Untethered Threads

By Kathleen López

A little bit of this, a little bit of that…

 

Want to join in the hunt for some missing co-workers?  How about vegging in front of the television for a binge session, only to find out the TV may have other plans for your day.  If those stories aren't your cup of tea, then perhaps a spot of romance with a side of calamity?  You could go a full 180 from there and try a paranormal trip down a long deserted highway, tag along with a bunch of kids as they explore a creepy old house, or worse yet, try escaping from a house you don't remember being trapped within in the first place.  Sound like fun?  This collection of short stories offers a bit of variety in subjects sure to keep the reader on their toes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wordsmith Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Dec 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005450557

Kathleen López

Kathleen Lopez started writing early on at age 14 as a junior high school journalist; a career she continued with throughout college.  She also had several poems published during her college tenure.  While professionally she has turned from the world of journalism to the corporate world of project management, she has always continued with her passion for writing short stories and poetry.  Suspenseful thrillers, mysteries and stories that took the reader along for the journey have always been amongst her favorite to read as well as write.  Prodigal Son is a follow up to her first publication, Between the Shades of Light and Dark.

Book preview

Untethered Threads

Softcover ISBN: 979-8561327735

eBook ISBN: 9781005450557

Room 423

Copyright © 2018 by Kathleen Lopez

Wordsmith Publishing, LLC

ISBN: eBook 978-1986089357

All rights reserved.  No part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This story is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This story was printed in the United States of America.

Rev. date: 3/7/2018

––––––––

Are You Still Watching?

Copyright © 2018 by Kathleen Lopez.

Wordsmith Publishing, LLC

ISBN: eBook 978-0463569160

All rights reserved.  No part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This story is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This story was printed in the United States of America.

Rev. date: 10/28/2018

It All Started with Some Burnt Bacon

Copyright © 2019 by Kathleen Lopez.

Wordsmith Publishing, LLC

ISBN: eBook 9780463234150

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

Rev. date: 12/25/2019

––––––––

The Long Road Home

Copyright © 2020 by Kathleen Lopez.

Wordsmith Publishing, LLC

ISBN: eBook 9780463427668

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

Rev. date: 2/20/2020

The Haunting of Hell House

Copyright © 2020 by Kathleen Lopez.

Wordsmith Publishing, LLC

ISBN: eBook 9780463776827

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

Rev. date: 3/31/2020

––––––––

Hell of a Way to Start the Day

Copyright © 2020 by Kathleen Lopez.

Wordsmith Publishing, LLC

ISBN: eBook 9781005038465

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

Rev. date: 5/3/2020

Contents

Room 423

Are You Still Watching?

It All Started with Some Burnt Bacon

The Long Road Home

The Haunting of Hell House

Hell of a way to Start the Day

A close up of a sign Description automatically generated

Room 423

So he just up and quit?

I heard that he had gotten another offer, Carrie said.  I’d leave if I had the chance, but yeah.  It did seem abrupt.

He didn’t say anything to me.  I mean we just had lunch like two days ago.  You’d think it would be something he would mention.  I didn’t even know he was interviewing, Jeff said, frowning.

Can’t blame him, really.  After Anderson got the new account, the one he wanted, he seemed to just shut down.

Carrie remembered how upset Bill was when Mr. Peters announced that Anderson was going to run the new account.  Bill had been salivating over the idea of getting the new account.  It was a high visibility campaign and could possibly lead to a higher rung in the ladder.  It would certainly go a long way in pushing him more into the spotlight.  Bill wanted more but had seemed to be passed up more often than not.  This was just another case of that it seemed.

It was after that disappointment that Carrie noted a change in his demeanor.  He seemed less interested in what he was already working on.  She figured it was because he had mentally resided to leaving his current tasks behind him and moving on to bigger and better.  Now with the reality setting in, his account seemed to be more of an albatross rather than an assignment.

When did he even give notice? Jeff asked, breaking Carrie from her thoughts.

Oh, apparently before he left yesterday.

Quits on a Tuesday?  Who does that?

Maybe he made a judgment call?  I mean if he was called into room 423, then maybe there was a reason he up and quit.

What do you mean?  Jeff seemed confused.

Oh come on, you’ve had to have heard the stories about room 423?  Ever since the new management came in, that room has been the room employees enter by they don’t come out.  If you are called to that room, you’re as good as gone.  Remember Janice from accounting?

Jeff thought for a moment.

Oh, you mean the redhead?  The one that always seemed a bit nutty?  Jeff seemed to laugh at the thought of her.

Yeah.  Well after that accounting error, the one that triggered the audit, she got her invite to room 423.  Come Monday, no more nutty Janice.

You’re making this out to be more than just an office you know, Jeff smirked.  Isn’t that the new head of HR’s office?

Have you seen the new head of HR?

No.  No one has.  Who goes to talk to HR unless you have to anyway?  Besides, didn’t they say when the new leadership came in he would be mostly remote?  He’s not here all the time, so no one sees him.

Carrie raised her eyebrows and gave Jeff a look as if what he just said confirmed her suspicions.

Seriously, you’re making this office out to be some sort of kill room Carrie.  It is nothing more than an office.

Are you sure?  How many people have been called in there at the end of the day and the next day when we realize they’re not here, we we’re told they quit.  An awful lot of people are quitting lately, don’t you think?

It’s not that many.  Jeff tried to dismiss her, but Carrie persisted.

There was Janice; there was also Robert, Mark, Lisa, Krista, and Craig.  Now there’s Bill.  Hell, it’s only been what, four months since they took over and seven people just up and quit?  And why after being called into HR do they quit so unexpectedly?  No.  Something is going on here, and I don’t like it.

Jeff could not help but notice that the conversation took a turn.  They were merely commiserating on a fellow co-worker leaving.  Now they were stumbling onto some nefarious plot.  Carrie seemed to be getting worked up over the idea, Jeff thought.  However, he found himself starting to take hold of the idea himself.  He had to admit, there was something odd about the fact that seven people did quit in the last four months.  These were people that had never openly said they were unhappy enough to leave. 

Jeff started to think.  The walkouts did seem to begin after the new management took over.  But why?  The new management was not terrible so that could not have been the reason he thought.  In