A reluctant scout embarks on a camp-out with his friends for a weekend in the woods. A horrible accident along a nearby highway will try the scouts in a way their leaders could not have imagined. There is no merit badge to prepare them for the horror making its way to their camp.A reluctant scout embarks on a camp-out with his friends for a weekend in the woods. His father will lead the scouts on an afternoon hike to their campsite where they will be tested on the skills they’ve learned throughout the year. A horrible accident along a nearby highway will try the scouts in a way their leaders could not have imagined. There is no merit badge to prepare them for the horror making its way to their camp.While the scouts struggle on their own, the government attempts to cover up the accident and its deadly secrets as family members cling to their televisions fearing the worst.

Friends revisit a childhood mystery upon the death of Wesley Miller's grandmother. What they find is far more dangerous and terrible than they could have imagined.Inspired by my love for H.P. Lovecraft, this short story is my addition to the mythos. The old ones can live well beyond our lifetimes, but what do their followers have to show for a lifetime of servitude? What about the ancestors of their followers who unwittingly become the keepers of their secrets?

Jibreel's curse is the story of a how the zombie apocalypse began in the Byzantium Infected universe. Also include is a Scourge of Byzantium preview and the first episode of the Nasir and Maarika Chronicles. Jibreel's curse was created at the request of readers just like you that were curious how the infection started.Jibreel, 6th Century Arabian nomad, family man, and trader. His unremarkable life would have passed completely un-noticed by the world except for this, his final chapter.Drawn to a gift from the heavens Jibreel's life will take a turn that endangers everything he has ever loved and ultimately the world itself.Created at the request of readers just like you this is the story of how Jibreel's life led to events that would threaten the world in the novel Scourge of Byzantium.Also included is the first three chapters of Book 1 in the Byzantium infected series, Scourge of Byzantium.The third chapter is a new chapter not featured in the original edition of Scourge of Byzantium. It is the first episode in a series of short stories I will be writing called the Nasir and Maarika chronicles. Nasir and Maarika are of one people but two worlds. One grew up inside Byzantium's Arabia Province, the other the open desert of Arabia. They will meet on the eve tragedy that will forever change both of their lives.

End times are here again A half-human, half-angel with a bad rep and a worse attitude—we are talking abuout the former Lucifer here—James Stark, aka Sandman Slim, has made a few enemies. None, though, are as fearsome as the vindictive Angra Om Ya—the insatiable, destructive old gods. But their imminent invasion is just one of Stark's problems, as L.A. descends into chaos, and a new evil stalks the city. No ordinary killer, the man known as St. Nick takes Stark deep into a conspiracy that stretches from Earth to Heaven and Hell. Further complicating matters is that he may be the only person alive who knows how to keep the world from going extinct. He's also Stark's worst enemy—the only man in existence Stark would enjoy killing twice—and one with a direct line to the voracious, ancient gods.

Zack and his friend Uta discover a raptor's egg and when the egg hatches they befriend the baby raptor. The mother attacks them and retrieves the hatchling. Zack and Uta decide to venture back to the caves, find the baby raptor, and attempt to escape from the raptor lair with their lives.

A short story about Raven Blackcrow, an Indian from the fictional "Wamasca" tribe who was cursed since the day he was born. What happened to him and the legend around his death still haunts the South Dakota town of Daunting to this day.Scarecrows have a creepy mystique about them. They’re lifeless, yet resemble us. Despite their positive utility (I assume they do keep birds from eating crops though I haven’t observed a scarecrow long enough to really know firsthand), a person will usually stumble upon one that appears neglected, tattered and worn. They’re often spotted from afar in lonely, desolate, out-of-the-way places and their eyes seem to follow passersby. Did its head turn, too, or was it just that its head and neck have loosened from its stranglehold upon the post it was hung from? Their bodies are often discovered unnaturally twisted -- victimized by the elements, birds or other hungry, curious animals. Doesn’t it sometimes look that like they tried to wriggle free?Coming across a scarecrow can really help bring out the imagination! Imagine being lost or stranded with no sign of civilization around and coming across a scarecrow whose better days are far behind him. It almost looks desperate, hanging up there, angry, with nothing to lose. Patiently waiting to escape, life can’t get much worse than a scarecrow’s version of being nailed to a post eerily resembling a crucifix. The buzzing of insects and the brushing together of the wheat and corn in the swaying wind are the only sounds you hear for miles. You are more than aware that you are alone and as vulnerable as that poor bag of twisted, tormented, human straw staring down at you.You approach cautiously, then its sunken eyes suddenly open, and it comes alive. Anger lights up his suddenly human eyes. The expression on its face turns into a twisted smile. You step back, dumbfounded, as the scarecrow tears itself from its cross with one thing on its mind -- revenge. Halloween and Indian folklore can definitely make for an interesting combination!

