

…and dark things await them all.

Ena’s college seeks to forcibly return her to Edinburgh, and a killer is still on the loose. Hidden resentments surface, and Ena pays the price. Magically unstable and isolated, she must rely on her non-magical training to avoid being turned or used as a weapon to harm the nest she has grown to care for.

 

Be sure to order a copy today!

_____________________________________________

Hi all!

So, big changes are coming to our newsletter. We’re switching writers and it is so strange to be saying farewell to Holley (well, when it comes to the newsletter, not from Horror Tree, as she’ll still be making the occasional article or review appearances!) Her taking over the newsletter from me was an absolutely huge lift on my time and being able to try to make progress in other areas. Holley, you’ve been absolutely amazing, and I appreciate all of the work that you’ve put into our newsletter over the past few years! You’ve really made it your own and have give me a huge relief of time!

With that in mind, I’d like to welcome our very own Corinne Pollard, who already writes for the site, to be taking over newsletter writing! Please send her a follow on Instagram and Twitter as well as a warm welcome if you haven’t already 🙂 

Now, for the standards:

  • Thank you so much to everyone who has become a Patreon for Horror Tree. We honestly couldn’t make it without you all!
  • The paperback is now live! Please be sure to order a copy of Shadowed Realms on Amazon, we’d love for you to check it out!

Offhand, if you’ve ordered Trembling With Fear Volume 6, we’d appreciate a review! 🙂

 
 

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

(more…)

Trembling With Fear

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Unholy Trinity: Medusa By Jack Reigns

Our church worships at the altar of the Unholy Trinity. Its gospels are delivered as a trio of dark drabbles, linked so that Three become One. All hail the power of the Three.

 

I.

 

The statues filled the courtyard. Two women stepped carefully around them, not wanting to disturb their terrible beauty. The lifelike detail amazed them. Gilly reached out to caress one, frozen in agony like all the others. “Can you believe this? The artist made pores on its skin.” Her girlfriend Nora stepped closer. “Why are they all men?” A hissing noise makes them look up. A large serpent tail slides out of view. Gilly stepped back, heart racing. Nora picked up a stick, and leaned forward, searching. A hypnotic voice hums from behind a statue and asks, “Where is my tribute?”

 

II.

 

Clyde made it to the end of the trail, and the statues began exactly where he was told they’d be. An enormous scale art instillation, hidden deep in the forest, only for the most desperate to find. The rumors at university were true, all this abandoned art for the taking. He looked for a piece he could break off to present as a final project. A quick rattling noise made him jump and pause, there weren’t rattlesnakes here. “Are you admiring my art, young man?” a sultry, feminine voice asked. “Would you be interested in seeing more of my collection?”

 

III.

 

She wove between statues, missing the touch of a living thing, wishing attraction were a conscious choice. If only the ones I craved weren’t so fragile. Those at the far end of her garden were lost strangers, robbers, and thieves. The middle was filled with truth seekers, manipulators, worshippers of her cult. The ones closest to her home were those who’d entertained her, intrigued and attracted her. Four thousand years alone in this cursed forest and there would be no end to this hell. She wished her visitors understood, only those who meant her harm could be turned to stone.

 

Jack Reigns

Jack Reigns was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and finds the area a constant source of inspiration. A lifelong horror fan, as a child Jack would get in trouble for scaring family with stories and is thankful to now share them with willing participants. Jack is the author of The Reigns of Terror series of short horror collections, and a proud member of the Seattle Chapter of The Horror Writers Association. Available works can be found at jackreigns.com.

Trembling With Fear

 by 

Trembling With Fear – Summer 2024 Edition

What a wild summer it’s been! Lucky for us, it’s not over yet.

This is undoubtedly my favorite season because summer brings a whole slew of activity. Whether you’re going on vacation, barbecuing in the backyard, tanning at the beach or just trying to escape the heat, there are endless things to do, making it one of the most vibrant times of year. It is also a great theme for our writers because they have a variety of ideas to play with. I am always pleased and surprised by the stories we get for our Summer Edition. While we had a lot of great submissions this year, we narrowed it down to a few that really encapsulate the thrills of summer. And yes, by thrills I do mean thrills.

Happy Reading!

