Black Treacle Magazine (March/April 2013, Issue 2)

By A.P. Matlock

Black Treacle is a magazine of Horror, Dark Fantasy, and Speculative fiction. Published on a monthly schedule, each issue includes 4-5 pieces of original short fiction.

We exist primarily to provide a forum for new writers to share their works and give preference to Canadian writers.

We publish both on the web and in popular ebook formats for easy reading on your chosen device.

March/April 2013, Issue 1

“Editor’s Notes” by A.P. Matlock
“Welcome to Blackrock” by Michael Haynes
“Night Shift at the Tim Hornets” by Mike Rimar
“The Three Hundredth Day” by Bruce Memblatt
“A Pair of Ragged Claws” by Kate Heartfield

• Language: English
• Publisher: Black Treacle Publications
• Release date: Apr 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301799329

Book preview

BLACK TREACLE MAGAZINE

March/April 2013, Issue 2

EDITED BY A.P. MATLOCK

Smashwords Edition

Copyrights and Acknowledgements

Editor’s Notes Copyright © 2013 by A.P. Matlock

Welcome to Blackrock Copyright © 2013 by Michael Haynes

Night Shift at the Tim Hornets Copyright © 2013 by Mike Rimar

The Three Hundredth Day Copyright © 2013 by Bruce Memblatt

A Pair of Ragged Claws Copyright © 2013 by Kate Heartfield

Cover Image

"Skull" Copyright © 2006 BenedictFrancis , used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License

Publisher—Black Treacle Publications

http://blacktreacle.ca

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

ISBN: 9781301799329

ISSN: 2291-241X

Black Treacle Publications

269 Charlotte Street

PO BOX 265 SYDNEY

Sydney, NS B1P 1T0

CANADA

Black Treacle Magazine is a free monthly Magazine dedicated to original short fiction in the Horror, Dark Fantasy, and Speculative fiction Genres. Released on the first or second Tuesday of each month

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editor’s Notes

A.P. Matlock

Welcome to Blackrock

Michael Haynes

Night Shift at the Tim Hornets

Mike Rimar

The Three Hundredth Day

Bruce Memblatt

A Pair of Ragged Claws

Kate Heartfield

Editor’s Notes

A.P. Matlock

I am very happy to be finally getting the second issue out. Submission volume has been improving enough that I still think it’s feasible to keep this as a monthly magazine. This issue should hopefully be the only double-month. So Writers, keep those submissions coming!

In March, Black Treacle opened to non-fiction submissions. I’m pretty excited about this and have a few candidates for publication in our May issue. It was also announced that we would begin distribution on Amazon to ensure the widest possible audience. We are still are still committed to delivering Black Treacle Magazine for free but since free distribution isn’t an option when publishing with Amazon, it will be available at 0.99, which is Almost Free.

We’ve got some interesting stories this month: a good mix of humour, horror, and the bizarre. I hope you enjoying reading them as much as I did.

* * *

A.P. Matlock is a Writer and the Editor of Black Treacle Magazine.

Welcome to Blackrock

Michael Haynes

They sped down the latest back road Jesse had turned onto, gravel and dust kicking up in the pickup's wake.

Any signal on that thing yet? he asked Elaine.

Be patient, dammit. Don't you think I'd tell you if it was working?

Jesse growled. Just let me know when you figure out where the hell we are.

At least we haven't seen any cops.

He didn't answer. Bad luck to talk about good luck. Funny how that works. Why not good luck to talk about bad luck? Wouldn't that be a helluva lot better?

Hey! I got... Elaine hesitated. Shit. Yeah, I got shit. Stupid GPS.

Jesse kept driving. It was just after two in the afternoon. Five hours after he and Elaine had robbed the only bank in Haskell Canyon. The plan was to get out of Texas, be in Oklahoma before dark. Lie low. Well, that was plan as far as Elaine knew at least. The part she didn't know about was when Jesse would put a couple of bullets in her. He'd needed a driver, and she'd been good for that, but he wasn't planning on splitting the take with her.

The plan--the official plan--had gone awry when he'd seen that damned state trooper car about fifteen miles out of Haskell Canyon. He'd turned onto one back road, then another. He kept turning, thinking he was heading north and east each time, figuring eventually they'd hit I-44. But the parade of back roads just led to greater and greater desolation.

Elaine reached across the cab of the truck and turned the volume down on Jesse's music.

He glanced at her, turned the music back up. Don't mess with the music, Elaine. My car, my rules.

You've got it so damn loud I can't even think.

Jesse snorted. I bet you didn't mind it loud back when you were my age.

He noticed the road veering sharply to the right at the last moment and fought to keep tires on pavement. It was a close thing and the growl of the tires against gravel at the edge of the road