It’s Monday again, and that means it’s time to gorge yourself on the darkest, most macabre offerings from the talented writers here on Substack. For any newbies, that means we read, like, subscribe, follow, restack and generally support the horror community here.
Lately I’ve been thinking about how writing creates a kind of portal to another place. I don’t mean just in your imagination. I’m talking about the way a lyric or poem or line can take you back in time, transport you to a forgotten memory, remind you of the smell of your mom’s house or what it felt like to sit in your grandfather’s favorite chair. There’s magic there.
In that spirit, I offer you a challenge. Create your own portal.
Write a dark drabble (100 word story), from the following prompt:
The song reminded me…
Post it on notes, in the chat, or both, and tag the grave tenders,
, and myself, . I’ll start (felt immortal, might delete later).Prom, Infinitum.
“You like this tune?” He blew out cigarette smoke.
“Not really.”
“Come on! This was a hit!”
Bodies moved in memory, dances shimmering. Her corsage came loose and I pricked her skin, smelled blood, sucked it away beneath the bleachers.
“I did back then.”
“Bad memories?”
"Lost a girl I loved."
The kid stepped on his cigarette. I opened the door, let him back into the gymnasium. The music exploded into the night. I saw red just as he passed, smelled the coppery wet blood on cracked lips.
"Can I come in?"
He nodded, and smiled for the last time.
And now, we bring to you
The Weekly Digest
A selection of last week’s memorable Macabre Monday offerings:
- delivered an excellent found footage horror tale, written as a video transcript, “Self-Contained.”
- posted a clever Valentine’s Day inspired micro-fiction story, “Heartless.”
- delivered a short witchy piece, “Full Moon Magic.”
- teased us in the Northern hemisphere with a summery story, “Lifeguard Math.” A little macabre, a lot of good.
- delivered a heart pounding look into a killer on the road, in a short but powerful story, “One Shot, One Kill.”
- shared a dark poem set in Tombstone, Arizona.
And apparently nothing says horror like a day dedicated to love.
gave us a fantastic Valentine’s poem, “They Cut Off Valentine’s Head.”
Nice prompt! And Drabble :)
Thanks for linking me to this.