The fields at Chickamauga, Georgia--America's oldest national military park--claimed 35,000 casualties during the Civil War. Any good guide will tell you that the grounds are haunted. The battlefield even has its own resident haunt, called Old Green Eyes for his tell-tale luminous gaze. It has long been said that Old Green Eyes intends no harm to those who respect the park. He is no menace, but a guardian of the dead. While he walks, the dead may sleep secure in the knowledge that their rest will be undisturbed. While Old Green Eyes patrols the battlefield, there is nothing to fear, for graves are not robbed and bones are not moved.But suddenly a different phenomenon starts puzzling and frightening visitors, causing tours to be canceled and rangers to quit their jobs. These new ghosts are no illusions carved out of the low-rolling fog. One by one, the solemn-faced spirits in ragged uniforms show themselves, and one by one, they point a determined arm off into the distance. Why do the soldiers march again, and what has become of their unblinking custodian? The spirits need a go-between, someone who can speak to them, and for them.Eden Moore is not interested.But the ghosts aren't taking no for an answer.

Demons can't scare you, unless you let them. Face some demons inside.Other books by Dan:How to Eat a Human BeingLunacyThe Unauthorized Autobiography of Ethan Jacobs andWhat Tangled WebsandGiving Up The Ghost"Enjoyable and nasty: the stories are impressive." 5 Stars."Icky." 5 Stars"Humor and horror and shivers, excellent combination." 5 Stars"Dan Dillard has written a great book, loaded with some creepy short stories." 5 Stars"...this book will snare you in its gloriously wicked clutches and drag you kicking, screaming, and sometimes laughing from one creepy story to the next." -Stalk and Slash"...creative and very entertaining in some cases while truly horrifying in others." 4 StarsA collection of 17 short horror stories and poetry for grown-ups with non-traditional twists and a load of dark humor.

"F. Paul Wilson is among the finest storytellers of our time." (Rocky Mountain News) A first-rate collection of first-rate tales, ranging from Lovecraftian to Western supernatural, with many mysterious combination in between, The Barrens and Others will be a treasure for Wilson's established fans and to those discovering Wilson for the first time. "What comes through most clearly in this collection's selections, and in Wilson's chatty introductions to each, is the author's unselfconscious enthusiasm for the craft of storytelling... Compared with brand-name horror writers like King and Barker, Wilson has kept a fairly low profile, but he's a solid, dependable talent, as The Barrens and Others clearly shows." (San Francisco Chronicle) "Though its contents range from dark suspense to light fantasy, all have a macabre edge honed on the hard experiences of their characters. In "Slasher," the bereaved father of a murdered girl confronts the self-destructive potential of his rage when he accepts the help of an enigmatic FBI agent with clues to the killer's whereabouts. In "Faces," a serial killer's penchant for mutilating faces is a key to her identity. While Wilson's insights into the psychology of victim and villain are intriguingly complex, his prose is lean and flexible. It wends the narratives of the biter-bit tales "Definitive Therapy" and "A Day in the Life" (an all-too-rare short adventure of urban mercenary hero Repairman Jack) through complicated cloverleaves of plot and subplot, and it lays a groundwork of solid credibility for the title story, a dark gem that levers Lovecraftian horrors out of the wilds of the New Jersey Pine Barrens...these stories are a welcome riposte to the nihilism and gratuitous violence of much contemporary crime and horror fiction." (Publishers Weekly) CONTENTS Introduction: The Oldest Profession 1987 The Monroe Triptych: "Feelings" "Tenants" "Faces" 1988 "A Day in the Life" 1989 "The Tenth Toe" "Slasher" "The Barrens" "Definitive Therapy" "Topsy" "Rockabilly" "Bob Dylan, Troy Jonson, and the Speed Queen" "Pelts" Appendix "Pelts" (stage adaptation) "Glim-Glim" (screenplay)

Darkness, or blackness, is the state of being dark, or the absence of light. In our world, it is associated with the strange, the unusual—the horrific, the evil that coexists in our universe. In this book, explore the darkest and most twisted depths of our world through six tales of terror and three unique poems. Don't wait, the horror awaits.

Two voices in the night; one whispers and one screams. Two eternities in struggle; one takes and one gives. Within dark confines, a duel ensues. The loser discovers mercy comes at horrifying price. Come tonight and listen to this couple sing their strange song in a piece called "Midnight Duet".A long time ago, Diotitus was a Greek god. At least for about a month until his worshiper-base of eight converted. Now, Diotitus lives in an apartment in the afterlife of the generally unsaved. One neighbor is the enigmatic Brangot, and another neighbor is the vivacious Tif Brown. Unfortunately, Tif has completely given up and is now a Drooler. But at the moment conscious thought left her mind, she had a burst of insight that is now the most sought after piece of information. Many gods from many afterworlds want to know the full scope of Tif's thought, and they expect Diotitus and Brangot to find out.

