Darker Drabbles

Undoing Life’s Choices

“Ready?”

Walter nodded. “Am I ever.”

They approached the children playing in the yard.

“Daddy’s home!” The excited squeals were well worth the gut-churning journey in the time-machine, the struggle to convince his younger self not to make those terrible choices.

It took Walter time to recognise the man embracing his children; the face unmarked by anger. Himself, after a different life.

“I don’t understand.”

“You wanted your family to have the loving father and husband they deserve. You sent your life along a different course.”

Walter’s skin tingled, and he realised his body was fading.

“You no longer exist.”

(First Published in ‘Chronos: An Anthology of Time Drabbles’, Shacklebound Press, August 2018)

Emergency

“Emergency.”

“Yokai National Park, about an hour along the trail. There’s a woman calling for help.”

“Do not approach. We’re on our way.”

Hiroshi ignores the ridiculous instruction, and follows the voice to a cave entrance.

“Help.”

He switches on his torch.

At the back of the cave, a pale face, tears reflecting the torchlight.

He reaches her, and she wraps her arms around him.

Something sharp pierces his neck. He pulls away, too late. Her arms are long black spindles, six more wrap him in strong silky thread.

“Foolish, tasty humans.” She cackles, as his body looses all sensation.

(First Published in Japanese Fantasy Drabbles, Insignia Stories, April 2020)

RESCUE

The man jams a stick in the creature’s side.

Blood wells, but he cups his hand under its chin, catching tears that solidify as they fall, forming perfect crystals.

He holds them out to Rin. “Two thousand yen.”

Rin shakes her head. “I didn’t know.”

He grunts. “The samebito? It’s a monster. Doesn’t feel anything.”

All day, Rin watches.

When the man has a break she unlatches the cage.

“You’re free.”

The samebito’s eyes water, crystals spilling, bouncing on the ground to ping against the metal bars.

“Thank you.” She whispers, taking Rin’s hands to cry into them.

“Thank you.”

(First Published in Japanese Fantasy Drabbles, Insignia Stories, April 2020)

Who Caught Who?

A crow landed on the railing.

“Watch.” Aito nudged Eiji, and held out some meat.

“It won’t come that close,” Eiji said.

It did, snatching the meat and swallowing it whole.

“Bet you can’t get it inside.”

Aito eased the door behind him open and crept backwards, holding out another piece of meat.

The crow’s head tilted to one side.

“Come on,” Aito murmured.

It hopped through the door, and Eiji pulled it shut.

“Got him.”

Laughter echoed. Suddenly there wasn’t a crow with them, but a man.

“Karasu-tengu!” Eiji gasped.

“Yes. And I think you’ll find, I’ve got you.”

First Published in Japanese Fantasy Drabbles, Insignia Stories, April 2020

Consequences of Climate Change on the Merfolk

The whole school of bright coloured fish darted out of reach.

They were deeper than they ought’ve been, harder to catch, sent into cooler waters by warming coastal currents.

Ineska had fed from the generosity of other merfolk until they threatened her with starvation if she didn’t pull her own weight.

Colour stood out in the gloom, and Ineska launched her net. It caught, snagged.

Pulling it loose, her finger sliced along a sharp rock.

She’d never seen her own blood.

Her catch spilled free, a shadow loomed, and she remembered, too late, the danger in this patch of sea.

(First published in Oceans: Dark Drabbles #9, Black Hare Press, April 2020

What He Deserves

“I brought what you wanted.”

Brown with age, the playing cards cost a small fortune, and a whole weekend scouring the cities antique shops.

The witch shuffles the pack and lays three cards face up.

“You don’t want to hurt him. But you want vengeance. You realise those two things are incompatible?”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. But he won’t stop hurting others.”

She rummages through a collection of tiny bottles and hands me one.

“Get this on his person.”

“Will he suffer?”

Her gaze pierces mine, and I have to suppress a shudder.

“He’ll get what he deserves.”

(First Published in 'Dark Moments' by Black Hare Press, 2020)