Delightfully Twisted Tales: Love and Other Filthy Habits (Volume Five)

By Nicky Drayden

A lonely zombie gets one last chance at romance, a mother's love comes in an unexpected form, a teacher holds onto hope for her pupils despite the ills that threaten their way of life, and a cruise director navigates treacherous temptations amidst the seas of time. This delightfully twisted collection of two short shorts, a poem, and a feature story is easily devoured in one sitting and will leave you hungry for more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nicky Drayden
• Release date: Feb 9, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465793249

Nicky Drayden

Nicky Drayden’s short fiction has appeared in publications such as Shimmer and Space and Time. She is a systems analyst and resides in Austin, Texas, where being weird is highly encouraged, if not required. Her debut novel, The Prey of Gods, was a best of the year pick by Book Riot, Vulture, and RT Book Reviews.

Book preview

DELIGHTFULLY TWISTED TALES:

VOLUME FIVE

LOVE AND OTHER FILTHY HABITS

by

Nicky Drayden

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

Nicky Drayden on Smashwords

Copyright © 2011 by Nicky Drayden

Zombie Doll Photograph by Keng Susumpow, Creative Commons

www.flickr.com/photos/kengz/391996898

Discover other Delightfully Twisted Tales by Nicky Drayden:

Volume One – Close Encounters of the Worst Kind

Volume Two – Fire, Fangs and Brimstone

Volume Three – The Weirdos Next Door

Volume Four – Wisps, Spells and Faerie Tales

Volume Five – Love and Other Filthy Habits

Volume Six – Family Antimatters

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

You Had Me at Rarrrgg

Mother Tentacle

No More Gold Stars

Time's Jewel

YOU HAD ME AT RARRRGG

BY NICKY DRAYDEN

First Published by Shimmer Magazine, 2010

Few folks know that zombies prefer cat brains over human ones, cats being a smidge smarter and all. Problem is cats are just so damned quick. Then again, few folks know anything these days on account of there just being two of us left. And I can't rightly call myself human anymore, now can I?

Dr. Arbuckle performs last-minute tests on the machine as I watch. She swats me away when I get too close. Not in a mean sort of way, but like Renée used to when I'd lift the lid off the stew pot to sneak a taste. Way back then, before Renée got the side of her head all chewed up. Back then, when I still ate stew.

I'm nearly done, Dr. Arbuckle says to me. She stands up from the instrument panel and the light from the fluorescent lamps hanging overhead hits her just right. Strands of sweaty hair cling to her face. She's beautiful and I tell