Dark Legends (Collection of Short Stories): presented by the Ink Slingers Guild

By Lisa Barry, Anne Cargile, Alanna J. Rubin and 6 more

The Ink Slinger's Guild kills it once again with a creepy collection of short stories. Every story is required to have a pumpkin involved, in whatever way the author delights.

 

House in the Wood by Alanna J. Rubin
Daegon Rell has mourned the loss of his love for centuries. When an unexpected package arrives, his perception of the past will be challenged and, perhaps, holds promise of a future he never thought possible.

 

Magyc and Mayhem at Winter's Eve by Nicole DragonBeck
All summer Tillie Harper had dreamed of winning the green ribbon for her pumpkins at this years Winter's Eve festival. In none of those dreams had she imagined doing anything like setting a demon loose in the little town of Lillihaven.

 

Immigrants by JM Paquette
When his mother-in-law died, Jeff expected to clean out her house. He did not expect to discover a secret that would cause him to question everything he knows about his wife.

 

Carving a Name for Oneself by Brandon Scott
A pumpkin carved: a life improved. But as with everything, there's a cost. 

 

Ghosted by Desiree Matlock
Their online relationship seemed perfect, but then Rhys ghosted her. Now, on Halloween, he shows up out of the blue to fix things. All seems great except for the fact that he's dead. Can Grace and her friends solve him from disappearing after Halloween ends? 

 

Diana by Erika Lance
It's his DNA. It's his fingerprint. But he has an alibi. What's next?

 

Bloody Thursdays by Lisa Barry
Would the day end well for a change? Some days start off dull and end dull. Other days start off that way and then move to hope and then to death or maybe even to love.  Grace's day had changed so many ways she was a little worried about how it might end.

 

Special Bonus Story! 
Cracks and Tethers is a round robin ghost story; meaning several of these amazing authors wrote one after the other to create an entertaining read for you!

You will love this book because who doesn't love a mix of fun, thrills and Halloween!

 

Get it now!
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Witching Hour Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781943121557

Lisa Barry

Lisa Barry Growing up in Florida was not a good enough reason for author, Lisa Barry, to avoid wearing black. A daily color choice, Lisa constantly pines for cool enough weather to wear her boots. Living with her supportive (and hot) husband and amazingly awesome kidlets, Lisa counts it a blessing that they still love her despite the deafening sound of her music muse throughout the house. Writing and reading every minute she can, Lisa counts on her cats to keep her keyboard warm and on the countless gargoyles who stand guard throughout the house to ensure the safety of all those who enter with good intent. The gargoyles listen carefully when Lisa reads to them aloud.

Book preview

Presents

DARK LEGENDS

A Collection of Short Stories

Contributing Authors

Desiree Matlock

Anne Cargile

Nicole DragonBeck

JM Paquette

Lisa Barry

Brandon Scott

Erika Lance

Alanna J. Rubin

Rhiannon Matlock

Copyright © 2019 Witching Hour Publishing, Inc.

Ghosted © 2019 Desiree Matlock

Molly and the Pumpkin Patch © 2019 Anne Cargile

Magyc and Mayhem at Winter’s Eve © 2019 Nicole DragonBeck

Immigrants © 2019 JM Paquette

Bloody Thursdays © 2019 Lisa Barry

Carving a Name Out for Oneself © 2019 Brandon Scott

Diana © 2019 Erika Lance

House in the Woods © 2019 Alanna J. Rubin

Cracks and Tethers © 2019 Witching Hour Publishing, Inc. and contributors

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means whatsoever without the prior written permission of the authors or publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

The characters, places and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental and not intended by the authors. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for the authors or any third party websites or publications or their content.

Witching Hour Publishing, Inc.

Cover Design: Lisa Barry

Cover Photo Credit: © Alexas_Fotos | Pixabay.com| pumpkin-988231

Editor: Courtenay Dodds www.CourtenayDodds.com

To our Readers

Thank you!

The Ink Slingers Guild is a group of writers who come together for support and encouragement. We give each other inspiration and the occasional kick in the arse.

Every year we produce an anthology, a book of short stories, to share to the world. This year, the theme was pumpkins. Each author had to include the word or use of pumpkin in the story in whichever way they saw fit.

Each story is a fun adventure! Sit back and enjoy as the Ink Slingers Guild shares their stories from the Dark Legends.

