DNF

By Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Runners do not finish races for a lot of reasons. But when a runner does not finish at the first Night Frights Run in Las Vegas, Warren worries that the Halloween-themed race might prove far more pulse-pounding than anyone intends.

With just the right mix of the mysterious and the terrifying, "DNF" demonstrates Kristine Kathryn Rusch's mastery of the crime short story.

"Kristine Kathryn Rusch's crime stories are exceptional, both in plot and in style."

—Mystery Scene Magazine

• Language: English
• Publisher: WMG Publishing
• Release date: Oct 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215438114

Kristine Kathryn Rusch

USA Today bestselling author Kristine Kathryn Rusch writes in almost every genre. Generally, she uses her real name (Rusch) for most of her writing. Under that name, she publishes bestselling science fiction and fantasy, award-winning mysteries, acclaimed mainstream fiction, controversial nonfiction, and the occasional romance. Her novels have made bestseller lists around the world and her short fiction has appeared in eighteen best of the year collections. She has won more than twenty-five awards for her fiction, including the Hugo, Le Prix Imaginales, the Asimov’s Readers Choice award, and the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Readers Choice Award. Publications from The Chicago Tribune to Booklist have included her Kris Nelscott mystery novels in their top-ten-best mystery novels of the year. The Nelscott books have received nominations for almost every award in the mystery field, including the best novel Edgar Award, and the Shamus Award. She writes goofy romance novels as award-winner Kristine Grayson, romantic suspense as Kristine Dexter, and futuristic sf as Kris DeLake.  She also edits. Beginning with work at the innovative publishing company, Pulphouse, followed by her award-winning tenure at The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, she took fifteen years off before returning to editing with the original anthology series Fiction River, published by WMG Publishing. She acts as series editor with her husband, writer Dean Wesley Smith, and edits at least two anthologies in the series per year on her own. To keep up with everything she does, go to kriswrites.com and sign up for her newsletter. To track her many pen names and series, see their individual websites (krisnelscott.com, kristinegrayson.com, krisdelake.com, retrievalartist.com, divingintothewreck.com). She lives and occasionally sleeps in Oregon.

Book preview

DNF

DNF

KRISTINE KATHRYN RUSCH

WMG Publishing, Inc.

CONTENTS

DNF

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Also by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

About the Author

DNF

The first inkling Warren had of a problem was the moment after the first runner had crossed the finish line. After the runner burst through the green smoke, posed for a picture next to caldron emitting fake steam, and took his finisher’s medal from one of the high school cheerleaders dressed as Spider-Man, the runner clapped Warren on the back.

Nice course, man, the runner said. Smooth and flat, as promised. Although I gotta say, you coulda used water bottles instead of cups at the turnaround. And that axe murderer. Jeez. He scared the living crap out of me. In a good way. I got faster.

Warren nodded, only partially listening, his attention on the dark trail beyond the finish line. This was the first Night Frights Run to be held in Las Vegas, although the Night Frights brand was doing incredibly well in Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Tucson.

Warren had started all of those runs, and knew that the first run set the tone. He needed the runners to have so much fun, they would come back to the next Night Frights Run a year from now.

Build, build, build, as Angus McDonnelly, owner of Holiday Runs International, was fond of saying. Each run, set around its holiday and in its new city, built on the race before. Please the runners, make it a fascinating experience, and you will have an even better (bigger) race next year.

The Night Frights Runs were the only races that Holiday Runs International held after dark, and even though Warren had done them for ten years now, they still made him nervous. He wanted to give out stylized headlamps, with the run’s logo on the side, but Warren’s lawyers had vetoed that, claiming that the headlamps would negate the waiver that the runners signed by acknowledging that the nighttime run was dangerous.

Warren was no lawyer, but he wondered if the lawyers were being a bit too paranoid. Because, if headlamps negated the waivers, then what the hell did the ambulance parked in the parking lot do? Or the medical tents at the big half and full marathons?

But his job was not to ask. His job was to execute, which he was doing. He had set up the Vegas Night Frights Run, with the help of six local volunteers, and Jeff Claushur, who was angling to bring the Holiday Runs International franchise to the Midwest.

Warren patted the runner on the arm, congratulating him on his win, and reminded him that the medal ceremony would be held in fifteen minutes. Most casual runners couldn’t finish a 5K course in—Warren checked the big timer near the finish—18 minutes, so the overall finisher had to wait for everyone else if he wanted his prize.

Warren wandered over to the finish, his costume’s robes catching around his legs. He was dressed as a wizard, right down to the crooked Harry Potteresque sorting hat, which bent to one side, and looked almost alive. Warren had glued the hat to his bald pate with some stickum an old girlfriend had given him, specifically designed to keep