'There she was. Still in the dress I buried her in; the blue one she always loved and only wore on the rare occasions we had somewhere to go. It was torn, dirty, faded. Streaked with mud and filth like she’d been wandering around the woods for days. Her hair was matted with dirt and leaves, unkempt and hanging over her face. She saw me, and she smiled. “Annie, it’s Mama. Open the door.”'
I love vampires and the undead, and this is very much a vampire story. Just...not the kind of vampire story people expect when they hear the word nowadays. I'm pretty committed to returning bloodsuckers to their monstrous roots.
🪦 - (that's supposed to be a gravestone.) "There's a haunted feeling in the air as I approach the tent, my camera in my hand. I've been visiting these places for years now, trying to capture what was lost: a sense of abandonment, silence, the end, anything. I've traveled all over the world, hunting down stories without words that were lost to the ticking clocks of time. But not here. Not yet. I wanted to, for a very long time. I just didn't have the courage."
Ignoring the warnings of the local townsfolk, a photographer tries to document the final resting place of an abandoned circus. Not long into the session, it becomes clear that not everything is at peace here...
Amazing. I read through about half of that chapter and it's so good! I can't wait to dive into more.
I haven't seen you around Macabre Monday before! Would you like to be added to the growing list of participants? It's so they can tag you and you'll be alerted with all the great content that comes out on Mondays, and it will make it easier for them to find you.
That would be lovely, thank you! I'm looking forward to seeing how Macabre Monday develops. It seems to be lighting a fire on Notes each week! It's good to see so many spooky writers lurking around.
A Halloween Horror Short Story: After a drunken David hits a pedestrian while trying to seduce Mia, their already bad night takes a deadly turn when their victim inexplicably refuses to stay dead.
‘I fucking see it.’ The car emergency stopped. She heard Bethany’s body slumping into the footwell. In front of them, standing in the middle of the road, was a figure in the same cloak, mask and hat. With the headlights on him, Mia could see it was a Guy Fawkes mask smeared with blood.
I haven't seen you around Macabre Monday until now! Would you like me to add you to the list of participants that celebrate horror every Monday? This would make it easier for others to find you and for you to find them.
💀 “Countless sunsets, special moments, whatever—all erased every time I turn one of these in. My memories are all that’s left of them.”
Trevor works for a shadowy organization tasked with controlling our future, guiding humanity toward a preferred outcome known as “The Ideal Scenario.” But when Trevor finds himself inadvertently in the way of those goals, friendships will be tested.
Hiya! here was my first attempt at cosmic horror in my sci-fi fantasy anthology series!I hope if you choose to check it out you enjoy!
"M233 report.” Nothing. Not even silence. There was static. As though somebody was holding down the button, but not saying anything. Like her voice was trapped on the other end. It made my skin crawl. “Is anyone there… M234?” I said, my voice cracked and I felt like I was going to cry. I swallowed deep and took an even deeper breath. “Please respond or you will be considered KIA.”
...
(Note: this is currently a standalone story, but people have asked me if I'm willing to consider continuing this specific story from the anthology and that isn't off the table at all!)
This is right up my alley, I'll be checking this out soon! I haven't seen you around Macabre Monday before, is it something you'd be interested in participating in? If so, let me know and I'll add you to the list so others can find you!
[I am not tech savvy, can't seem to figure out how to use the tombstone symbol on mobile]
Harry Townshend has been serving as the District Attorney for Amelia City for a few years now, a true and trusted public servant of its people. But like any political figure, he has higher aspirations, and the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for the Amelia County area is his next target.
But when one wishes to represent such a shadow-rich realm, one needs must be cautious which residents one will come into contact with....
I'm sure most of us that participate see most of the posts that people make, but I share them for the ones that haven't or the readers that are here. Surprisingly Macabre Monday has garnered quite the readership outside of those who are participating and is honing in on 100 subscribers!
I couldn't agree more. There were fantastic conversations being had last week, and from what I've seen so far, this week as well!