The first ever collection of Michael Marshall Smith's award-winning short stories. The first piece of fiction Smith ever wrote -- a short story called The Man Who Drew Cats -- won the World Fantasy award. It's included here along with many others, some unpublished, which show the incredible versatility of one of the most exciting writers working in Britain today. The collection is stuffed with surreal, disturbing gems including: 'When God Lived in Kentish Town' Someone comes up to you when you're quietly eating your stir-fried rice in a great Chinese take away, and tells you: 'I've found God'. You try to ignore them, right? But what if they have, and what if He works in a drab old electrical store on Kentish Town Road and he's not getting many customers? 'Diet Hell' Some people will do anything to fit into their old jeans. 'Save As...' What if you could back up your life? Save it up to a certain point and return to it when things went horribly wrong? 'Everybody Goes' An idyllic childhood day from a long, hot summer. The kind you want to last for ever. All good things must come to an end, mustn't they?

From the Foreword by J.A. Konrath: "Crouch is one of the best thriller short story writers I know. He uses words like an artist uses a paintbrush; to hurt, to stun, to shock, to provoke, to touch. This collection also features my very favorite short story of all time. Not just my favorite by Crouch, but the best one I've ever read by anyone. It's called "Unconditional." It is flat-out brilliant and unforgettable, and that one tale is worth the price of this entire collection." From the author of DESERT PLACES and LOCKED DOORS comes this complete collection of short stories and novellas. *69 - Tim and Laura West receive a bizarre voicemail on their answering machine that seems to have unintentionally recorded a brutal murder. But what happens when the killer realizes their mistake? This story develops over one terrifying evening, and this young couple will never be the same. REMAKING - Tragic events unfold in a snowy, sleepy Colorado town. From the first scene, in which a man sits alone in the cold, watching a father and son in a diner, you know something is about to go horribly wrong. You may think you know what's happening, but in this thrilling, heartbreaking story, nothing is as it seems. ON THE GOOD, RED ROAD - A group of four hard men trying to reach a remote 19th Century mining town become stranded in an early blizzard and resort to drastic, terrifying measures, to stay alive. SHINING ROCK - An older couple encounter a strange and menacing visitor during a camping trip in the North Carolina mountains. Friendly at first, this stranger seems to know them, seems to know their secrets, and as things escalate, they become convinced that they may never leave these mountains alive. PERFECT LITTLE TOWN - Ron and Jessica Stahl are a power couple from California, on a Christmas holiday in Colorado. When they stop for the afternoon in sleepy Lone Cone, they're charmed by the quaint tourist town. But the folksy hospitality will vanish as the sun drops behind the mountains. The Stahls couldn't have picked a worse night of the year to get snowed into this perfect little town with a dark, dark secret. SERIAL - The classic horror short I wrote with J.A. Konrath, in which we turn our attention to the twin golden rules of hitchhiking: # 1: Don't go hitchhiking, because the driver who picks you up could be certifiably crazy. # 2: Don't pick up hitchhikers, because the traveler you pick up could be a raving nutcase. So what if, on some dark, isolated road, Crazy #1 offered a ride to Nutcase #2? THE NEWTON BOYS' LAST PHOTOGRAPH - At 25 words, the shortest story I ever wrote. But it packs a wallop. THE METEOROLOGIST - Peter, a disgraced meteorologist and chronic wanderer, has traveled the country for years in his Winnebago, in search of the only thing that gives his life meaning. He's just arrived in the middle of nowhere-Hokie, Kansas-for the same purpose, but when he meets a waitress named Melanie, another sufferer, he's faced not only with his first real human contact in years, but perhaps someone who can save him. UNCONDITIONAL - A conversation between two people-devastating, tragic, and beautiful. THE PAIN OF OTHERS - Letty Dobesh, a gorgeous, degenerate thief, is fresh out of the clink and back to her old tricks-in this case, burglarizing suites at a luxury hotel in Asheville, North Carolina. But when she's surprised by returning guests on her last room of the day, she's forced to hide in the closet to avoid getting caught, and inadvertently overhears a hitman being contracted to murder the wife of a wealthy lawyer. This 60,000-word short story collection also contains a foreword by J.A. Konrath and introductions to each story by the author. BLAKE CROUCH is the author of four novels and numerous short stories, including "Serial" which he co-wrote with J.A. Konrath and has been downloaded more than 300,000 times. He lives in southwest Colorado, where he is at work on a new book. His website is www.blakecrouch.co

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Dean Koontz's The City. A secret Arctic experiment becomes a frozen nightmare, when a team of scientists are set adrift on an iceberg--with a murderer in their midst, and a massive explosive charge only hours away from detonation. This original early Koontz novel--in the tradition of Winter Moon--is now available in large print edition, releasing simultaneously with Ballantine's mass market edition.

Six short stories of terror, including a cursed camera, a vengeful witch, and more.The continuing story of people needing space - a lot of space. Welcome to Neptune- where the air and sunlight are borrowed, the surface is unstable, and the people are - inventive. In this second collection, we learn more about an ongoing murder investigation, Philo gets a body, some strange things are happening to the planet's surface, and there are some complicated relationships that can make even a new planet feel like a small town.This is Radio Neptune reminding you, each new day is a chance to go out and do something worth putting on the radio.