A MOTHER OF MONSTERS

by Guy De Maupassant

The child was born in an open field, and when the weeders saw it, they fled away, screaming, and the report spread that she had given birth to a demon. From that time on, she was called ‘the Devil.’ (Continue Reading…)

DOG

By Stephen Hodgkinson

The girl stared out of her bedroom window. Her neighbour, the little boy was playing alone in his garden. She hated him, she hated his constant happiness, and she hated the confident way he dealt with his own company.

She hated him and she was very lonely.

“You could kill him” said a tiny voice lurking somewhere in the room. (Continue Reading…)

KING

By C. Deskin Rink

The first time I beheld my King was amidst the arcades and columns of Babylon beneath an aching, cerulean firmament. From the uppermost heights of the hanging gardens he descended, taking each megalithic tier in a single stride until his final step cracked wide the world itself. His bloodshot eyes stared out at me from beneath his golden crown: wide and perfectly round – bereft of lids, lashes or flesh. “Hail!” I cried out, “Hail! Our King is descended from on high to rule the Earth!” (Continue Reading…)

IN MEMORIAM

By Matthew Chrulew

She approaches the spot and pulls into the gravelly emergency lane. It is still there, like always, in the traditional place to the side of the road – her husband’s memorial cross, attesting his memory in some little way to the passing drivers. Still bearing the wreath of carnations she left last week.

She visits at that interval. She remembers his life, his weekend surprises, and his stupid jokes.

And she remembers his death, as it must have happened – that shrieking scratch of metal, that infinite slide, that smash into the tree.

PIECES

By M.C. Funk

I knew your demon would be hungry the moment I found it. How it crouched toad-like behind the cleaning products under our sink. From its eight-ball eyes to the mouth that spread atop its stomach, your demon’s shape was fat with appetite.

I came to you terrified and smelling of bleach. “Oh yeah.” You had sad-dog eyes. “I was meaning to tell you about that.”

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

By Bint Arab

‘”I made you young, Mother, so you won’t have to worry about your heart problems any more.” He swiped some of the dirt off her face and wrapped her in the towel so he wouldn’t have to touch her as he guided her to the house.

Pseudopod Special: The Alphabet Quartet (A Primer)

by Tim Pratt, Jenn Reese, Heather Shaw, and Greg van Eekhout

Featuring:

“Q is for Quit,” read by Graeme Dunlop.

“F is for Flotsam,” read by Dave Thompson of PodCastle.

Be sure to check out Escape Pod and PodCastle for other FREE Alphabet Quartet stories. While you’re at it, visit Daily Science Fiction, where you can read all the original Alphabet Quartet stories, and get FREE SF/F stories delivered daily to your email.

See you all July 1st!

HUNTING

By Kirsty Logan

There was only one inner door, so the hunter opened it. He held his candle at arm’s length, but still could see nothing more than the foot of an ocean-sized bed. The hunter crawled across its length, disregarding the brief waft of mold from the blankets. He placed the candlestick on the squat table beside the bed and pulled the covers up over his body. (Continue Reading…)