Honing in on 100 subscribers!! Incredible, Jeff! Congrats 🤗🤗🤗
And please let me know how I can help too! I mean of course I can continue my bridge troll duties and collect more and more people to tag (and I am PROUD to be a bridge troll, let me be clear about this lol). But if there is anything else, please do let me know! ✨😌✨
As of this morning we are at 90 subs! Insane seeing this growth in less than a month. I'm ecstatic that so many eyes are on everyone's work!
I definitely will, thanks for being so generous! Your bridge troll efforts have been amazing, every time I see the list of people you tag there is more and more!
🪦 This is the first official episode of my serial anthology, a story collection of speculative fiction stories that all take place in the same town as Marredbury. I'm tieing them all together with a kind of epistolary through story. I'm experimenting here, never done anything like this! I'd love to hear what you all think
I was married at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, on James Whitcomb Riley’s Tomb, September 7, 1990, and my younger daughter just did the same, July 24... 25 years later. Hanging out in cemeteries is a family bonding point with us. Thank you for making Mondays something to look forward to.
This is extremely intriguing! I have never heard of weddings or family bonding time at a cemetery. Can I ask, out of curiosity, what started this tradition?
Hey, we all deserve a Monday to look forward to! I'm glad you found Macabre Monday 😁
It started as a thing in high school, for me, and just continued on. My 6 children didn’t realize, for years, that all families didn’t go to the cemetery to hang out and eat lunch.
If you explore the history of cemeteries, it was very common place for families to picnic and spend leisure time there.
Wow that is very interesting. I had no idea that this was common for people to do! Aside from the Gothic cliques that hung out in cemeteries because it was edgy, I had assumed people only went to remember their loved ones.
💀 "So that was the first time. At 12, my body announcing itself to the whole rest of the world, advertising that I was a woman even though I was not, carrying out processes I didn’t understand. And now, carrying out a process no one would ever understand. As my elbow finally healed, it crusted over with tiny rubies, garnets, tourmaline and tigers eye, orange, pink and black sapphire, and eventually, brown and black diamonds. My parents scraped off each one, collecting them in a little jar they kept on the bookcase. I watched it fill up. They watched it fill up. None of us sure what to do." - from my first spooky story on substack, about the value of a body, The Gem. https://open.substack.com/pub/theageofaquarius/p/the-gem?r=kwzmq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Ooo, this sounds very unique and original. When I have time I'll make sure to come back and read it!
This is the first time I'm seeing you around Macabre Monday! Would you like to be added to the list of participants? This will allow them to tag you so your alerted to all the great content on Mondays, as well as making it easier for them to find you.
I've never left the cemetery actually, been here for forever 😅👻🕸️🐈⬛ Thanks for including me in this week's Macabre Monday digest, Jeff! I feel very honored to be a part of this community. ✨😌✨
🪦 “Peace belongs to the constant, scarlet-stained hands that feed it.” This is my favourite line in the most recent instalment of my dark fantasy anthology. https://bmaya.substack.com/p/last-words-of-lfric-brother-of-the
It describes an alternative future of our earth, as told by an old man called the Chronicler, where we are plunged into a new medieval age.
🥀 https://newworlds.substack.com/p/wasteland
"Paradise faded like a dream,
destroyed by a cunning serpent."
This is a line from my latest dark speculative poem.
💀https://cobwebbedcandles.substack.com/p/a-knock-at-the-door
'There she was. Still in the dress I buried her in; the blue one she always loved and only wore on the rare occasions we had somewhere to go. It was torn, dirty, faded. Streaked with mud and filth like she’d been wandering around the woods for days. Her hair was matted with dirt and leaves, unkempt and hanging over her face. She saw me, and she smiled. “Annie, it’s Mama. Open the door.”'
I love vampires and the undead, and this is very much a vampire story. Just...not the kind of vampire story people expect when they hear the word nowadays. I'm pretty committed to returning bloodsuckers to their monstrous roots.
This is really good
flamme en el l'obscurité
https://cwspangle.substack.com/p/flamme-en-el-lobscurite
🪦 - (that's supposed to be a gravestone.) "There's a haunted feeling in the air as I approach the tent, my camera in my hand. I've been visiting these places for years now, trying to capture what was lost: a sense of abandonment, silence, the end, anything. I've traveled all over the world, hunting down stories without words that were lost to the ticking clocks of time. But not here. Not yet. I wanted to, for a very long time. I just didn't have the courage."
https://wednesdayafternoon.substack.com/p/the-lost-circus-part-1
Ignoring the warnings of the local townsfolk, a photographer tries to document the final resting place of an abandoned circus. Not long into the session, it becomes clear that not everything is at peace here...
