The Penitent
The Penitent
A supernatural flash story by Erin Zarro
“I have killed, Master,” The Penitent Agatha said. She sat in a circle of flickering flames. “See that girl?” She pointed to the limp, pale figure of her latest kill, naked and still bound with rope. “Her screams were a symphony to my ears. Did you enjoy the music she made as she died?”
“And I will enjoy the music your daughter makes when she dies, Penitent,” a voice whispered.
It was him.
She placed her sweaty hands on her lap and bowed her head. “Master, I can't kill my only daughter.”
The candles snuffed out and Agatha found herself surrounded by darkness. What was happening?
“Penitent,” a voice said, loud and sharp as a blade. “Do you not want your dead husband restored to life?”
Agatha took a deep breath, then let it out. “But she's my flesh and blood, Master. I'll kill anyone else, just not my daughter!”
"This was our agreement, Penitent. You are not allowed to change it." Twin balls of amber flared. She wanted to curl inside herself, get away from his eyes. “You'll do as I say. Bring me your daughter's corpse tomorrow. This one will do for now,” her Master said.
She took a deep, cleansing breath and steeled herself for what was to come.
Sneak Peek for Shards
To celebrate our upcoming release of Shards, coming out of December 1st, we thought we'd give you a peek at the story! This section is from the middle of chapter 3. The story itself is urban fantasy. If you want more, the very beginning of the book is included in the Best of Turtleduck Press, Volume I collection.
A bit of background: Eva has literally run into Michael at college and has felt some sort of odd connection with him. Gabe and Rafe are her bosses, who run an eccentric bookstore just off campus.
~
It had started drizzling and Eva pulled the hood of her sweatshirt up. Hopefully the rain wouldn’t get any heavier before she made it to work.
“Which way are you heading?” Michael asked, digging an umbrella out of his bag. His was blue with butterflies on it. Eva stared. “It’s my roommate’s,” he explained with a shrug of his shoulders. “Man loves an oddly colored umbrella, and I couldn’t find mine this morning so I just grabbed one of his.” He put it in his pocket. “No sense using it quite yet, but it helps to have it handy, just in case.”
Eva pointed in the general direction of the bookstore.
“I’m going that way too.” Michael offered Eva his arm and she took it, curling her fingers around his warmth. It was oddly comforting.
Still Waters Run Deep: Part 3
This is Part 3 of a serial. You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. Enjoy!
The overhanging jungle ahead of Payut's little boat parted, and he saw the Tao Phree River swallow the stream that bore him. His hands trembled on the paddle. Every element in his body cried out for him to turn upstream, away from the city. Even fighting the current would be better, easier.
But there was no-one else to do what needed doing.
His boat reached the river. He clenched his hands, raised the paddle, and swung the boat's nose downstream.
The current swept him along, too fast, towards the golden spires of the Grand Temple that rose in the distance. A raft loomed up ahead, a whole family huddled on it – father, mother, children, two or three grandparents, several of them with poles out, pushing the whole rickety contraption against the river's pull. Payut leaned hard on his paddle and barely missed them. He saw their faces, watching as he swept by.
"Not safe!" the father shouted.
Payut thought at first that he meant the near-miss, but then the other man waved, pointed, and Payut understood. The city.
He couldn't explain that he knew. Couldn't explain the mix of emotions and needs that roiled in him. So he only called "Thanks!" and turned away from the faces.
Ahead, the Grand Temple vanished again as the river curved. The dense green wall of the jungle was broken by a dead tree, then another and another. Payut's boat slowed as the river grew sluggish and wide. The water felt too thick, resisting his paddle. On either side, the banks were full of massive dead trees, their branches stretching high, skeletal, above lower, denser vegetation whose leaves drooped, sickly green. It couldn't have been like this before.
It hadn't been like this before.
Beloved
Beloved
A sci-fi flash fiction story by Erin Zarro
“True togetherness at last,” Emily said to her husband, who was in the hospital bed beside her. “Won't it be wonderful?”
Adam smiled. “Of course, dear. It'll be amazing.”
The procedure was a simple one, and once it was done, their brains would be connected. They would act as one, the ultimate marriage. Most people chose to be Connected rather than live Disconnected.
Dr. Hatfield stepped into the room, followed by two nurses. “Are you ready?”
Emily glanced at her husband. “We're so ready, Doctor.”
“Let's do this!” Adam said.
They held hands as the nurses wheeled them out.