Shalini

Shalini Bethala

Editor, Trembling With Fear

As the sun blazes overhead, casting long shadows that stretch across deserted streets and sun-soaked beaches, we find ourselves at the zenith of summer. It’s that time of year when the world seems to sizzle, both with heat and with the promise of things lurking just beyond the golden glow of daylight. But before the fireflies fade and the ice cream melts, we invite you to dive into something a little darker, a little more sinister—our Summer Edition of Trembling With Fear.

This year, we’re turning up the heat in ways that will leave you sweating more than the August sun. Think of this collection as the ice cream truck of terror, where each story is a frozen treat with a center that’s just a little too cold, a little too sweet, and definitely too eerie to forget. We’ve gathered tales that capture the essence of summer—the good, the bad, and the downright terrifying. From sun-drenched nightmares to the mysteries that stir when the last beachgoer packs up and leaves, these stories will remind you that the warmth of summer can hide the coldest fears.

Now, because no edition is complete without a little humor, here’s a dad joke to keep things light… or at least lighter than the stories you’re about to read: Why don’t skeletons fight each other in the summer? Because they don’t have the guts!

So, pull up a lounge chair, slather on the sunscreen, and get ready to be scorched by tales that will make your blood run cold. This summer, Trembling With Fear has something special in store, and we hope you savor every bone-chilling moment.

Happy reading… and remember, in the heat of summer, no one can hear you scream.

Stuart Conover

Editor-in-Chief, Horror Tree

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear 8-11-24

Greetings, children of the dark. Greetings from Worldcon! This is past Lauren, writing to you in the future, hoping you are fine and dandy on this August Sunday. These weeks are crazy busy for me, so I’m going to just jump into the good stuff – though if you happen to be wandering around Glasgow’s Scottish Events Campus this weekend, do keep an eye out for me. Let’s compare TWF notes!

This week’s menu of dark speculative fiction kicks off with a dystopian sci-fi-ish peek into Patrick O’Malley’s head – something worthy of this big weekend of global SF celebrations. That’s followed by the short, sharp speculations of:

  • Christina Nordlander’s body troubles,
  • Jamey Toner’s tech issues, and
  • Sian O’Hara’s tea and cake.

I’m going to assume Stuart will share the news below about our much-beefed-up TWF team, but rest assured when I’m back at my desk I’ll do major introductions to these wonderful humans. Quick word to the wise: the British Invasion of TWF Towers is complete!

So we have a big new team, which makes it a good time to remind you that we’re open round the clock for drabbles, unholy trinities, and serialised stories. Fresh blood (and eyes) await your works!

Over to you, Stuart.

Lauren McMenemy

Editor, Trembling With Fear

Join me in thanking our upcoming newsletter sponsor for the next year! Please check out Charlotte Platt’s ‘One Smile More’!

Ena Sinclair, a Scottish mage and spy, abandons her role in a prominent Edinburgh college and escapes to London to avoid an arranged marriage.

But London is not safe: a mage killer is on the hunt…

Abducted by vampires ‘for her safety’, Ena is terrified the nest owner will drain her to fuel his power but also curious to learn about his magic. Taking this once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn more about what her college had warned were dangerous creatures, Ena finds herself fond of the nest, particularly their bonded leaders, Addison and Tobias.

As survivors of the Immortal War, the pair still navigate a schism in vampire society that they are trying to heal. They now seek a peaceful life and offer Ena protection until she finds her own path.

…and dark things await them all.

Ena’s college seeks to forcibly return her to Edinburgh, and a killer is still on the loose. Hidden resentments surface, and Ena pays the price. Magically unstable and isolated, she must rely on her non-magical training to avoid being turned or used as a weapon to harm the nest she has grown to care for.

 

Be sure to order a copy today!

_____________________________________________

Hi all!

As I mentioned last week, we’re working on getting the new Trembling With Fear staff a bit more up to speed! Progress has been made, and we’re going to be making the full announcement soon as to who has joined our editorial team, as well as giving intros to everyone! As of the time of writing this update, I have found out that we’ll be having one other staff member switching things up soon as well but more on that soon. While I was hoping to do the introductory shout-outs this week, I do believe that what we have in mind will do much better at really letting everyone get to know our new staff. 

Now, for the standards:

  • Thank you so much to everyone who has become a Patreon for Horror Tree. We honestly couldn’t make it without you all!
  • The paperback is now live! Please be sure to order a copy of Shadowed Realms on Amazon, we’d love for you to check it out!

