The Storyteller

By A.A. Mercer

a collection of short stories told by a mysterious stranger. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: A.A. Mercer
• Release date: Jul 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223900368

A.A. Mercer

A. A. Mercer has written mystery, horror and thriller books. he likes to spend his time meeting fans and signing autographs in Tucson Arizona, 

Book preview

1.

Senator Bill Harper had been driving for hours and wasn’t sure where he was going. He had to get away for a while, his wife had been given everything she wanted and now wanted a divorce because she found out about a little fling, it was nothing, the little thing was barely twenty-two and was a flirt of the first degree, she could have given Monica Lewinski lessons on how to be high-class.

She had bragged about it and her young friends told others, and the news spread to three news agencies and to his wife.

He wanted to kill all of them, he had three guns, and two were registered, the other was a 9mm Beretta which he borrowed from a friend to keep him out of jail.

As he drove, he didn’t notice the sky had widened and the city was far behind.

The sun was going down and he saw a small bar in the distance, a sign hung above an old wooden door which read in old English lettering: Welcome to Twilights End.

Bill stopped in the gravel covered parking lot and noticed he was the only one there. He entered the bar and found an empty seat in the back; a balding middle-aged man seemed to appear out of nowhere.

What can I get you? the bartender asked. Bill looked up and was nearly startled by his sudden appearance,

A beer, maybe more later. The bartender disappeared in the dim light. And in seconds a mug and a beer bottle sat in front of Bill, Bill touched the bottle and felt the deep cold of the liquid inside.

He could see his slightly deformed reflection in the glass, and it made him turn the bottle away. He thought he saw something he wanted to avoid, the thought of someone ruining his life for a little quickie.

Hell, if Bill Clinton can, why can’t I? He drank deep letting the alcohol burn into him and through to whatever soul he had.

He had emptied the bottle and wanted another, he wanted to get drunk, things were unfair and he wanted them fixed.

The bartender had been watching him swim in his own self-hate and misery and after a few minutes sat down in a seat next to Bill, he watched him, studied him like a scientist would watch a uniquely fascinating insect climb a wide leaf.

You look like you have a story to tell. The bartender said quietly, Bill peered at him under suspicious lids, the beer had affected him his eye lids were heavy and when he spoke it was with a slight slur. He had begun to think he’d been drugged, the room began to spin a little as he spoke.

I don’t have any stories.

The bartender smiled an enigmatic smile and nodded,

Would you like to hear a story? Bill was caught in the bartenders deep blue eyes and something began to change, the bar seemed to melt away and a tingling sensation ran across his skin and down to his bones.

2.

Jailbait.

L arry Jefferson had been the only child of a man named Greg who had been a criminal most of his adult life. Greg had stolen a car and drove until the gas ran out.

He found himself in a small town in the Southwest, the money he stole was running out and as he sat on a dirty mattress in a small hotel room he heard a knock at the door, his hand was sweaty as he picked up the cold revolver he left on the floor next to the bed. Who is it? he asked through the wooden door, he took a quick look out the wide window next to the door, and his vision was blurred from the sweat which ran into his face.

He saw a young woman in an old leather jacket and very short shorts, she knocked again as she looked behind her shoulder.

She was being hunted and from her dress and the way she nervously fidgeted in front of the door she wanted to hide. He opened the door slowly and drank her into his mind; she was a quick, long sip of the best trouble he ever laid eyes on.

She had short blonde hair and deep blue/green eyes and when she looked up at him he knew they would be inseparable, Hi, can I come in please? he nodded and she