short story

The Speed of Sound

Steppen Sawicki Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Short Story: Sci-fi Drama

Jay had never been much of a talker. He had won Carrie’s heart with gentle touches on the hand and shoulder, neck and waist. He had made her dizzy with rare utterances of her beauty and his love, precious because they were so rare. When they married three years ago his vow had been short and sweet – Carrie, you were perfect when I first saw you, and you’re perfect still. I’ll love you forever, because you’ll be perfect forever.

She thought of those words as she heard him bumping around upstairs, just woken up, sleepy and stumbly. She smiled to herself and hummed along to the radio, flipping pancakes and bacon.

When he came into the kitchen he was freshly shaved and smelled of soap. He kissed her on the cheek and she said “How’s pancakes sound?”

“Sounds good to me,” he replied, and shook out the newspaper.

Continue reading →

Midnight Train

Steppen Sawicki Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Flash Fiction: Horror

At first, the soft choo of the train’s horn came to him from far away, as it always had before.  Were he not lying in bed with silence all around him he wouldn’t have heard it at all.  The sound of it always calmed him and set him at ease, because even if he couldn’t sleep up until midnight the train was there to reassure him that everything else at least was running right.

But the next night it had seemed louder, the horn blaring closer.  It made him uneasy, but he convinced himself it was only the wind blowing in the wrong direction, bringing it to his window.

But the next night it was so loud it frightened his old cat from the covers, and he could swear he heard the rattle of the tracks in between blasts of the horn.  This was no trick of the wind.

And then last night, the tracks had rattled enough to shake the house, and it had blown its horn loud enough to shake his eardrums.  It was right outside his window, passing by at its regular time as if all were normal, and as it left he shook under the blankets.

Tonight he lies in bed, shivering, waiting for the train.

Give Me That Back

Steppen Sawicki Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Drabble: Horror

I can’t remember.  You took it from me.  I don’t even know whether it was a good memory or bad.  Whether I would really want it back or not.  Whether it was from my childhood or teenage-hood or just yesterday, whether it was about you, whether it was about you and me.  It’s just one blank in my mind but it feels like you stole everything.

I can’t remember.

What was it?  Was it something you don’t want me to know?

Was it something you did to me?

What have you done to me?

Oh god please, give it back.

Moonlight – An Absence

Steppen Sawicki Tags: , , , , 2 Comments

Drabble: Horror

Something wakes me.  A sudden absence jerks me awake, and I open my eyes to find the room pitch-black.  I know the night is cloudless – I checked the weather report before bed.  I know the moon isn’t new – it shone full the night before.

I get up and go to the window.  The landscape is black, with no hint of the moonlight.  I step out onto the balcony, looking up.  There hangs the moon, round and silver but radiating nothing.  It’s holding in its light, not even softening the sky.

What will happen when the sun comes up?

I’ve Been Seeing You

Steppen Sawicki Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Drabble: Horror

I know we haven’t spoken in a while but I have something to tell you.  I’ve been seeing you.  Just walking around, not noticing me, just walking and staring.  Mostly late at night or in the early morning hours when it’s dark – so dark it was hard to tell at first that it was really you.  But during the day too, in the shadow cast by a passing cloud.

I don’t know what’s going on.  These things… they can’t possibly be ghosts.  I mean, here I am talking to you on the phone, and you’re clearly alive.  Right?

…Right?