Dark Corners: Tales from the Shadow Realms

By S.B. Fates

Step into a world that blurs the lines between the rational and the inexplicable, between the living and the dead, and between science and the supernatural. "Dark Corners: Tales from the Shadow Realms" offers an anthology of gripping short stories, each one a labyrinthine journey into the macabre, penned by a single master of modern dark fiction.

 

In "Labyrinth of Lost Realities: A Sarah Caldwell Mystery," join Detective Sarah Caldwell as she navigates an enigmatic maze appearing at crime scenes, racing against time to stop a dark alliance of rogue scientists and demonic entities from merging realities and unleashing unspeakable horrors.

 

Discover "The Shadow's Veil: Chronicles of Havenwood," where astrophysicist Dr. Evelyn Harper and Detective James O'Connell must unravel ancient rituals to prevent a cosmic entity from tearing the fabric of existence, all while wrestling with their own inner demons.

 

Unearth "Cosmic Dread: An Ava Harper Investigation," as Detective Ava Harper teams up with a medium and a quantum physicist to close a reality-bending labyrinth that threatens to collapse the multiverse into a nightmarish realm.

 

Explore "The Blackwood Enigma: A Labyrinth of Fear," when Detective Sarah Caldwell and an antiquities dealer, Owen, confront their deepest fears in a subterranean labyrinth, which holds the key to unsolved crimes and a hidden, ancient evil.

 

Traverse "Echoes in the Labyrinth: A Hollow Creek Mystery," where Detective Sarah Whitaker and journalist Mark solve a cosmic conspiracy involving celestial beings feeding off human emotions, set in the haunting backdrop of Hollow Creek.

 

Delve into "The Gateway of Lost Souls: Chronicles from Wraith Haven," as investigative journalist Daniel and Detective Emily Shaw navigate a spectral labyrinth to rescue lost souls and battle their own skepticism.

 

Finally, investigate "Unraveling Reality: The Greystone Murders," in which Detective Laura Mitchell and scholar Edward Kane join forces to halt a cosmic event that could merge the realms of the supernatural and the human.

 

Confront your deepest fears and ethical dilemmas through a suspenseful tapestry of horror, crime, science fiction, and moral ambiguity. With each page, "Dark Corners: Tales from the Shadow Realms" offers a cerebral and heart-pounding experience that challenges the boundaries of reality. Are you ready to step into the unknown?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sean Benoit
• Release date: Aug 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223177517

S.B. Fates

Sean Benoit, writing under the pen name S.B. Fates, is a masterful author specializing in the realm of dark fiction. His unique literary style seamlessly weaves together elements of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science fiction, and fantasy, creating stories that not only captivate but also challenge the conventional boundaries of these genres. His works are renowned for their complex narratives, richly developed characters, and the ability to transport readers into worlds where the mysterious and the ordinary intertwine. In addition to his literary pursuits, Sean harbors a deep passion for drawing and comic books, engaging in these activities as personal hobbies. This artistic inclination, while separate from his writing, enriches his creative perspective and contributes to the depth and imagination evident in his storytelling. Known as S.B. Fates in the literary world, Sean stands out for his ability to blend a diverse range of elements into his narratives, making him a distinctive voice in the genre of dark fiction. His dedication to exploring and redefining the limits of genre fiction has cemented his status as a notable author in his field.

Book preview

Prelude

Dear Reader,

You are about to venture into realms where reality is not merely stretched—it is torn asunder. If you're reading these words, perhaps you've sensed that the world is not as simple, not as easily explained, as you've been led to believe. Maybe you've heard echoes in empty rooms, or felt the chill of unseen eyes upon you. If so, this anthology is your atlas to those dark corners of existence where mysteries reside in shadow, and shadows veil mysteries.

Dark Corners: Tales from the Shadow Realms is not just a collection of stories. It is a labyrinth of the mind, an expedition into the hidden caverns of reality where the line between the natural and supernatural doesn't merely blur; it disintegrates. As you turn each page, consider it a step deeper into a maze—a maze populated by rogue scientists, ancient evils, celestial beings, and malevolent cosmic entities. Every story is a corridor, every character a guide—or perhaps a deceiver—leading you further into the dark.

These tales are not passive experiences. They are puzzles begging for your wit to unlock, labyrinths yearning for your intuition to navigate. They are both warning and invitation. As you delve into these worlds, you'll find reflections of your deepest fears, your unspoken ethical dilemmas, your most bewildering existential questions.