Or are they just stories?

www.InkSlingersGuild.com

Other Books by the Ink Slingers Guild

Beyond the Cosmos

Veiled Affection

Super Useless

Purge of Jimmy

My Stories My Friends Started

Serenity Rising

Bent Horizons

On the Verge

Behind the Veil

The Death of Jimmy

Into the Abyss

Ghosted

By Désirée Matlock

The skinny black cat thought he’d seen something, but nothing had been visible among the tendrils of murky fog that constantly surrounded him. He slinked like a whisper toward where he thought he’d seen it, stalking it on instinct, thinking again about what his feline goddess had told him. In her most ferocious form, mane wild and bright, she’d granted him a hearing, but had told him only that he was stuck here, forever in limbo, unless he could find a way to do a good deed for another. He regretted the snarky response he’d given, but he still didn’t see any blessed way he could possibly do any deed at all, good or bad. Still, she had to have understood, after all, she was a cat herself. He had tried to press home the point that he hadn’t seen a fellow creature here since he’d arrived. Bast had said nothing, just curled her graceful limbs before herself, turning into a form similar to his own only in color, and spent what might have been minutes, or days or years, pondering with eyes half closed, during which he’d curled up and catnapped. Then when he lifted his head to her purring, she’d been gone without further answer. Since then, he’d used the only thing he had. Time. Eventually, he was certain the answer to his troubles would arrive.

Finally, it could have been minutes, or hours later, he heard something other than his own thoughts. A scuffling, shuffling noise that was far too clumsy to be a cat gave him a thrill that he, being a cat, didn’t show any sign of. His eyes simply focused - finally - on something. Something was there, and he stalked closer. He was not going to let the first thing he’d seen since his seventh death slip past him.

------

Rhys landed with a thunk that he couldn’t seem to properly hear. It was more like the sound rattled around his head. How confusing, for noises to sound like memories. He looked around himself, saw nothing but a bleak ugly fog, and half expected the cold of winter, but there simply wasn’t any temperature whatsoever. Nothing really seemed to be… anywhere. How unsettling. Where was he? He pondered this for a minute, staring out into the grey nothing, then set that aside for a moment. First, he decided to sort out what he’d been doing just before he got here. And then he remembered.

He’d been driving, on his way to meet up with… someone. He envisioned himself as he’d been, at the wheel of his car. Fog. An earthly fog not at all like this new one, but still dense. Then driving slowly on the freeway, then the startling memory of sudden headlights, an eighteen-wheeler jumping the divider and careening toward him, the adrenaline, then nothing. Well. The remembered adrenaline rush caused alarm, but there was no sudden rush of breath. No leaping pulse. Did he even breath? A pulse? He tried to look down at himself, and for the briefest moment, he didn’t see anything, but then he did. His own form seemed to materialize only when he startled at not seeing it.

Disconcerting. He realized suddenly that he must be dead. How could he get back to… who was it? Why couldn’t he remember more? He dawdled, trying to remember something. Something important. What was it?

Suddenly, he saw eyes. Eyes that didn’t blink, but only stared at him, then he saw the rest of the form. A cat? If he was dead, shouldn’t there be an angel? Or a demon? Or something other than this scrawny black cat?

Wait. It was somewhat familiar looking. Black cats all look mostly alike, but he thought he knew this one. He found his voice after a moment of searching for it, feeling almost as if the breath had been knocked out of him.

Coal? Is that you?

The cat approached, slowly, then rubbed against his leg. Apparently, yes. He’d owned only one pet in his life, a stray he’d named Coal. But Coal had died when he was seven, before his parents had taken to the road, selling rugs roadside. He’d switched from piano to guitar at that point, for portability’s sake. He wished he had his guitar here now. Instead, he reached down and petted the cat.

Hey, thanks for the company. Where are we?

Coal looked at him sidelong, as cats do, but didn’t answer, only slinked around his leg, asking for more pets. He obliged, feeling foolish. Of course, the cat wouldn’t answer. Cats didn’t talk.

Who had Rhys been trying to remember before the cat showed up? That’s right. Who had he been going to see? Suddenly, laughing eyes over a video chat popped into his head. He remembered a laugh, and a tug at his chest, strong enough that he simply knew. Grace. His lovely Grace. How could he have forgotten her? They’d been finally about to stop being long distance. They were supposed to meet up… somewhere? He’d been on his way there when… what? Had he died? He imagined a magic eight ball in his head telling him, all signs point to yes.

It seemed to be getting a little brighter ahead and to the left. He turned toward it, but saw the cat watching it while backing away, and he took the hint. He started backing away from the light, but it still got brighter and brighter, then seemed to start whispering to him in his head. He felt the pull, but also felt a deep dread of what would happen if he walked forward, into that light. He’d seen the stories. The light was somewhere else. Another step further away from Grace. No.

He said it out loud, No. The light stopped moving toward him, and he backed away again into the grey mists behind himself, hoping he didn’t step on Coal. Could he hurt the cat here? He didn’t want to find out.

The light eventually faded, and nothing remained but the mists, neither dark nor light, neither warm nor cold. And as empty as it was possible for something to be. He turned and ran. The cat followed.

Eventually, Rhys stopped, sat down, and started petting the cat again. 

That light is spooky. No answer. He sighed and scratched under Coal’s chin like he had when they’d been young. How am I supposed to get to Grace now? he wondered out loud. The cat finally spoke, a simple quiet meow and then started walking away. 

Nothing else to do, I guess. Rhys followed, grateful for something to look at, even if it was a cat’s behind.

-----

Grace? Are you listening? Shit.