Amazing. I read through about half of that chapter and it's so good! I can't wait to dive into more.
I haven't seen you around Macabre Monday before! Would you like to be added to the growing list of participants? It's so they can tag you and you'll be alerted with all the great content that comes out on Mondays, and it will make it easier for them to find you.
That would be lovely, thank you! I'm looking forward to seeing how Macabre Monday develops. It seems to be lighting a fire on Notes each week! It's good to see so many spooky writers lurking around.
Will do! Welcome to the terror-ific fun!
I will definitely agree with you there, it has been absolutely drowning out anything non-horror related on Mondays. It's amazing!
I don't always write horror, but, when I do, it comes out spooky: https://davidperlmutter.substack.com/p/no-son-of-mine
I previewed it for a moment, and can't wait to jump back in! Make sure to leave a skeleton emoji on your comment so people know it is a short story. 😁
💀 The Road Revenant by Newton Webb
A Halloween Horror Short Story: After a drunken David hits a pedestrian while trying to seduce Mia, their already bad night takes a deadly turn when their victim inexplicably refuses to stay dead.
https://open.substack.com/pub/newtonwebb/p/the-road-revenant-by-newton-webb
'Davi—’
‘I fucking see it.’ The car emergency stopped. She heard Bethany’s body slumping into the footwell. In front of them, standing in the middle of the road, was a figure in the same cloak, mask and hat. With the headlights on him, Mia could see it was a Guy Fawkes mask smeared with blood.
Can't wait to get into this!
I haven't seen you around Macabre Monday until now! Would you like me to add you to the list of participants that celebrate horror every Monday? This would make it easier for others to find you and for you to find them.
Sure! Sounds like a blast!
Plus as the author of two 'Tales of the Macabre' collected works I couldn't resist 😅.
Awesome! I'll get you added. You fit right in with your Tales of the Macabre!
My effort is up: https://stirlingnewberry.substack.com/p/black-mass
💀 “Countless sunsets, special moments, whatever—all erased every time I turn one of these in. My memories are all that’s left of them.”
Trevor works for a shadowy organization tasked with controlling our future, guiding humanity toward a preferred outcome known as “The Ideal Scenario.” But when Trevor finds himself inadvertently in the way of those goals, friendships will be tested.
https://www.coleschapters.com/p/the-ideal-scenario?r=nzp2a&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
💀https://open.substack.com/pub/llford/p/the-prophetic-fall-of-tarn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1v5vok
Hiya! here was my first attempt at cosmic horror in my sci-fi fantasy anthology series!I hope if you choose to check it out you enjoy!
"M233 report.” Nothing. Not even silence. There was static. As though somebody was holding down the button, but not saying anything. Like her voice was trapped on the other end. It made my skin crawl. “Is anyone there… M234?” I said, my voice cracked and I felt like I was going to cry. I swallowed deep and took an even deeper breath. “Please respond or you will be considered KIA.”
...
(Note: this is currently a standalone story, but people have asked me if I'm willing to consider continuing this specific story from the anthology and that isn't off the table at all!)
This is right up my alley, I'll be checking this out soon! I haven't seen you around Macabre Monday before, is it something you'd be interested in participating in? If so, let me know and I'll add you to the list so others can find you!
Yeah, I'm new around these parts! Well... new in online writing communities generally actually 😅
I'm trying to put myself out there more these days and I'd love to participate that'd be great!
Awesome! Well, I'll add you to the list so people can tag you. 😁 I read a bit of story you posted and it was great, I can't wait to read the rest!
Amazing! Welcome welcome! 👏🏼🤗👻🕸️
[I am not tech savvy, can't seem to figure out how to use the tombstone symbol on mobile]
Harry Townshend has been serving as the District Attorney for Amelia City for a few years now, a true and trusted public servant of its people. But like any political figure, he has higher aspirations, and the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for the Amelia County area is his next target.
