Alone in the Dark: A Short Story Collection

By Dean Shearer

Acclaimed author Dean Shearer draws on his vast library of dark and horroffic stories to produce this haunting collection, Alone in the Dark. 

 

Alone in the Dark collects six of Dean's bestselling short stories. The collection opens with "Charlie", a story about a man who finds himself dead--yet very much alive. The collection ends with "Tick Tock", a story that explores the psychological horrors (and humors) of clocks. And the four stories in between are just as chilling.

 

Leap into the darkness and discover why its readers never want to shut off the lights again.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dean Shearer
• Release date: Mar 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201177966

Dean Shearer

Dean Shearer is the author of many fictitious works such as The Cat, The World is Magic, and the short stories series Selah, the Universe. He wishes there was more to say about himself (he likes studying religions and walking barefoot and reading and writing in multiple genres and reading and writing a lot) but there's just too much to say.

Book preview

1

FOOTBALL KILLS

Lewis Culbridge was bored out of his mind, and sick of unpacking boxes and moving furniture around.

He put down his side of the couch, and wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. Honey, he said, between gasps, we’ve been moving the living room around all day. Don’t think it’s about time we call it a day?

Hannah sighed, irritated, and let her side of the couch down with a thump. I told you, Lew—I've almost got it figured out. The couch goes there, up against the wall. The bookcase—

The couch, he interrupted, was there just an hour ago. And then it was there. He pointed to another wall. You didn’t like it last time, and you won’t like it this time, either.

Her neck pulsed with each exhausted, hammering heartbeat. Her cheeks were red, and her clothes, damp with sweat, hugged tight against her delicate curves. Hannah, he continued. "You’re exhausted. I’m exhausted. And listen, he said, cocking his ear. Ben’s been singing the Spider-Man theme song over and over again for the last thirty minutes. Here that? Here it?! He’s not even attempting to carry a tune anymore. He sounds like a psycho locked up in a mental ward. He needs to get out of the house for a while, Hannah, and so do I. And, for that matter, look at you! You do too! Come on. Let’s go see a movie or something."

Lew! she said, her voice echoing metallically around the little living room. Lewis paused at the beginning of the hallway and turned and looked at her. "You know this is important to me, she continued. The old house was never right, and it drove me crazy. That’s why we moved, you remember, right? Because the old house—how it was set up and everything—drove me—you—Ben—crazy. And if we don’t get this house set up soon it’ll stay this way forever and we’ll all be back in the same hole we were before."

Lewis opened his mouth to say something, then snapped it shut.

He had been about to say that they had set up this living room in every configuration possible—literally—and she hadn’t been satisfied with any of them, so this was obviously a personal problem. But that would hurt her feelings, and more than likely set her off on one of her rages.

And, besides, she was right. They had moved because the other place had driven them crazy. Too cluttered and cramped. Not enough sunshine. No matter where the furniture, the pictures on the walls, the rugs had been placed, something always felt off.

And, because both of them worked from home, this actually proved to be quite a problem.

Alright, he said, returning to his side of the couch. How about we move things around for another twenty minutes, and then we go and see a movie or something? And afterward we'll get right back to it. How's that sound, hun?

She shifted her head back and forth, then finally sighed and said, Alright. Fine. But we’ve gotta get right back to it when we’re done. Capeesh?

Capeesh, he said, and happily went back to work on the living room.

Twenty minutes later the living room looked more or less how it had three hours ago, but nonetheless it was twenty minutes later, and, besides, Hannah was looking around at their work with a satisfied look on her face. Then, looking over at Lewis she said, I think we just finished up the living room. Looks great to me.

He, in turn, examined Hannah. Yeah, he said, smiling. I think you’re right. Then, Now— To the movies! he said, and picked Hannah up and threw her over his shoulder.

Lew! she laughed, kicking her legs. Put me down!

He jabbed a thumb into her ribs, making her scream and laugh and cry and kick and punch, as he carried her toward the door effortlessly. Ben! he called. Come on Ben. Put on a sweater. We’re going to a movie.

Ben came racing down the hallway, his face glowing with excitement. Movie?! he said. He had just started getting through his babbling stage, and he pronounced it moofie.

Movie! said Lewis, and shifted Hannah completely over to one shoulder so he had the other hand to pick up Ben with.

Put me down, you creep! yelled Hannah as they all went out the door. She managed to grab their jackets off the coat rack on the way out.

The city was absolutely beautiful, especially with all the snow falling gently through the air.

I never liked big buildings, Lewis said, but I think I like em now.

Hannah was looking out the window with an amazed look on her face. She didn’t reply to Lewis, but the look on her face told him how she felt about it.

Lewis slowed the car to a stop at a stoplight. He took this opportunity to lean closer to the window and get a better look at the buildings. They had only seen this part of town from a distance, having driven in from the eastern side where things were less developed.

They weren’t in New York City—this was Buffalo Rock, Wyoming—but he’d be damned if it didn’t look just like it. The buildings were so tall you couldn’t even see the top of them from here on the street—cozy orange light spilled out of every single window. And, like New York, the traffic was awful—but that was probably because it was Saturday night.

Countless people bustled by on the wide sidewalks, as if this cold day didn’t affect them at all.

In fact they looked absolutely pleased. Walking fast, yes, but looking somehow . . . excited. This must be a wonderful town to live in, thought Lewis.

Lewis turned around and looked at Ben. His left hand moved around on the booster seat, trying to find out how to unbuckle his legs, arms, so he could get out of this damn thing and swing around this wonderful city; he held out his other hand, and shot imaginary webs at the buildings, making web-shooting sounds with his cute little mouth.

Apparently Spidey liked it here, too.

Which relieved Lewis. When Lewis had told his mom they’d be moving, she had told Lewis that they had moved when Lewis and his sister were young, and it had affected them greatly—and they had just moved into a house down the block. Lewis and Hannah and Ben, on the other hand, not only had moved into a new house, but also had moved from a small town to a large city—albeit in the same state. But that wouldn’t make much difference to a kid, now would it?

Lewis smiled, happy that his three-year-old son was making it alright so far.

A horn blared, snapping Lewis out of his thoughts.

Ten minutes later they reached the movie theatre, and, to Lewis’s surprise, the parking lot was empty, but for one car. Closed? he said. On a Saturday night?

Hannah shook her head. There’s no way. Hey, look. There’s an old man heading towards the door. Go pull up beside him and I’ll ask him what’s going on.

Lewis did, and Hannah rolled down her window and, leaning out and cupping her hands around her mouth, said, Excuse me. Sir.

He had been unlocking the door; now he turned. Closed, he said, clouds billowing out of his mouth in the frigid air. Sorry. Didn’t you know?

Lewis leaned over towards the window. He gave the man a wave and a smile. We just moved here. Look. Sorry to bother you. But could you point us to another theatre? We’re dying for some entertainment.

Entertainment? replied the old man. He shoved the keys into his