Offhand, if you’ve ordered Trembling With Fear Volume 6, we’d appreciate a review! 🙂

 
 

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

(more…)

Trembling With Fear

 by 

Unholy Trinity: The Holiday Things by Shanti Leonard

Our church worships at the altar of the Unholy Trinity. Its gospels are delivered as a trio of dark drabbles, linked so that Three become One. All hail the power of the Three.

 

Jack-O-Halloween

 

Halloween bled out into the day, spilling forth from the ether in wispy low hanging fog. Crows perched on slanted pickets, ushering in the dusk with their silhouettes, and beckoning trick-or-treaters out under the overcast sky. 

The jack picked its way through the lawn toward the open window, grass nearly up to its chest. It stopped below the sill, looking around, tungsten reflecting in its eyeholes, thin limbs shining wet in the glow. 

No children around. So nobody could see it. Time to climb inside, cling to the adult necks, drain their memories and ambition through its wicked invisible bite.

 

Thankstaking

 

Thanksgiving was here. Brown and orange. Gravy thick and plentiful. Spices swirling in the autumn air, filling the lungs of huddled families, giving them the ability to all talk at once.

The taker was in the wall, watching through a vent, eating up all the thanks not given through its twisted mouth—teeth spiraling, yellow eyes bugging past the sockets.

At night when the people were sleeping it’d crawl into their ears and drink up their understanding…only a little at a time…

It said a prayer, thankful for the gathering. Now it could send its babies to new feeding homes.

 

Dancing In Their Heads

 

Christmas Eve was the most plentiful night of the year for the hiders. So many colorful lights casted shadows for them to melt into. And the dreams that night were so joyful, wonderous, and juicy.

  They would crawl far up into the sleeper’s nostrils and eat those dreams, defecate out nightmares that would clog up the folds of their brains, eventually leaking into those people’s thoughts, and crippling their minds.

Hiders always wished for blankets of white snow, dancing sugar plums, and presents for the people. They’d wish for music and mirth…so their holiday feast would be lush and delicious.

 

Shanti Leonard

Shanti grew up in a tiny town in the mountains of Northern California, riding bikes and sleds, and playing in the forest surrounding his house. Many people who live in his hometown claim some sort of experience with the supernatural, but he remains skeptical…with unexplained experiences of his own.

His adventures have led him to Hawaii, Texas, and the beautiful, but obviously imaginary, land of Los Angeles, where he sometimes makes movies. His short fiction has appeared in the anthology MOOD READER and his novels include the coming-of-age horror OD AND ED.

Trembling With Fear

 by 

Trembling With Fear 8-4-24

Greetings, children of the dark. I’m trying to get a few weeks’ worth of TWF done in the coming days because I’m headed out: off to Worldcon in Glasgow in a few days, and then the following week I’ll be spending some time in nature, right in the heart of Bronte Country and in the shadow of Pendle Hill (also known as the site of one of England’s worst witch trials). Filling the well and all that. If you’re at Worldcon, hit me up on social media and say hi! You’ll find me most lunchtimes at the British Fantasy Society’s table in the fan hall, but other than that I’ll be lurking around and trying not to make too much of a nuisance of myself. 

With that deadline pressure in mind, let’s get swiftly to the good stuff.

This week’s menu of dark speculative fiction kicks off with Harley Carnell’s denial twist. That’s followed by the short, sharp – and, this week, somewhat sci-fi – speculations of:

  • W.H. Vigo’s soul searching,
  • Nicolette Ward’s blood beast, and
  • Ron Capshaw’s small town blues.

Finally, a note: our summer special has now closed as July has passed us by. If you’ve submitted a story to it since 31 July, I’m afraid we’re unable to consider it. I’ll get to the inbox ASAP to let you know, because there’s a few of you. If you want to remind yourself of our various deadlines, you’ll find them always on our submissions guidelines page.

To recap, our open windows are:

Special editions

  • Valentine’s: 1 December and 31 January.
  • Summer: 1 April to 31 July. 
  • Halloween: 1 August to 13 October.
  • Christmas: 1 November to 7 December.