The characters you'll meet—Detectives Sarah Caldwell, Ava Harper, and Laura Mitchell, among others—wrestle with forces that defy understanding. They stand at the boundary of rational thought and metaphysical dread, and they challenge you to join them.

Remember, labyrinths have many exits, but not all lead out. Some take you deeper into the very mysteries you seek to unravel. The journey is fraught with risk, but the rewards are revelations that may just alter your perception of the world—or worlds—around you.

I invite you to step into the labyrinth. Let your eyes adjust to the dark, for in the darkness you'll find not just terror, but truth; not just suspense, but enlightenment. But heed this warning: Once you step in, there's no guarantee you'll step out. Some doors, once opened, are best left unsealed.

Are you brave enough to venture forward? If so, turn the page and let the journey into the shadow realms commence.

Yours in the Quest for the Unexplained,

S.B. Fates

Labyrinth of Lost Realities

The midnight air was thick with the stench of blood and decay when Detective Sarah Caldwell arrived at the secluded alley. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the gruesome tableau before her—a body sprawled on the ground, encircled by an intricate arrangement of symbols and glyphs, sketched in what appeared to be a combination of ash and blood.

This isn't your run-of-the-mill stabbing, murmured Officer Williams, who had been the first on the scene.

Sarah stepped closer, her eyes scanning the cryptic symbols. A chill ran down her spine. No, it's not, she agreed. Her hands tightened around the notepad she held, her mind racing. She had solved plenty of bizarre crimes, but nothing like this.

As she examined the body, a face twisted in a final moment of terror, her phone buzzed. Glancing at the screen, she saw an anonymous number. Suspicion tinged her thoughts, but intuition told her to answer.

Detective Caldwell, she said, keeping her eyes on the crime scene.

Go to Greystone Avenue. Look for the door, said a distorted voice before the call ended abruptly.

Sarah frowned. Greystone Avenue was a five-minute walk from her current location, a spot known for its labyrinthine network of alleys and abandoned buildings. Could this be a trap, or was it the lead she needed? Her intuition was screaming that this case was different, urgent in a way she couldn't yet understand.

She looked up at Williams. I need to follow a lead. Keep the scene secure. And for heaven's sake, don’t let anyone touch those symbols.

Williams nodded. Understood, Detective.

Sarah walked briskly to Greystone Avenue, her senses heightened. As she turned the corner, her eyes caught sight of what could only be described as a doorway to nowhere—an arch of dark, ancient stone that seemed out of place, juxtaposed against the modern concrete buildings. She felt an uncanny pull toward it, a magnetic allure that was as inviting as it was terrifying.

Her phone buzzed again, another anonymous message. This time, a single word: Enter.

She looked at the arch, its shadowy interior appearing to stretch into impossible depths. For a moment, she hesitated. It was as if she stood on the precipice of reality, staring into an abyss of the unknown. But the mystery of the crime scene, the urgency in the anonymous caller’s voice, and her own insatiable curiosity left her with no other option.

Taking a deep breath, Sarah stepped through the arch, plunging into the labyrinthine corridors that awaited her. For better or worse, she was now part of a world that defied all explanation—a realm where the boundaries of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and crime were about to dissolve into a nightmarish reality she could scarcely imagine.

As she moved forward, the stone walls closing in around her, Sarah Caldwell knew that she had just crossed a point of no return. But what lay ahead was still a mystery, a web of enigmas she would have to unravel to save not just herself but perhaps multiple realities from descending into chaos.

Sarah's foot crossed the threshold of the arch, and the world blinked. The air thickened into a viscous soup, almost as if reality itself had grown reluctant to let her pass. With another step, she plunged into a space that could hardly be called an alley. The stone walls twisted in ways that defied geometry, curving upward and sideways, stretching into infinity.

A murmur of voices bubbled up from the depths of the labyrinth, mingling with the discordant symphony of distant, otherworldly instruments. She took a deep breath and steadied herself. Every instinct screamed that she was no longer in her own reality.

Just then, a creature slithered out from a shadowy alcove. It had the body of a snake but the head of a lion, its eyes glowing a fierce yellow. Sarah reached for her gun, but the creature merely studied her and slid away, disappearing into another impossible corridor.

Before she could process what she'd just seen, she found another archway before her, an eerie replica of the one she'd initially entered. Compelled by a mixture of dread and curiosity, she stepped through and was assaulted by another abrupt shift in atmosphere. This time, she found herself standing in a mirrored version of the initial crime scene—same alley, same symbols, yet something was eerily different.

