StoryChuck.com

Table of Contents *** Holly ran faster than Joss. After three blocks she stopped to wait for him. He caught up, bent over, and put hands on knees while panting. “I think we’re safe now.” “Yeah,” she said. “But this is still weird. How is it possible you aren’t hurt?” Joss straightened back up, still [...]

Table of Contents *** Avery Fain sat on a bench in Trundle Park. The bench sat against a group of bushes, just off the path that joggers, bicyclers, dog walkers and others frequented. As usual Avery wore a brown hooded robe. His trimmed-short-and-neat beard appeared incongruent against the backdrop of his wild, Einstein-like, white hair. [...]

Table of Contents *** The water tower’s ladder swayed, swinging out several feet before rebounding and taking Joss so close to the tower he could reach out and touch it, but he didn’t dare unlock his arms.  One was hooked around the ladder’s side.  The other,  wrapped around a rung. “You’ve got to stop moving [...]

Table of Contents *** The red-and-white checkered water tower loomed above Joss, it’s sides marred with graffiti and rust.  He looked up the metal ladder attached to its side and gulped.  “No way.” “It’s totally safe,” his friend Holly said. “I don’t know.” Joss looked up, shaking his head.  Climbing the tower was a crazy [...]

I’ll be putting up a free novella starting July 19th. Check back then for the first installment.

A story about a childhood monster in the bedroom closet

“It’s only 1:30, you’re not scheduled for check-in until 2:03am.” Martin gaped, slack-jawed at the woman, a petite blond.  He didn’t understand her meaning.  A large, marble countertop separated him from the woman.  On it, a brass bell with a little plaque, “Ring for Service.” Aware his mouth hung open, he closed it. The woman [...]

Conrad Phillips pulled his ’74 Ford Pickup to the side of the road and checked his notes.  This is it.  Where Barker Road splits into Cherry Lane and Madison Road. An old cypress tree stood near the road.  Its roots branched into thick, brown octopus legs.  He grabbed the shovel and a paper sack from [...]

This very short (275 word) piece is a study on passive sentences I did for my Fantasy & Science Fiction group. It’s not fun to read because most sentences use the passive voice.

The psychologist sat in the overstuffed, leather chair, one leg crossed ankle to knee, his notebook balanced on his thigh. I sat in the small sofa across from him. A coffee table separated us. He idly scratched the side of his head with the back his pen. “Tell me why you are here.” “I shouldn’t [...]