Somber Stroll

By Mark Tullius

Horror hits your hometown.

This twisted short story collection includes five somber strolls through what could be any suburban town.

Find yourself:

• an overworked father trying to protect his son.
• an injured construction worker questioning reality.
• a sensitive teenage girl watching a mixed martial arts battle to the death.
• an aging DJ granting a sick girl's glorious last wish.
• the fifth and final tale is a shocking jaunt through the author's mind, full of juicy revelations and admissions.

These bizarre and bloody tales will leave you begging for more.

 

What readers have to say about Mark Tullius and his horror fiction:

"Mark Tullius is so dark. he goes to places where the devil would need a map and a flashlight. He has an incredible gift for very meaty short stories." ★★★★★

"Mark Tullius creatively weaves somewhat everyday occurrences into the ultimate doom for the main characters. He writes in a way where reading is fast paced (hard to explain) so that you don't want to miss a moment of the story." ★★★★★

"A terrific group of short stories. He has a very precise way of writing that few have. Some of these stories are guaranteed night terrors." ★★★★★

"Great short stories to read alone at night." ★★★★★

Get Your Copy Today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vincere Press
• Release date: Nov 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781938475252

Mark Tullius

"If you want to get to know me and my writing, come check out my podcast Vicious Whispers. I’m an open book and have no issues being vulnerable, looking at my mental health and other struggles. As a reward for making it through my babbling, I share my short horror stories, chapters from science fiction and suspense novels, as well as excerpts from nonfiction at the end of each episode. My writing covers a wide range, with fiction being my favorite to create, a dozen or so titles under my belt. There are 4 titles in my YA interactive Try Not to Die series and 16 more in the works. I also have two nonfiction titles, both inspired by a reckless lifestyle, playing Ivy League football, and battering the hell out of my brain as an unsuccessful MMA fighter and boxer. Unlocking the Cage is the largest sociological study of MMA fighters to date and TBI or CTE aims to spread awareness and hope to others that suffer with traumatic brain injury symptoms. I live in sunny California with my wife, two kids, three cats, and one demon. Derek, he pops in whenever he’s tired of hell and wants to smoke weed. He makes special appearance on my podcast, social media, and special Facebook reader group Dark and Disturbing Fear-Filled Fiction. You can also get your first set of free stories by signing up to my newsletter. This letter is only for the brave, or at least those brave enough to deal with bad dad jokes, a crude sense of humor, and loads and loads of death. Derek and I would love to have you join us! For the newsletter, YouTube page, podcast and more go to https://youcanfollow.me/MarkTullius"

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Morsels of Mayhem

THREE SHORT HORROR stories and one piece of nonfiction by Mark Tullius, one of the hardest-hitting authors around. The tales are bound to leave you more than a touch unsettled.

Get to know: 

an overweight father ignored by his family and paying the ultimate and unexpected price for his sins

a gang member breaking into a neighborhood church despite the nagging feeling that something about the situation is desperately wrong 

a cameraman who finds himself in a hopeless situation after his involvement in exposing a sex trafficking ring 

the aging author paying the price for a reckless past, now doing all he can to repair his brain 

These shocking stories will leave you wanting more.

Get a free copy of this collection

Morsels of Mayhem: An Unsettling Appetizer here:

https://www.marktullius.com/free-book-is-waiting

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

The stories you are about to read were all created over the past year, except Ultimate Wish, which was written 10 years ago, and recently reworked for this compilation. Each tale is told from the first-person point of view, something I haven’t previously attempted in one collection. I recommend a small break in between the stories to cleanse your palate; as first you’re an overworked father, next a confused construction worker, then a sensitive teenage girl, and an older radio DJ, before taking a final stroll as yours truly. I sincerely hope you have as much fun reading these as I had imagining them.

Safety First

Iused to be excellent at caressing clients, listening to their problems and plans for vacations, stroking their egos. But now, on calls like this, all I want to do is scream. Just send me the information so I can do my job and get the fuck off the phone already.

Susan’s pretty hot for fifty, crediting her workouts and diet, and I know why she won’t end the call. She’s lonely. And she’s attracted to me, or at least the old me I pretend to be when I’m on the clock.

I’d feel better going over this whole thing in person, she says. Maybe you can stop by my office Wednesday. We can do lunch.

I consider inviting her over to the house, nine o’clock after Ashley’s asleep, but I’m so disgusted with who I’ve become I can barely speak. I tell Susan sure thing even though we both know I’ll cancel. It gets me off the phone, out of the office that used to be ours, but is now only mine. Ashley no longer needs it, being officially out of the work force.

Downstairs there’s a clash of ninjas and dragons battling. So much for only allowing educational programs.

My laptop’s on the couch where I left it, but someone has shut the lid. I don’t say ‘what the fuck,’ but I’m thinking it. Come on, Brayden, you know better.

Ashley’s caving in the cushions a few feet from my computer, right where I left her two hours ago. Her finger keeps flipping down her phone, her lost-at-sea blue eyes mostly blank, looking nothing like my college sweetheart she’d been half a life ago. She doesn’t even register my presence.

Brayden’s not curled up beside her, eyes glued to the giant screen like I expect. I mute the TV, wait a second for him to pop out of one of his hiding spots.

I don’t have time for your games, I say, wondering how hard he slammed the lid and whether it cost me any work "Get in here. Now!

Ashley stops slouching, puts the phone down. Why, what’d he do? she says, sounding like her lunchtime pill is still pulling her down.

I point at the laptop, biting my tongue because she’s too fragile to yell at and it won’t help anyhow. Yeah, I should never leave work where Brayden can reach it, but Ashley’s one job is to watch him.

I head to the kitchen which is empty; half of his three-day-old birthday cake still sits on the counter. Fine, your cake’s going in the trash.

Ashley says, He’s probably in the bathroom.

I march to the stairs, pissed that I’m losing my cool. Well, he should still say something. The bathroom door’s open, and it’s obvious no one’s inside. Brayden knows not to go in the other rooms.

Ashley scoots to the edge of the couch, puts both hands on the coffee table to steady herself. Her eyes go wide. Is that the pump?

I hadn’t noticed the low rumble. The back door’s ajar, the alarm’s 9volt battery sitting on top of its casing. Ashley’s on her feet, yelling as I throw open the door and fly down the porch steps. Brayden’s next to the rockslide in his bright red Superman shirt, a foot from the pool pump gate, maybe two from the deep end.

The back door slams shut behind me and Brayden jumps up, loses his balance. I’ve never run this fast, rounding the corner of the shallow end, screaming his name. Sit down!

Brayden drops the stick he’d been holding, his chubby arms wheeling, his shirt not giving him any super powers. He keeps stumbling, then goes over the edge.

His back smacks the water just as I grab his wrist and yank him into my arms. His ghost white face turns red, our hearts thundering against one another. I backpedal from the pool, away from the gate, and notice the stick