Five Fingers of Fear

By Dale T. Phillips

Horror comes in many shapes. Here are five more scary stories, where people meet their fate in a number of ways.
Never-before tales of terror to keep you unsettled. You never know whether Death or salvation is just around the corner. Pleasant screams...

The sense of catharsis can come about when the imaginary monster is defeated, showing that people can sometimes fight back and win against the horrible things that arise to torment us. So here are a few monsters to deal with, some fears to explore. Hope you enjoy your trip into catharsis.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dale T. Phillips
• Release date: Nov 22, 2020

Dale T. Phillips

A lifelong student of mysteries, Maine, and the martial arts, Dale T. Phillips has combined all of these into the Zack Taylor series. His travels and background allow him to paint a compelling picture of a man with a mission, but one at odds with himself and his new environment. A longtime follower of mystery fiction, the author has crafted a hero in the mold of Travis McGee, Doc Ford, and John Cain, a moral man at heart who finds himself faced with difficult choices in a dangerous world. But Maine is different from the mean, big-city streets of New York, Boston, or L.A., and Zack must learn quickly if he is to survive. Dale studied writing with Stephen King, and has published over 70 short stories, non-fiction, and more. He has appeared on stage, television (including Jeopardy), and in an independent feature film. He co-wrote and acted in a short political satire film. He has traveled to all 50 states, Mexico, Canada, and through Europe. He can be found at www.daletphillips.com

Book preview

Five Fingers of Fear

A 5 Story Collection

Dale T. Phillips

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Five Fingers of Fear

Copyright 2020 Dale T. Phillips

Cover Design copyright 2020 Melinda Phillips

Cover Images: BigStockPhoto.com

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, no portion of these stories may be reproduced without written permission from the author. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It 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. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author and thank you for purchasing this short story.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, or actual locations, except as used in a fictitious manner, is purely coincidental.

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Other works by Dale T. Phillips

Neptune City (Mystery)

Shadow of the Wendigo (Supernatural Thriller)

The Zack Taylor Mystery Series

A Darkened Room

A Sharp Medicine

A Certain Slant of Light

A Shadow on the Wall

A Fall From Grace

A Memory of Grief

Story Collections

The Big Book of Genre Stories (Different Genres)

Halls of Horror (Horror)

Deadly Encounters (3 Zack Taylor Mystery/Crime Tales)

The Return of Fear (Scary Stories)

Five Fingers of Fear (Scary Stories)

Crooked Paths (Mystery/Crime)

More Crooked Paths (Mystery/Crime)

The Last Crooked Paths (Mystery/Crime)

Fables and Fantasies (Fantasy)

More Fables and Fantasies (Fantasy)

Strange Tales (Magic Realism, Paranormal)

Apocalypse Tango (Science Fiction)

Jumble Sale (Different Genres)

Non-fiction Career Help

How to be a Successful Indie Writer

How to Improve Your Interviewing Skills

With Other Authors

Rogue Wave: Best New England Crime Stories

Red Dawn: Best New England Crime Stories

Windward: Best New England Crime Stories

For more information about the author and his works, go to: http://www.daletphillips.com

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Table of Contents

Duty

Hangman

Memento Mori

Test of Faith

April Fool

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Duty

Major Varney sat in an uncomfortable government chair in an uncomfortable room, in an underground bunker, across the table from four senior officers and two civilians. An aide set down a glass of water before he disappeared, but Varney ignored it.

Now Major, said General Trask. We have your report, but for the benefit of our friends from Washington, start at the beginning and tell us everything. Include details you could normally assume some of us might know.

Varney looked at each face in turn. Your assurance, General, that everyone present has Top Secret clearance at the highest levels? Only two of you are Office of Special Services.

All are cleared for details, Major. Our two friends, The General gave a nod to the civilians present, report directly to President Roosevelt.

As you say, sir. Operation Stymie, as it was called, was initiated when we received intelligence that the Nazis recently gained access to our superheater coil technology used to power our steam guns. They immediately began building a factory and lab to manufacture and test this, deep in the Carpathian Mountains, where they can’t be bombed, or attacked with any sufficiently large force.

One of the civilians broke in. Why is this coil thing so special? We’ve had steam for years. Our cars run on it. What’s new about these guns?

Varney nodded. "The superheater coil is now small and light enough to be used in small arms, and at scale, powerful enough to use for tanks and battleships. It immediately brings the steam pressure up, in a fraction of the time as other methods, is more stable and reliable, and is superior in many ways. In small arms, we use flechettes, small steel darts with fletching. Lighter than conventional ammunition, the gun fires these darts silently, and without muzzle flash. You can load hundreds of rounds, easily reload, and take out enemy sentries at a hundred yards on full automatic, with no more sound than a few puffs of air. At night, a force using these guns will overwhelm a line of enemy soldiers before they know they’re being attacked. You can dial the gun to fire a blast of darts like canister from a cannon, incredibly effective at close range. Think of a massive, extra-powerful shotgun that can blow holes through a concrete wall, or take out a squad of soldiers, with less reloading. All compact enough for a single soldier. And the steam doesn’t foul the weapon, like conventional ammo.

If the Nazis get to manufacture it, they’ll do it as quickly as we can, and they can implement it in the field before us. It could turn the tide in their favor on the Eastern Front, and help them overcome the Russians in a few days. You all know what that would mean.

The faces were grim, as several men nodded.

"So we knew we absolutely had to keep that factory from gearing up. We made contact with Romanian