Dead Key Publishing Annual Anthology 1

By Dead Key Publishing

From the beginning of time, people have loved stories. And novelists have loved trying their hand at writing them. Short stories are their own art form, and have their own beauty and even their own challenges.

Dead Key Publishing is proud to announce the release of this first annual anthology of short stories by the writers in its catalog.

Inside, you'll encounter alternate universes, a mysterious biker, a character with a love of speed, a disgruntled wife, a coma cosmetician, a few unusual ghosts, a cop suspected of murder, a chilling little girl's collection, a possibly psychopathic boy and a creature that only comes out at the full moon.

What you will also find are stories you won't want to leave, and we hope that will lead you to read more of our Dead Keyers' works.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dead Key Publishing
• Release date: Dec 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310555657

Dead Key Publishing

A dead key is the key on a typewriter used so the carriage doesn't advance, creating a unique character that is not visible on a traditional keyboard. When struck alone, it produces nothing. But working in conjunction with another key, it produces a distinctive character.Unpublished works are like dead keys. It is not until we bring the work to publishing in order to be shared that something special is created.At Dead Key Publishing, our passion is to be the next key.

Book preview

Dead Key Publishing

Annual Anthology #1

Copyright 2015

License Note

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 recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

Table of Contents

Becky Bolinger

Pompeii

The Other Earth

About Becky Bolinger

J.R. Hamilton

The Old Dude

Speed Demon

About J.R. Hamilton

Angela Perea

Agitation

Gentle Persuasion

About Angela Perea

Cher Smith

Extinguish

The Swing

About Cher Smith

Stephen W. Smith

A Working Vacation

November’s Child

About Stephen W. Smith

Chandré Toye

Welcome to the Dollhouse

Dead Key

About Chandré Toye

Cody Toye

Jimmy

Upon the November Moon

About Cody Toye

About Dead Key Publishing

Pompeii

By Becky Bolinger

Aurora smiled as she looked out her bedroom window. It was going to be a beautiful day. She ran across her room and grabbed her brush, stroking it through her hair hurriedly. She then bounded down the hallway to find her mother in the kitchen.

Mother, she said, kissing her mother’s cheek.

Her mom glanced at her before returning to her preparations of cooking the evening meal. You’re not going to see him again. I forbid it.

Aurora stared at her mother for a moment. Quietly she said, You forbid it. She nodded, taking a grape from a fruit bowl and repeated, You forbid it. Well, how would you feel if I told you that I refuse to marry Julius?

Her mother laughed as she put a loaf of bread in the oven. It doesn’t matter if you refuse. You are promised to the man, and that is the way life is. Besides, Julius is a fine young man. He has much to give—

Aurora was already gone. She giggled as she ran toward the amphitheater. Today was the day she would help Virgil escape, and they would run away together. Maybe they would even go to Rome. She didn’t care what her mother said. She could never be with Julius. The only thing he cared about was his fortune.

She made it to the amphitheater just in time to see Virgil emerge in the center arena. The crowds cheered, and Aurora smiled proudly. Virgil looked up at her and gave her an almost imperceptible smile. But she had seen it. Yes, today was definitely the day.

A huge rumbling sound suddenly emerged from the ominous mountain to the north. Aurora glanced nervously at the mountain. It gave her a shudder. Her friends would always laugh at her for the dark premonitions the mountain gave her. But she knew this was not a mountain of the gods; it was a demonic place.

She turned her attention back to Virgil, who was fighting the fat ugly gladiator, Marcus. She smirked. The least they could do is give Virgil a challenge. Virgil was amazing. Blonde hair framed his beautiful face, and he had the body of a god. Who cared if he was a poor slave? To Aurora, he was perfect.

Suddenly, the rumble returned and caused the amphitheater to shake on its foundation. People looked up nervously at the mountain. Virgil and Marcus stopped fighting to watch. The mountain almost seemed to be moving. Aurora sucked in a breath.

The mountain seemed to suddenly explode. People gasped in shock as a black cloud emerged from the mountain and spread throughout the sky, blocking out the sun. It looked a lot like a thundercloud, but to Aurora’s horror, it started raining rocks. People started screaming and ran for cover.

Aurora made it to the ground level of the amphitheater and found Virgil. Virgil! she screamed, collapsing in his arms.

He hugged her to his side and kissed her on the forehead. Aurora, are you all right? You’re not hurt, are you?

She’s fine! replied a firm voice.

Virgil and Aurora turned to see Julius standing behind them. Julius grabbed Aurora by the arm and yanked her away. "Thank you for your concern, slave, but I have control of the situation now."

Aurora turned to give Virgil a longing look as her fiancé dragged her away. As she turned around, she noticed they were heading for the main street.

She jerked to a halt. Julius, we can’t go out there. We’ll be pummeled by stones!

I should think that would be quite fair. A lot of women who commit adultery are punished by death. You should be grateful. Julius started walking again, dragging Aurora behind him. And a slave, nonetheless. A slave! You’re a spoiled girl, why would you want a slave who has nothing to give you?

Aurora only half-listened, trying to protect herself from the falling rock. Was Julius even aware of what was going on?

A woman ran out of the bakery, screaming. She crossed in front of Julius and Aurora.

And what is it with these people?! Julius said in an exasperated tone. Haven’t they ever seen rocks before?

The woman almost made it across the street when an unusually large stone struck her in the forehead. She fell to the ground, her face already covered in blood. Aurora shrieked in horror.

Hmm. Julius yanked Aurora in a different direction. Better take you to my home, since it’s closer.

* * *

Aurora lay in bed, listening to the sounds of the falling rocks. She was desperately worried about Virgil. She just had a bad feeling about the whole situation. I mean, falling rocks! What does it mean?

