Unholy Trinity: The Continuing Antics of Arnie Apples by Patrick Winters
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.
Patrick Winters brings us something new in the realm of the Unholy Trinity. He has written a serial comprising three Unholy Trinities of which this is the second. Come back next Friday for the final instalment!
The Continuing Antics of Arnie Apples
Out & About
Arnie wasn’t the best roommate. Leaving his things everywhere. Staying up all night. Pulling pranks on William.
He was worse in public. Stores, theaters, church. Wherever they went, Arnie looked for mischief. He’d whistle, catcall, and curse at passersby, stepping on their heels and tapping shoulders.
Sometimes, William was forced to apologize for Arnie. People would invariably ask who the hell he was talking about and get riled up. Then Arnie, upset at going unseen, would try to lash out. William could often hold him back, but sometimes, Arnie got a lick in.
Sometimes, it was more than a lick.
Butting Heads
Things might’ve been rough, but everything went straight to hell once William found Anna Carmichael in his closet. His neighbor was wearing her favorite tea dress, now ruined with cuts and blood.
William went right to Arnie, begging for an explanation. Arnie said that he’d been bouncing a ball in the hall last night when the woman came out of her apartment. She’d given him a dirty look he didn’t care for.
William asked how that could be possible, when no one else had seen Arnie before.
Arnie smiled. “Found myself a way, while you were off with the Sandman.”
“Get Lost, Creep!”
William tried to remain vigilant, staying awake as best he could, keeping Arnie inside the apartment and out of trouble.
But it wasn’t enough. He’d nodded off twice, and Arnie slipped past him, bringing back proof of it both times. Fingers from one person, toes from another.
Finally, William had enough. He told his old friend that he wasn’t welcome anymore. Arnie declared there was no going back, he was there to stay, and maybe William needed to “move out.”
The two tussled. In the end, Arnie was the only one left in the apartment.
King of the castle.
Free.
Patrick Winters
Patrick Winters is a graduate of Illinois College in Jacksonville, IL, where he earned a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. His work has now been featured throughout several magazines and anthologies. A full list of his previous publications may be found at his author’s site, if you are so inclined to know: http://wintersauthor.azurewebsites.net/Publications/List
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Stephanie Ellis writes dark speculative prose and poetry and has been published in a variety of magazines and anthologies. Her longer work includes the folk horror novels, The Five Turns of the Wheel and Reborn, and the novellas, Bottled and Paused. Her novel, The Woodcutter, is due for release via Brigids Gate Press in 2023. Her dark poetry has been published in her collections Lilith Rising (co-authored with Shane Douglas Keene), Foundlings (co-authored with Cindy O’Quinn) and Metallurgy, as well as the HWA Poetry Showcase Volumes VI, VII, VIII, and IX and Black Spot Books Under Her Skin. She can be found supporting indie authors at HorrorTree.com via the weekly Indie Bookshelf Releases. She is an active member of the HWA and can be found at https://stephanieellis.org, on Twitter at @el_stevie, Instagram stephanieellis7963 and also somewhere on Facebook.
