Stories

One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl and four for a boy.

Five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told.

I am sure many of you, like me, learned this children's nursery rhyme about magpies. According to an old superstition, the number of magpies seen predicts whether you will have good or bad luck. Something I came across subsequently, was the existence of many variations on this rhyme, some more sinister than the children’s version.

One of those is incorporated into this short story about boyhood abuse.

It's been said that suffering builds character. And there are few that know suffering better than young Justin. Only 14 years old, he has found an easy way out. A suicidal tendency that he is hoping will bring an end to his misery. But when he meets a mysterious boy at the end of Navy Pier one dark evening...he is given an alternative. One that will give him purpose, and set in motion the events that will lead to his ultimate destiny....in a world not like our own.

Stephen just stopped to buy a soda and his whole life changed.

It has almost been a year since the world ended. The majority of the population died, came back as mindless and highly aggressive creatures and killed most of the rest. Cody is one of the last survivors. He is small, sensitive, innocent and about to starve to death. While he is desperately trying to find food, he gets attacked and then saved at the last second by Troy, who is a hardened brute. Cody hates him, but knows he is probably his only chance to survive the winter, so he sticks with him.

Skylar enjoys a quiet All Hallows Eve at home until he has an unexpected visitor.

Chained, alone, in the dark. Hopeless, pain consumed and tired; so cold and tired

Part II of "All We Have Now".

Nat lost touch with former friend and lover Grant after they finished university. He knows from Facebook that Grant inherited a farm in the country and married the 'Lord of the Manor'. So why has he received an invitation to a mysterious local event in aid of the recent flooding? Could there be trouble in paradise?

A scary tale of a new beginning

It's been said that suffering builds character. And there are few that know suffering better than young Justin. Only 14 years old, he has found an easy way out. A suicidal tendency that he is hoping will bring an end to his misery. But when he meets a mysterious boy at the end of Navy Pier one dark evening...he is given an alternative. One that will give him purpose, and set in motion the events that will lead to his ultimate destiny....in a world not like our own.