Edition 11: The Stygian Lepus Magazine, #11

By Stygian Lepus

Beyond These Walls by Tom Folske

Carnivorous by Julie Allyn Johnson

Death of the Sea by Corinne Pollard

Eating the Elephant: To the Moon, Author! by Kimberly Rei & Dean Shawker

Midnight of the Unnatural by Stephen McQuiggan 

The Followers by Jim Mountfield

Thievery by Lee Clark Zumpe

Word-Shopping, Part I by Julie Allyn Johnson

Yours Truly, Spring-heeled Jack - Part One of Two by Glynn Owen Barrass

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stygian Lepus
• Release date: Apr 16, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224513642

Book preview

The Stygian Lepus

Digital Edition 11

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The Stygian Lepus Magazine

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Jodi Christensen – Fiction Editor

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Kara Hawkers – Poetry Editor

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Dean Shawker – Fiction Editor

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The Hawkmoth – Cover Designer

Copyright © 2024 by The Stygian Lepus Magazine

First published in Australia in April 2024 by The Stygian Lepus Magazine

All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this production may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, including in any AI activity such as training, etc, without the prior permission of the publisher and copyright owner.

Contents

Letter from the Editor

Death of the Sea

Corinne Pollard

Beyond These Walls

Tom Folske

Midnight of the Unnatural

Stephen McQuiggan

Thievery

Lee Clark Zumpe

Carnivorous

Julie Allyn Johnson

Word-Shopping, Part I

Julie Allyn Johnson

The Followers

Jim Mountfield

Yours Truly, Spring-heeled Jack - Part One

Glynn Owen Barrass

Eating the Elephant: To the Moon, Author!

Kimberly Rei & Dean Shawker

Fiction Editor

Jodi Christensen

Fiction Editor

Dean Shawker

Poetry Editor

Kara Hawkers

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Letter from the Editor

As we step into the eleventh edition of The Stygian Lepus , I am filled with both excitement and gratitude for the journey we've embarked upon together. This April issue marks a milestone in our exploration of the macabre and the mysterious, and I am delighted to welcome you to this newest chapter in our dark odyssey.

In this edition, we present a curated selection of tales that dance on the edge of the uncanny, exploring themes both haunting and thought-provoking. From eerie encounters in moonlit forests to enigmatic discoveries in forgotten corners of the world, each story invites you to delve deeper into the shadows and uncover the secrets that lie within.

As the world awakens from its winter slumber, the April issue of The Stygian Lepus offers a glimpse into the myriad wonders and terrors that await in the burgeoning springtime. Let these stories be your companions as you navigate the shifting landscapes of the season, where whispers of renewal mingle with echoes of ancient mysteries.

To our cherished readers, I extend my deepest appreciation for your continued support and enthusiasm. Your dedication to the dark arts of speculative fiction fuels our ongoing exploration of the unknown, and it is your unwavering curiosity that inspires us to push the boundaries of storytelling with each new edition.

As we embark on this journey through the April edition of The Stygian Lepus, may you find solace and intrigue in the shadows, and may the mysteries that await within these pages ignite your imagination and stir your soul.

Yours in the shadows and the spirit of exploration,

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The Styg

Editor-in-Chief

The Stygian Lepus Magazine

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Death of the Sea

Corinne Pollard

I am cursed—

mortal by day,

monster by night,

trapped on the seaway,

and losing the light.

I am thirst,

compelled to drink

every deep sea.

If disturbed, I’ll sink

ships, no escapees.

I am she,

a monstrous-thirst,

draining, sucking

until no cloudburst

rains, succumbing

to my wasteland reign.

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Corinne Pollard is a disabled writer from West Yorkshire, UK, published in Sirens Call, Black Hare Press, Three Cousins Publishing, Trembling with Fear, World of Myth, and Paragraph Planet. Also, Corinne is co-editor for the Yorkshire anthology Aire Reflections with her dark stories and poetry inside. With a degree in English Lit and Creative Writing, Corinne has always enjoyed the world of dark fantasy. Aside from writing, Corinne enjoys metal music, visiting graveyards, and shopping for books to read.

Twitter: @CorinnePWriter

Instagram: @corinnepwriter

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Beyond These Walls

Tom Folske

Angelica was running around the complex with her brother Samuel and their friend Manny, looking for her mother, a paleo-botanist, and one of the first settlers of Deltren 4419, a planet 18 billion light years away from earth, that could only be reached via wormhole. Angelica remembered the trip quite well. She had been having nightmares about the wormhole for three months prior to their