Nobody else seemed that worried about it. They just stayed in their homes, like it was a normal rainfall.

Aurora tried to keep herself from crying. She couldn’t get the picture of the woman out of her head. The rock had seemed to come out of nowhere. How many other people had died like that today? When were the rocks going to stop falling? How many more people would die?

Aurora slowly got out of bed and crept out of the room. Julius snored softly in the adjacent room. She didn’t know if he was a light sleeper, so she tiptoed as quietly as possible to the front door.

She had to find Virgil. They had to get out of town. She had a creepy feeling. Sure, the rocks were creepy. But, she had a suspicion that something even worse was going to happen.

She frowned as she stepped outside. Two things struck her as odd. The first was how unusually warm it was out here. Well, it was the end of summer, but the heat was almost unbearable, and the sun wasn’t even out. That was the other thing that struck her as odd. Her internal clock told her that it was probably after dawn. Yet it was still very dark outside. She looked up. Instead of seeing a starry sky, she saw a huge cloud, hovering close to the ground.

Was she dreaming?

Small rocks still showered from the cloud. She shielded her head with her hands as she ran toward the Gladiator Barracks. She passed the Temple of Isis and hesitated. Maybe she should go inside and say a prayer first. She looked in the direction of the mountain. It seemed to whisper to her that there was not a lot of time. She continued running.

Virgil! she hissed, as she reached the barracks.

Over here, Aurora!

She ran in the direction of his voice and almost tripped over him. She looked down to see his face bruised and bloody.

Virgil, what in the gods’ names has happened to you?!

The rocks, he whispered. They leave us out here all chained up, and don’t bother to give us any sort of shelter.

Aurora smiled devilishly at him. You won’t be here for long, she said in a sing-song voice as she retrieved a key from her clothing.

Aurora, where did you get that? You could be hanged for stealing that!

Never mind the formalities, she hissed, making sure that none of the other slaves had seen her with the key. She couldn’t afford to free anyone else. But, the other gladiators were too busy sheltering themselves from the rocks to pay attention to her.

Suddenly a hand clamped down on Aurora’s shoulder. How did I know that I would find you here?!

Aurora turned to see Julius glaring down at her. You shall pay dearly this time, he said, in a dangerously low voice. He didn’t notice that Virgil had unlocked the chains that bound him.

Virgil grabbed Julius around the throat, pulling him away from Aurora. Julius tried to fight, but was no match against the incredible strength of a gladiator.

Aurora grabbed the chains and quickly locked them around Julius’s wrists. Virgil let go of Julius, and laughed as Julius writhed and yelled.

Woman! he spat. When I find you, I will make you regret ever looking at another man. And you, slave, will be put to death…by me!

Aurora snickered and kicked her fiancé in the side. See if you can find me first!

Then Virgil and Aurora were gone. Julius put his head in his hands, not noticing that the mountain to the north had grown quite a bit larger.

* * *

We can head to the port of Stabiae! Virgil said. He held Aurora’s hand as they ran through the streets. I know someone there who will take us to Herculaneum. We’ll be free after that. Then we can go anywhere you want to go.

I don’t care where I go, as long as I’m with you, Aurora replied.

A large rumble from the mountain caused the earth to shake beneath their feet. Aurora lost her balance and fell to the ground.

Virgil knelt to the ground to help her up. Are you all right?

Aurora ignored him. Her eyes grew wide as she stared up at the mountain. Virgil followed her terrified gaze and stared at the trembling mountain.

What is going on? he whispered.

The mountain seemed to explode again, just like it had done during the gladiator fight the day before. But this time, it was not a cloud that shot into the sky. Aurora thought dreadfully of the apocalypse as she watched the flames shoot out of the summit.

Virgil finally lifted Aurora off the ground. I have a feeling that we need to get into the Bay of Naples as fast as we can.

Aurora nodded in agreement. I knew it. Nobody believed me, but I knew that it was a cursed mountain.

Who cares?! Virgil cried. Let’s just get out of here before it sends us to the afterlife!

The heat that the cloud had given off was still very intense, and Aurora started to sweat. I don’t know if I can run all the way to the port, she said, breathless. The air was almost impossible to breathe

Virgil covered his mouth and nose, trying to keep from coughing. You can’t give up now, Aurora. We can make it.

As red-hot goo started to flow down the side of the mountain, the townspeople started to fear for their lives. People started running frantically down the streets, planning to get out of town. Families were packing up their belongings and heading away from the mountain, or toward the port.

The flames were heading straight for the town. Aurora guessed that they would arrive in only a few minutes. Aurora momentarily thought of her mother and father, wondering if they would make it out of the town alive.

The port of Stabiae was in sight. Virgil and Aurora ran faster, just barely ahead of the rest of the crowd. Screams suddenly ripped through the town. Aurora turned to see the houses covered in ash and fire. People were being engulfed by the flames as they tried to find safety. The fire seemed to flow like a river. It flowed at a rapid speed, faster than anyone could run. The river was now heading toward the port.

Aurora turned back around and ran faster. They were about 20 feet from the boats. Already, there were boats leaving the port. The boats still anchored were filled with people. As she ran, the people waved to her, coaxing her to run faster.

People directly behind her started screaming. She could smell the sulfur in the air. She could feel the heat from the cloud, and from the river of fire. She knew she could not turn around, for it would slow her down.

She made it to the closest boat and jumped on. She hadn’t noticed that Virgil was no longer beside her. As the boat floated away from the docks she looked over at the shore. Virgil! she cried.

Virgil had tripped and was just getting up. He shot Aurora a panicked look. He saw another boat nearby and tried to reach it. But the flames were faster. The river of fire engulfed the shores and stopped at the water.

Virgil! Aurora screamed. She could only see