The body on the ground was an identical copy of the victim she had left behind, but with one crucial difference: this one had an extra pair of eyes, all staring blankly into the void above. Her heart pounded as she realized the murders weren't just happening in her world but were being replicated, somehow, in alternate dimensions.

She took meticulous notes and photographs with her phone, uncertain if the technology would even function in this twisted reality. To her relief, it did.

After capturing all the details she could, Sarah ventured deeper into the labyrinth, encountering landscapes and beings that belonged to neither heaven nor earth. Winged wolves soared through the air, locked in combat with feathered serpents. Walls dripped with luminescent moss that sang mournful tunes. Waterfalls flowed upward into hungry clouds that rained fire.

With each new spectacle, Sarah’s understanding of the case—and of reality itself—grew more complex. Every archway she crossed led her to another crime scene, each a grotesque reflection of the murders she was investigating. Some were set in futuristic cityscapes, others in medieval villages, and even some that seemed to exist in a void of eternal night.

Finally, she arrived at an intersection of corridors, each branching off into darkness. The weight of her choices settled upon her. Whatever she decided next could mean the difference between stopping this horrific chain of events or becoming its next victim.

Taking a deep breath to steady her racing heart, she chose the path that radiated a cold, malevolent energy, as if inviting her to uncover the terrible secrets it held. As she walked, the walls seemed to whisper, the voices growing louder, more insistent. The very air grew thick with the scent of sulfur and rot, heralding a reality far worse than any she had yet encountered.

For Sarah Caldwell, the labyrinth had become a symbol of cosmic horror, a puzzle that transcended time, space, and the laws of physics. And as she journeyed deeper into its malevolent twists and turns, she could only wonder what fresh hell awaited her, and whether she would emerge as the detective who had solved the most inexplicable crime of her career or another lost soul, consumed by the labyrinth’s dark corridors.

Sarah rounded a bend in the labyrinth, her flashlight revealing a door unlike any she had seen before. It was metal, utilitarian, a stark contrast to the ancient stone that formed the walls. Her pulse quickened as she pushed it open.

She stepped into what looked like a lab, a grotesque parody of the scientific method in action. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, illuminating men and women in white coats who huddled over workstations filled with vials, syringes, and arcane symbols drawn on parchment. There were metallic devices that Sarah couldn't begin to understand, complex configurations of wires and tubes, glowing softly in the dim light.

One of the scientists—a man with gray hair and a distinctly uneasy presence—looked up. You shouldn't be here, he hissed.

I could say the same, Sarah retorted, her hand edging toward her gun.

The scientist sighed, a sound tinged with both resignation and a trace of dark amusement. We’re on the brink of something extraordinary. You wouldn't understand.

Try me.

For millennia, humanity has been limited to one reality, he began, eyeing Sarah as if judging whether she could absorb what he was saying. We're close to breaking that boundary, to merging the realms of science and magic, fact and fiction. Imagine the possibilities.

Sarah felt a chill down her spine. You're playing with things you can't possibly understand. Who’s funding this? Who’s behind all this?

The scientist smiled, but his eyes were cold. We have our benefactors. And you, Detective, have seen enough. Time for you to leave.

Sarah knew she was outnumbered. Fine, but this isn't over, she said, backing towards the door.

Just then, another scientist inadvertently moved, revealing a cluster of monitors. Images flickered across the screens—maps of the labyrinth, CCTV footage of the crime scenes, and digital recreations of the arcane symbols she’d been investigating. A goldmine of evidence.

Sarah discreetly pulled out her phone and snapped several pictures, her thumb hovering over the 'send' button, ready to forward them to her secure cloud storage.

I wouldn't do that if I were you, the gray-haired scientist said, eyes narrowing. You won't get any reception here, and besides, do you think we'd let you walk away with those?

Sarah hesitated, then shoved the phone back in her pocket. Fine, but you should know I’ve seen enough to warrant a full-scale investigation. And trust me, you don't want to be on my bad side.

The scientist merely chuckled. We’ll take our chances. Now, leave.

Sarah turned, walking back through the door into the labyrinth. It closed behind her with a sound that was more final than any door should be, a sound that spoke of secrets best left buried and paths that were better left untraveled.

But as she retraced her steps through the convoluted passages, Sarah couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just left behind a piece of the puzzle, a critical clue that could either solve the case or plunge her deeper into the maze’s mysteries. Either way, she knew she had no choice but to plunge onward, into whatever dark revelations awaited her.

