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By Susan Amber
The sea was a tangled marl of light with evening sun fracturing the
waves. My God, said Jack, binoculars to his eyes. Theres
a boat out there a big one. I see its lights its
coming closer!
She stood stiff on the balcony next to him. Later, she told police
it was like a very large gull, maybe an albatross, flying at them,
its glittering eyes growing brighter in the dusk until she shut her
eyes. She opened them, and Jack was gone.
No, they hadnt been drinking. Yes, they had been arguing earlier.
No, she wouldnt leave town.
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Susan Amber has published her speculative fiction at AlienSkin and
in Rain magazine. Under the name Susan Firghil Park, her poetry has
appeared in The Alsop Review, Branches Online, and Kaleidowhirl,
and her poetry chapbook, Estuary Light, was published by Finishing
Line Press in 2005.
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Copyright © Susan Amber
Ghosts!
Vampires! Werewolves! Get them ready for the FLASHSHOT Halloween Contest!
Win a copy of the new FLASHSHOT anthology. For more details see http://www.gwthomas.org/halloweencontest.htm
THE
TRUTH ABOUT VAMPIRES
By Jack Runner
Can you believe those Vampires in Twilight?
Yeah, right. Vampires arent romantic, brooding loners.
Bloodthirsty savages is what they are.
Amen to that.
How you suppose folks got that misconception of these beasts?
Dunno, Charlie, dunno. Pass me another piece.
Here you go.
Looks like its almost all gone.
Yep, it is.
Guess its time to hunt down another kill.
They stood up from the bloody remains, wiping their mouths with the
backs of their hands. Vampires sure are good eating though.
Now a story about Zombies. Thatd be something.
The two shuffled their rotting bodies off into the night.
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Jack Runner is a new author in the fields of comedy, horror, sci-fi,
and fantasy. Little is known about him except that he might possibly
be a Zombie.
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Copyright © Jack Runner
Announcing
the FLASHSHOT Halloween Contest! Win a copy of the new FLASHSHOT anthology.
For more details see http://www.gwthomas.org/halloweencontest.htm
THE
MEETING
By Pavelle Wesser
In a darkened cellar on a lonely night, she attended a clandestine
meeting where everyone complained about the evils of a hostile universe.
As the others reported the aches and pains of the ages, she could
sense her destiny unfolding in distant hallways of gloom.
When the meeting was over, they sat in the shadows of their respective
unresolved fates and debated options that were unavailable to them.
Although she concluded that the meeting was a waste of time in the
absolute sense, she took great comfort from the milk and cookies offered
her throughout.
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Pavelle Wessers writing has appeared in many ezines, including
Alienskin, SNM Horror and Everyday Weirdness. She is a previous contributor
of Flashshot. She lives with her family and an assortment of dogs
in New England, where she teaches English.
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Copyright © Pavelle Wesser
Visit
www.blackgate.com to experience
the Black Gate blog -- dozens of writers bringing you daily news,
reviews, and opinion on the best in new fantasy books, comics, games
and movies. Or try the print version: over 200 pages packed with the
finest in adventure fantasy, plus an ongoing Knights of the Dinner
Table strip!
HEALTH
CARE PLAN
By Kate Thornton
She was DOA and homeless. The EMTs phoned it in, but you needed a
doctor to pronounce, so Roger drove the ambulance into County General's
Emergency bay.
"DOA," the doc said, pocketing his cut in cash.
Roger once suggested saving the County money by having indigent DOAs
routed to a County mortuary with a pathologist on duty.
But the County was looking for even more savings, what with the new
health care laws.
Roger switched the magnetic signs from "Ambulance" to "Delivery"
and hit the gas.
Selling the corpses to a pet food manufacturer was real health care
savings.
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Kate Thornton writes mystery and science fiction, using her vast powers
of nosiness for story ideas, You may find out more about her at It
Doesn't Take a Genius.
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Copyright © Kate Thornton
Visit
www.blackgate.com to experience the Black
Gate blog -- dozens of writers bringing you daily news, reviews, and opinion on
the best in new fantasy books, comics, games and movies. Or try the print version:
over 200 pages packed with the finest in adventure fantasy, plus an ongoing Knights
of the Dinner Table strip!
