I braked at the stoplight and rested my forehead against the steering wheel. What could I do? The three appointments I’d scheduled had been fruitless. My two impromptu tours likewise. This city was just too expensive, even for the—I’d thought at the time—generous salary from my new job. But that salary was contingent on my […]
The Noctrium Library
Ghost Stories & Poems
The musty smell of yellowed pages fills your nostrils as you enter the library and survey the shelves. Cobwebs fill the spaces between worn covers. Each faded spine beckons with the promise of a sleepless night, and for a moment you wonder if you are not imagining the whispered calls that seem to linger in the air.
Morning Bells Are Ringing
This happened back when my son, Zach, was less than a year old. As you can imagine, we had a lot of baby toys scattered around the house. Many of them were electronic, including a plastic book that played songs as you turned the pages. I awoke one morning to the robotic refrain of “Are […]
From Somewhere Deep
I have a lot of fond memories from my teenage years. This is not one of them. I’d just finished my sophomore year of high school. To celebrate the start of our summer freedom, my younger brother and I spent the evening around a bonfire in the backyard, burning old homework assignments and roasting marshmallows […]
Memoria Aeterna
The storm of the morning of December twenty-sixth was predicted by no meteorologist. We had no time to prepare. In the still-dark hours, I woke to the ghostly light of moon and stars reflected off snow. The radio, left on overnight to serenade us with lingering Christmas carols, now played only static. It was frigid […]
Oblivion’s Call
Roy’s hand dripped over the chalice. Crimson drops made black in the dimness, echoing as they mingled with the blood of everyone else who had preceded us. “What the—” I began, grabbing for Roy’s arm to pull him back, but he shoved me away. “I don’t even feel it anymore. Besides, it’s a small price […]
Come Home
It’s the last thing I see before falling asleep. That wisp of shadow cast upon my bedroom wall. I always wonder what’s doing the casting. It can’t be the ceiling fan, it’s the wrong shape for that—but next thing I know my alarm’s ringing and the night is over. I instinctively glance at my phone […]
Lullaby of the Night
I’ve worked here so long, I can’t even remember why I took the job anymore. But nights like this, I imagine it must have been the music. I came from the city, that much I remember. The city. Noisy. Not like here. In this stone shed, there are only the cries of coyotes, owls, and […]
Toes
Do you know that feeling when you’re lying in bed, with the covers pulled up and your legs stretched out, and your feet seem impossibly far away from the rest of your body? It’s a very vulnerable sensation. That’s why I always sleep curled up like a fetus. It happened when my family moved to […]
Break My Chains
When I bought the land, the only structure on it was this tiny stone shed. It was lashed to the ground by crooked saplings and overwhelmed by weeds. There were no windows, just a single square door all boarded up. My plan was to knock the thing down so I could use the space for […]