But when one wishes to represent such a shadow-rich realm, one needs must be cautious which residents one will come into contact with....
"A True Representative"- https://thestorytellerscorner.substack.com/p/a-true-representative-an-amelia-city
I love this. I think I read these all as they were coming in, but seeing them all here is very handy. Lots of very good stuff last week!
I'm sure most of us that participate see most of the posts that people make, but I share them for the ones that haven't or the readers that are here. Surprisingly Macabre Monday has garnered quite the readership outside of those who are participating and is honing in on 100 subscribers!
I couldn't agree more. There were fantastic conversations being had last week, and from what I've seen so far, this week as well!
Keep me posted on how I can help! I love what you have going and I think it's really good so far.
Will do! Thank you, that means a lot 😊
Honing in on 100 subscribers!! Incredible, Jeff! Congrats 🤗🤗🤗
And please let me know how I can help too! I mean of course I can continue my bridge troll duties and collect more and more people to tag (and I am PROUD to be a bridge troll, let me be clear about this lol). But if there is anything else, please do let me know! ✨😌✨
As of this morning we are at 90 subs! Insane seeing this growth in less than a month. I'm ecstatic that so many eyes are on everyone's work!
I definitely will, thanks for being so generous! Your bridge troll efforts have been amazing, every time I see the list of people you tag there is more and more!
🫡🫡🫡🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Had such fun writing a little special something just for this. Bwahaha!
🪦 This is the first official episode of my serial anthology, a story collection of speculative fiction stories that all take place in the same town as Marredbury. I'm tieing them all together with a kind of epistolary through story. I'm experimenting here, never done anything like this! I'd love to hear what you all think
https://reinacruzwrites.substack.com/p/episode-1-the-happening-on-little
I was married at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, on James Whitcomb Riley’s Tomb, September 7, 1990, and my younger daughter just did the same, July 24... 25 years later. Hanging out in cemeteries is a family bonding point with us. Thank you for making Mondays something to look forward to.
P.S. and, Jeff? You had me at Macabre.
This is extremely intriguing! I have never heard of weddings or family bonding time at a cemetery. Can I ask, out of curiosity, what started this tradition?
Hey, we all deserve a Monday to look forward to! I'm glad you found Macabre Monday 😁
It started as a thing in high school, for me, and just continued on. My 6 children didn’t realize, for years, that all families didn’t go to the cemetery to hang out and eat lunch.
If you explore the history of cemeteries, it was very common place for families to picnic and spend leisure time there.
Wow that is very interesting. I had no idea that this was common for people to do! Aside from the Gothic cliques that hung out in cemeteries because it was edgy, I had assumed people only went to remember their loved ones.
We have family members there, as well, so that too.
💀 "So that was the first time. At 12, my body announcing itself to the whole rest of the world, advertising that I was a woman even though I was not, carrying out processes I didn’t understand. And now, carrying out a process no one would ever understand. As my elbow finally healed, it crusted over with tiny rubies, garnets, tourmaline and tigers eye, orange, pink and black sapphire, and eventually, brown and black diamonds. My parents scraped off each one, collecting them in a little jar they kept on the bookcase. I watched it fill up. They watched it fill up. None of us sure what to do." - from my first spooky story on substack, about the value of a body, The Gem. https://open.substack.com/pub/theageofaquarius/p/the-gem?r=kwzmq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Ooo, this sounds very unique and original. When I have time I'll make sure to come back and read it!
This is the first time I'm seeing you around Macabre Monday! Would you like to be added to the list of participants? This will allow them to tag you so your alerted to all the great content on Mondays, as well as making it easier for them to find you.
I would love that, thank you!
I've never left the cemetery actually, been here for forever 😅👻🕸️🐈⬛ Thanks for including me in this week's Macabre Monday digest, Jeff! I feel very honored to be a part of this community. ✨😌✨
Hmm, so you are a bridge troll that lives in a cemetery? How odd for a bridge troll. 😜
Of course, thank YOU for always being a adamant participant and helper for Macabre Monday! I loved the question you posed last week.
It's a remote position, Jeff. No doy. 😋😋😋
Happy to help! And thank you!! I am working on my discussion-generating skills. 🤗