ROCK-N-ROLL
By
Matt Larsen
When
the aliens wore masks to the press conference, reporters went wild. The History
Channel exclaimed, "You descended from the heavens like the gods of our myths!"
Tendrils
writhed behind the alien's blank face. "Oh, yes. We come before."
Rolling
Stone gushed. "You have great taste in music!"
"Thank
you! Our English not great, but 'We will rock you!'"
The
High Times demanded, "What can we call you? And what's behind the masks?"
The
aliens turned to the cameras, pulling away their false faces. "Medusans,"
they answered, but, meeting their terrible gaze, the reporters were more than
slightly stoned.
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Matt
Larsen is a writer and performer whose work has been published previously in Flashshot,
Sonar 4, Golden Visions, Static Movement and With Painted Words. He can be seen
on stage with improv juggernaut International Stinger. His most recent work, his
daughter Simone, arrived November of 2009 and can be seen in limited edition in
the Chicago area. Friend him on Facebook at facebook.com/matt.larsen.chicago.
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Copyright
© Matt Larsen
Black
Gate magazine is a modern magazine of adventure fantasy. 200+ pages per issue,
packed with pulp reprints from Edmond Hamilton, Murray Leinster, and Charles Tanner;
new fiction from names like Michael Moorcock, Charles de Lint, Martha Wells, and
James Enge; and detailed retrospectives of the best in fantasy. www.blackgate.com
LUCKY
BOY
By Thomas Faughnan
Christian couldnt believe his good luck.
He looked around the table at the three most gorgeous women he had ever seen,
all with those high Slavic cheeks, pristine white skin and beautiful even teeth.
I would like to thank you all, he said, for inviting me
to dinner.
Oh, you silly boy, Drusilla said, her flawless
teeth becoming fierce sharp fangs before his eyes. You werent invited
to dinner you were invited for dinner.
A terrifying glance revealed
his other two hostesses had made the same transformation.
Their shrill laughter
drowned out his horrified screams.
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Thomas
Faughnan is an aspiring writer that lives in Anchorage, Alaska. He dines alone.
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Copyright
© Thomas Faughnan
Try
Black Gate magazine -- publishing the best in adventure fantasy since 2001. Original
fiction from Michael Moorcock, Charles de Lint, Jeffrey Ford, Cory Doctorow, Martha
Wells, James Enge, Jay Lake, E. E.
Knight,Michael Shea, Mike Resnick, and
many more! Two issues for $19.99, or four for $39.95. www.blackgate.com
MIMECRY
By
Milo James Fowler
Happy clowns give Hermann nightmares of teeth stained
crimson red and patches of gray skin smeared through chalky white. In the silence,
he imagines their cackling, hiccupping laughter. Bloodshot eyes staring through
him, challenging his sadness, twisting it into fearful knots.
Mimes dont
bother him.
Melancholy mimes bring him joy with their invisible glass
boxes and nonexistent lengths of rope. Their white gloves are always spotless.
That one at the park with the tear painted on his cheek? Hermanns favorite.
He imagines the whole world contained within a single blue teardrop.
And
he sheds one all his own.
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Milo
James Fowler is a full-time jr. high teacher and a part-time writer. When hes
not grading papers, hes submitting short stories to magazines, revising
his manuscripts, and sending query letters to prospective literary agents. His
work has recently appeared in A Fly in Amber and Everyday Weirdness, and one of
his stories received an honorable mention in the May 2010 issue of Allegory. Visit
his blog anytime, day or night: http://www.milo-inmediasres.blogspot.com/
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Copyright
© Milo James Fowler
Visit
www.blackgate.com to experience the Black
Gate blog -- dozens of writers bringing you daily news, reviews, and opinion on
the best in new fantasy books, comics, games and movies. Or try the print version:
over 200 pages packed with the finest in adventure fantasy, plus an ongoing Knights
of the Dinner Table strip!
MIDNIGHT
SURPRISE
By Linda Garnett
Sam, were not going to make it.
We should have left the dance earlier.
Dont worry, youll
make your curfew.
I told you I have to be home exactly at
midnight.
He laughed. You didnt need to make up a stupid
story so Id get you home on time.
I didnt make
it up. Now drive faster!
Sam parked outside her house and glanced
at his watch.
Not bad. Its only a minute past midnight.
He looked at the passenger seat and screamed. Nestled in Jackie's dress
was a scowling garden gnome.