Sarah walked into the dusty office of Dr. Elaine Kendrick, a renowned historian who specialized in ancient myths and rituals. The walls were lined with shelves of old books, manuscripts, and various artifacts. Dr. Kendrick was a middle-aged woman with curly hair pulled into a loose bun. She wore large glasses that magnified her eyes, giving her an intense yet welcoming look.

Detective Caldwell, I presume, she said without looking up, her fingers still leafing through an ancient manuscript.

That's correct, Sarah replied, still a little disoriented from her encounter in the labyrinth. She took a seat opposite Dr. Kendrick, pulling out her phone to show her the photos she had secretly taken.

Ah, very interesting, Dr. Kendrick mused as she looked at the symbols that were carefully marked around the crime scenes. These are not mere random drawings, Detective. They're a form of ancient script, used in rituals that are not to be trifled with.

What kind of rituals? Sarah asked, leaning in closer.

The merging of realities, the historian said, finally locking eyes with her. These symbols are an invocation to ancient demonic entities who hold the keys between different dimensions. And from what I can see, this is no amateur job. Whoever is doing this knows exactly what they're doing.

Sarah felt a cold dread settle over her. So you're saying that the labyrinth, the ritualistic murders—they're all part of some grand plan to merge realities?

Dr. Kendrick nodded. Yes, but not just any realities. These entities aim to merge our world with realms of horror and chaos—places that are home to creatures and phenomenons that defy our understanding of natural laws.

Sarah's thoughts raced back to the bizarre flora and fauna she had encountered in the labyrinth, the strange physics and the menacing rogue scientists. What happens if they succeed? she asked, though she was afraid she already knew the answer.

Dr. Kendrick sighed deeply, pushing her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. If they succeed, the boundaries that separate us from those horrors will be shattered. We'll face an influx of unspeakable entities, not to mention the collapse of our own reality. In other words, it would be apocalyptic.

Sarah clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She had seen enough in her years on the force to know that she couldn't afford to take these warnings lightly. What can be done to stop it? she asked, her voice tinged with desperation.

The labyrinth is the key, Dr. Kendrick said. You must find the heart of it, the core where all realities converge. Destroy it, and you might stop the ritual from reaching its completion.

Destroy it? How? Sarah asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

The historian paused, searching for the right words. That, Detective, is something you'll have to figure out. But whatever it is, you'd better do it soon. These rituals are time-sensitive. The veil between realities is at its thinnest during certain astrological events, and one such event is fast approaching.

Sarah stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the wooden floor. Thank you, Dr. Kendrick. I can't promise I can stop this, but I'll die trying if I have to.

The historian nodded, a grim look of understanding passing between them. May the gods of all realities be with you, Detective Caldwell.

Sarah walked out of the office, her resolve hardened. She would stop this ritual and destroy the labyrinth, or die trying. The future of not just her reality, but countless others, depended on it.

Sarah's footsteps echoed through the labyrinth's stone corridors, the walls adorned with intricate reliefs that seemed to move as she passed them, like the whispers of forgotten souls. Her flashlight flickered erratically, as if the very air was laden with static electricity. The darkness around her seemed to breathe, filling her with an ever-growing sense of dread.

Finally, the twisting corridors gave way to a vast chamber. Arrayed around its circumference were numerous workstations, illuminated by cold blue light. On those tables lay a mix of scientific instruments and ancient artifacts—test tubes alongside sacrificial daggers, circuit boards next to parchments inscribed with incantations.

Hunched over the stations were individuals in lab coats, their eyes filled with a disturbing fervor. And among them, towering in the middle of the room, were figures that could only be described as demonic—ghastly creatures with twisted horns and leathery wings, conversing in a guttural language that sent shivers down Sarah's spine.

She watched from the shadows, her hand inching towards her gun, though she doubted if bullets would be of any use here. What she saw next made her breath catch in her throat. One of the scientists placed his palm on an artifact that pulsed with an eerie light. As he chanted, the demonic entities joined in a cacophony of voices that filled the chamber. The artifact glowed brighter, and a rip appeared in the air—a tear in the very fabric of reality.

Sarah's phone vibrated, disrupting the ritual for a mere second. The room turned, eyes locking onto her location. One of the entities snarled, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. Panicked, Sarah fired her gun, the bullets momentarily distracting the creatures as