Welcome to October Frights. Between October 10 and 15, horror and paranormal authors will be sharing their thoughts and writing with the unsuspecting public. Before I share links to the other participants, giveaways and a book fair, here are two 100 word short stories, Missing and Stolen Colours, to get you in the mood for our Spookfest. I recorded these for Acid Horrors; I know they would love it if you checked out their YouTube channel too.
MISSING is printed in bold capitals above a grainy photo of my beloved. Her name is wrong though. That isn’t what I call her.
I tug at the top left corner. The grimy bricks cannot cling on to her. The poster and its protective sleeve come to me eagerly, and I reach inside to extract the innards. They stink of ink not flesh but I consume them anyway. Then let the unwanted plastic fall to a pavement shiny with rain. The sole of my loafer presses down, drowning it in a puddle.
The facsimile tastes bitter compared to the original.
~ Carmilla Voiez
Stolen Colours
It came from the darkness, my jealousy, and extinguished all competing shades: laughing yellow, purple desire and vibrant red excitement, smothering them beneath its black shroud.
I was woken by relentless buzzing beside my pillow.
A professionally sympathetic voice shattered my dreams and robbed me of hope. “We’re sorry. We couldn’t save her.”
Behind the viewing window, my impotent tears desaturated the yellows, purples, and reds of your battered flesh that someone had carefully arranged on a silver trolley. The knowledge that you made me do it was scant compensation as I drowned the sting of loneliness with amber liquid.
~ Carmilla Voiez
Participant List
Camilla Voiez, British Horror Author (You are here)
October Frights Book Fair: https://afstewart.ca/october-frights-book-fair/
October Frights Giveaway: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/fPAZCcZ
What’s in store for Carmilla’s blog? For the next five days of October Frights, I’ll be reviewing Talk to Me, Evil Dead Rise, three books and one TV series inspired by Lovecraft’s Mythos, and introduction to the Starblood Trilogy, and Our Fearful Roots.
Carmilla Voiez is a British horror and fantasy writer living in Scotland. Her influences include Graham Masterton, Thomas Ligotti, and Clive Barker. She is pansexual and passionate about intersectional feminism and human rights. Carmilla has a First-Class Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Linguistics. Her work includes stories in horror anthologies published by Crystal Lake Publishing, Clash Books and Mocha Memoirs; a co-authored Southern Gothic Horror novel; two self-published graphic novels, and the award-winning, dark fantasy/horror Starblood trilogy. Graham Masterton described the second book in her Starblood trilogy as a “compelling story in a hypnotic, distinctive voice that brings her eerie world vividly to life”. Carmilla is also a freelance editor and mentor who enjoys making language sing.
Those stories are wonderfully chilling.
A great start to my favorite season!
Cool stories.