Short stories for the weekly edition

  • Winter: 1-15 January
  • Spring: 1-15 April
  • Summer: 1-15 July
  • Fall: 1-15 October

Remember, we’re open round the clock for drabbles, unholy trinities, and serials.

Over to you, Stuart.

Lauren McMenemy

Editor, Trembling With Fear

Join me in thanking our upcoming newsletter sponsor for the next year! Please check out Charlotte Platt’s ‘One Smile More’!

Ena Sinclair, a Scottish mage and spy, abandons her role in a prominent Edinburgh college and escapes to London to avoid an arranged marriage.

But London is not safe: a mage killer is on the hunt…

Abducted by vampires ‘for her safety’, Ena is terrified the nest owner will drain her to fuel his power but also curious to learn about his magic. Taking this once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn more about what her college had warned were dangerous creatures, Ena finds herself fond of the nest, particularly their bonded leaders, Addison and Tobias.

As survivors of the Immortal War, the pair still navigate a schism in vampire society that they are trying to heal. They now seek a peaceful life and offer Ena protection until she finds her own path.

…and dark things await them all.

Ena’s college seeks to forcibly return her to Edinburgh, and a killer is still on the loose. Hidden resentments surface, and Ena pays the price. Magically unstable and isolated, she must rely on her non-magical training to avoid being turned or used as a weapon to harm the nest she has grown to care for.

 

Be sure to order a copy today!

_____________________________________________

Hi all!

Not much to add this week. I’ve been still working on our new theme but didn’t have too much free time to make a lot of progress as my wife’s schedule was busier than mine, so I took over most of the getting kids to and from camps this week on top of my normal work and Horror Tree responsibilities. On a positive note, we did set a meeting for our new Trembling With Fear staff for this weekend, so next week, I should have a few more welcome shout-outs to make 🙂 We’ve got some great stories lined up so I won’t add any filler here, let’s get to the reading!

Now, for the standards:

  • Thank you so much to everyone who has become a Patreon for Horror Tree. We honestly couldn’t make it without you all!
  • The paperback is now live! Please be sure to order a copy of Shadowed Realms on Amazon, we’d love for you to check it out!

Offhand, if you’ve ordered Trembling With Fear Volume 6, we’d appreciate a review! 🙂

 
 

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

(more…)

Trembling With Fear

 by 

Unholy Trinity: Bigfoot By Jack Reigns

Our church worships at the altar of the Unholy Trinity. Its gospels are delivered as a trio of dark drabbles, linked so that Three become One. All hail the power of the Three.

 

I.

The print in the mud was enormous, and the sight of it made the hikers pause. “Is that, like, a bear?” A.J. asked. No one answered. Theo, the closest, bent down to inspect it. Rico turned around to look down the trail behind the group. They all felt something watching them, waiting. A smell like rotting meat, body odor, and fecal matter wafted over the group. Rico gagged. A branch snapped under an enormous weight. A shape appeared between the trees. Dark and enormous, it resembled a tree trunk at first. The thing began sprinting towards them. The men ran.

 

II.


Angie heard the dogs barking out in the barn. Not barking; losing their goddamn minds. For the third time since she moved onto this sixty-acre lot bordering the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest, she thought she should get herself a shotgun. Homesteading as a single woman was no joke. She grabbed the flashlight and headed out. The remains of the goat stopped her short. Entrails stretched across the yard from the pen to the barn. A dog yelped in pain while another growled. Angie reached for her cell phone. The wall of the barn exploded outwards, carrying a dog’s body with it.

III.


Dispersed camping offered everything Beau wanted without bullshit rules and nasty outhouses. Nothing compared to waking up in the fresh cool morning and pissing into a mountain stream. He felt eyes on him and reached for the .357 revolver on his side. His fingers brushed the handle and something slammed into his body and sent him flying into the water. He gasped, and his face plunged into the rushing water. A huge reddish-brown animal walked closer, upright on two legs. It lifted his body, pained seared through his hip. It had taken a bite, and lifted him again for more.

 

Jack Reigns

Jack Reigns was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and finds the area a constant source of inspiration. A lifelong horror fan, as a child Jack would get in trouble for scaring family with stories and is thankful to now share them with willing participants. Jack is the author of The Reigns of Terror series of short horror collections, and a proud member of the Seattle Chapter of The Horror Writers Association. Available works can be found at jackreigns.com.