Sorry guys, I was oatmeal brained for a moment. She’d been thinking about Rhys again. Dammit. Grace put the phone on speaker and set it on the counter as she started unloading the dishwasher. What were you saying?

Her sister Mari’s voice came through the line tinny, Grace? Were you thinking about that guy who ghosted you again?

She groaned and Mari continued. We talked about this. A guy who suddenly vanishes on you online is not worthy. Not. Worth. It.

Eff him, Kelly said, blunt as ever.

Jack piped in, I get it. You really liked this one, but… you need to move on, Gracie.

Lydia spoke up, Let her alone. They had something special.

Chatter from everyone on the call burst through at once, arguing lightly over whether or not that guy was worth it. All her closest friends were on this call, and they were supposedly making plans to come over tomorrow night ahead of the party and help her decorate. They needed to get off the subject she’d already brooded too much over. He’d seemed so wonderfully perfect for her. Not perfect, just… the right guy for her. But she’d been burned before, and apparently, Rhys was not special. No one special disappears without a word. And since it was on the day they were supposed to have met up, she got the point. He’d chickened out. Probably. Ugh. She needed to stop this.

Guys, guys, she said, closing the dishwasher, Move on. I have, she lied. So… what’s the consensus? When can you make it?

Jack spoke up, I can’t make it early, but Mari, Lydia, and Kelly will be there just after lunch to help with set up.

A general chorus of yes was followed by goodbyes and then Grace was alone on the call with Mari.

Grace? You still there? Mari sounded nervous.

Yes. What’s up? She moved to the counters, wiping them down.

Grace, I need to… I need to tell you something at the party tomorrow.

Uh oh. Should I be worried?

Definitely not. It’s okay. Just a surprise.

Hmmm. A Halloween surprise. Hopefully a treat instead of a trick?

Definitely. It’s good. Really… good. Her sister no longer sounded nervous. I just want to tell you in person.

After saying goodbye, she thought about the call.

Was Rhys worth it? The guy he’d been before he simply disappeared had been. Eminently. She had realized it as he had sat cross legged on the floor, plucking at his guitar, her humming along. That kind of emotional harmony was something to treasure. Of course, there had been hours and hours of talking, sharing the details of her life. He talked about a childhood on the road. She talked about being raised by her sister Mari after the death of their parents, about moving from Puerto Rico to Florida together as soon as Marilena had reached maturity. He’d talked about how, despite his parents being utterly useless as parents, they’d loved him. They’d talked about favorite foods, about their passions and fears, about their plans for the future. She’d opened her heart, and it wasn’t always possible to close that door as quickly as her friends seemed to think she should.

But… he’d ghosted her. She knew she needed to move on, but despite the long-distance nature of their relationship, and the fact that it had been entirely online, and entirely nonphysical as a result, she didn’t think she’d ever felt quite so emotionally close to anyone. She didn’t feel the need to rush back into the online jungle to find someone else. The very thought made her a little sick to her stomach. No, she definitely wasn’t ready to move on.

Out the kitchen window, she looked into the darkness, and for a moment, she almost thought she saw a cat just beyond the back fence, peeking through the slats.

----

Rhys wandered through what he’d decided was limbo, occasionally resting, petting the cat, or talking to Coal about how lovely Grace was. About her smile. The cat ignored his talk, seemingly, and continued to lead him what felt like nowhere. There was no visible difference, but soon it felt like something was changing a little. He reached what seemed like a tiny darker spot in the fog, and he watched. He sat cross legged near it, sometimes petting Coal while he waited. Nothing changed for a long time. Then, as he looked over at the spot for what could have been the tenth or the thousandth time, he wondered briefly whether it had begun to expand. Yes, he thought, it must have. And there it was again, slightly growing. The cat lingered at the edge of it as it expanded, and Rhys followed Coal’s lead again, ignoring the fear of the unknown, and steeled himself, waiting as the dark spot became a swirling dark vortex, eventually swallowing up the two of them into an even more nothing nothingness than limbo.

-----

Grace woke on Halloween morning, unsure what drew her from sleep. She stretched lazily in bed, then dressed and wandered into the kitchen to brew coffee. She took a moment to appreciate how clean the house was. Totally ready to be trashed by tonight’s party. Her best friends were coming early, but nearly everyone she knew had responded to the invitation with a positive reply.

She ground the beans and dumped them into her pour-over while the water boiled, threw in a pinch of salt, then heard the click as the teapot finished. Then she poured the boiled water over the beans after a moment and smelled the perfect aroma rise. The simple things in life made everything worthwhile, and coffee was one of those. She poured herself a cup and started into the living room to drink it on the couch. As she walked into the living room she started.

Rhys! Her heart leapt into her throat, but not in fear. Elation. Wait. Why was the man in her living room after nearly a month of silence? And he was… see through?

Hello, Grace. Sorry I’m late. I think I have a good excuse, though. I think I’m dead.

Her mouth dropped open. She realized too late that her fingers had