Damn, I guess this means no good-night
kiss.
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Linda
Garnett is currently writing her first novel, a science-fiction comedy. Her work
has appeared in Stories That Lift, Static Movement, The New Flesh and Flashes
of Horror. When she's not writing fiction, she profiles up and coming musicians
on her blog Music of Note, at http://musicofnote-lindag.blogspot.com.
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Copyright
© Linda Garrett
Black
Gate magazine is a modern magazine of adventure fantasy. 200+ pages per issue,
packed with pulp reprints from Edmond Hamilton, Murray Leinster, and Charles Tanner;
new fiction from names like Michael Moorcock, Charles de Lint, Martha Wells, and
James Enge; and detailed retrospectives of the best in fantasy. www.blackgate.com
NEW
TUNDRA: THE GIRL WHO ESCAPED
By Jeff Sinclair
Terrors
in the dark. Even after the nightmare is over, true evil leaves ashen memories
behind--a residue--and screaming won't scatter its molecules.
She
wakes in a veil of sweat-drenched black ringlets, petals of smudged mascara spotlighting
white-blue windows to a wounded soul. Howls sift through the night sky. Her heart
skips a beat, stealing breath. It was no dream. It was a vision.
The
proof of darkness prevailed is all around; a world devoid of light, laid out before
her.
No
salvation, she says, reaching for the backpack and the machete.
Sometimes
you've gotta make your own.
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Jeff
Sinclair hopes youve enjoyed the post-apocalyptic vision that is New Tundra
and would love to share more with you.
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Copyright
© Jeff Sinclair
Try
Black Gate magazine -- publishing the best in adventure fantasy since 2001. Original
fiction from Michael Moorcock, Charles de Lint, Jeffrey Ford, Cory Doctorow, Martha
Wells, James Enge, Jay Lake, E. E. Knight,Michael Shea, Mike Resnick, and many
more! Two issues for $19.99, or four for $39.95.
www.blackgate.com
ONCE
UPON A TIME
By Angel Zapata
Once upon a time there was a man named
Once, and he was in love with a woman called Time. When
they thought about living a fairytale life, they never pictured themselves in
this story.
Then one day, Once got drunk, and against her will, took his
Time.
The visual here is Once upon a Time.
Nine months
later, they had a baby boy.
They called him The End of their
relationship.
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Angel
Zapata has fiction appearing in the Toe Tags Anthology, House of Horror: Best
of 2009, Mausoleum Memoirs, Flashes in the Dark, The New Flesh, and Howl: Dark
Tales of the Feral and Infernal. Visit http://arageofangel.blogspot.com.
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Copyright
© Angel Zapata
Visit
www.blackgate.com to experience the Black
Gate blog -- dozens of writers bringing you daily news, reviews, and opinion on
the best in new fantasy books, comics, games and movies. Or try the print version:
over 200 pages packed with the finest in adventure fantasy, plus an ongoing Knights
of the Dinner Table strip!
LESSONS
LEARNED
By Barbara Barth
Dog. God. To her they were both the same.
The Dog had saved her life. Came to her right after the bad divorce to
comfort her. God kept her from shooting her husband when she found him with another
woman. They both brought her something she needed to know.
The Dog taught
her unconditional love. He was there for her, waiting for her arrival, greeting
her with kisses.
God taught her what the media has been saying all along.
Do not keep a loaded gun in the house. Lucky for her the bullets were in the dresser
drawer.
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The
Unfaithful Widow is Barbaras first book. It is a series of essays on the
year following the death of her husband. Written with warmth and humor no subject
is taboo. Her unwillingness to accept cliché roles dictated by age, custom
or gender are important lessons for everyone. She is able to pluck humor from
sadness. She shows proper respect for the past without being its prisoner. A great
read for anyone, but if you love dogs and a little dirty talk, this may be perfect
for you. Available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle. Visit Barbara at her web www.barbarabarth.net.
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Copyright
© Barbara Barth
Black Gate magazine is a modern magazine of adventure
fantasy. 200+ pages per issue, packed with pulp reprints from Edmond Hamilton,
Murray Leinster, and Charles Tanner; new fiction from names like Michael Moorcock,
Charles de Lint, Martha Wells, and James Enge; and detailed retrospectives of
the best in fantasy. www.blackgate.com