KATIE JONES way through the oncoming crowd. His feet hit the pavement and he took off, stumbling every once in a while, steadying himself and regaining balance as he zigzagged in and out of traffic, car horns blasting as the crazed man ran on. At one point, he tripped, chin hitting the concrete, pain radiated through his jaw, and as he pushed his face back from the pavement, his eyes locked onto a chunk of meat, the size of his fist that was stuck to the filthy concrete. Springing back up, he sprinted down an alley way, and rounded a corner, fists beating frantically on the front door of an old, weatherboard house. The door opened, and Alice answered, a veil covering her face. She screamed at the sight of Terry, the flesh of half his bottom jaw was missing, and ivory coloured bone glistened before her, the row of his bottom teeth revealed to her eyes. She grabbed at his wrists, with her own hands and hung on tight, pulling him inside when she realised who he was. Terry looked down to find that the tips of her fingers were nothing but protruding bones, the flesh had split and peeled away. He followed her inside and she slowly reached up and took off the veil, breathing slowly before turning to face him, her neck was almost bare, vertebra exposed here and there, and black, necrotic tissue was all that remained of most of her once beautiful face. Her bulging, brown eyes had sunk back into the sockets in her skull and her hair was coming out; bald patches speckled her skull on the right side of her head. Tears welled in Alice’s eyes and rolled down her rotten flesh as she spoke, her voice raspy and crackling, barely audible, “What have you done?” Terry looked away, staring at his palms, dry flesh clinging to nothing but tendons and bones, “I’m sorry, Alice.” He sank to his knees, and his body shook, sobs echoed off the walls, the fabric of his clothes hung off him like sacks as he wasted away before her eyes. She knelt down beside him, lifting his head and studying the grotesque face before her, “I love you,” she said. Alice leaned forward, gently kissing Terry, the flesh of her lips meshing with what was left of his, and the skin flaked and peeled as their mouths moved. When she pulled back, black gunk was smeared over the teeth that permanently smiled through Terry’s jaw. They held each other and silently waited. Their organs failed, as enzymes and bacteria caused membranes and walls to rapidly decay and their bodies were filled with a mixture of soup. Skin swelled and peeled, gas burst free of cracked flesh and the flies were drawn to the scent of decay. They held each other as their bodies became revolting mush and dry bones, blooming into flowers of grotesque remains. When they were found, they were nothing but skeletons hidden under a pile of clothing, holding each other close, the smaller one wearing a ring on her finger, the larger one adorned with a
simple chain, an identical ring sitting inside its rib cage. Dental records confirmed their identity and the family of the deceased were notified. Two separate funerals took place over the next ten days and the lovers were buried apart. CASSIE MEYER’s RING
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Issue Three JUNE 2013 Volume 1, Iss
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JUNE 2013 CLEAN CLOTHES Short Story
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Lauren Hasty is a misplaced souther
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Charlie ran down the street, bare f
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She inhaled deep and then exhaled,
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called to her, she knew she wouldn
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PREDATOR by JUDITH DORE PREDATOR by
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Adam and I have been coming to this
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“Holy fuck,” he says. He falls
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Sound travels strangely underwater.
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UGLYLIGHTS by THE UGLYLIGHTS ICA BO
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magnifying glass with a lamp direct
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what they meant to her, and especia
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even if none of the other kids woul
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Nobody heard him, not even Cassie w
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pleas for mercy but breaking glass,
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When Janie came to her senses, she
- Page 37 and 38: It was a choked, guttural voice, li
- Page 39 and 40: more companions to join him in his
- Page 41 and 42: Jackie squatted in the prison yard,
- Page 43 and 44: A guard in the tower had taken aim.
- Page 45 and 46: Jackie squatted in the prison yard,
- Page 47 and 48: The Laugher was in the front of the
- Page 49 and 50: he wanted to dispense some vigilant
- Page 51 and 52: ITH TWO L’s by COLIN JAMES
- Page 53 and 54: TOR STREET by LAST HOUSE ON VECTOR
- Page 55 and 56: “I have your word?” Richard wen
- Page 57 and 58: PEEPING TOM’S TOM’s N
- Page 59 and 60: PEEPING TOM’s MASTERPIECE by NATE
- Page 61 and 62: PICK UP LINE by DAN LEE PICK UP LIN
- Page 63 and 64: After a few minutes of listening to
- Page 65 and 66: DEN GROW? by HOW DOES ONE’s GARDE
- Page 67 and 68: As that vast maw yawned there befor
- Page 69 and 70: Night had barely fallen when two hi
- Page 71 and 72: man began to escort Kevin down the
- Page 73 and 74: “Caitlyn. What about yours?”
- Page 75 and 76: “Werewolves?” Just hearing the
- Page 77 and 78: SHA ANNIE ANNIEN
- Page 79 and 80: SHADES OF BLUE by ANNIE NEUGEBAUER
- Page 81 and 82: EYER’s RING by CASSIE MEYER’s R
- Page 83 and 84: out and rubbed the dirt and dry mud
- Page 85 and 86: money before speaking, “How’s i
- Page 87: eflection in the mirror. Terry’s
- Page 91 and 92: The price of admission to their clu
- Page 93 and 94: knocked on his door, Boy snuck up b
- Page 95 and 96: Boy placed the rabbit in the center
- Page 97 and 98: to let go but Boy easily backhanded
- Page 99: hellohorror.com
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