Horror For Good - A Charitable Anthology Read online

  Mark C. Scioneaux

  R.J. Cavender

  Robert S. Wilson

  Horror For Good

  A Charitable Anthology

  Cutting Block Press, LLC.

  6911 Riverton Drive

  Austin, Texas 78729

  www.cuttingblock.net

  Copyright © 2012 Cutting Block Press LLC. Individual works are Copyright © 2012 by their respective authors.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. All characters in this publication are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  This is a charitable anthology. All revenues, less direct costs for production, marketing and distribution (net profits of each purchase, estimated to be at least 10% to 15%) will be donated to amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. For more information on amfAR, please visit: www.amfar.org.

  Jeff Strand's Story "The Apocalypse Ain't so Bad" was originally published by Cutting Block Press in Horror Library, Volume 3 (2009)

  Joe McKinney's story "Sky of Brass, Land of Steel" was originally published as "Coyote Season" in The Harrow Vol 9, No 10 (2006)

  G.N. Braun's story "Autumn as Metaphor" was first published by Bendigo T.A.F.E in Painted Words (2011)

  Ray Garton's story "Reception" was originally published by Subterranean Press in The Girl in the Basement and Other Stories (2004)

  Gary McMahon's story "Road Flowers" was originally published by Ash Tree Press in Pieces of Midnight (2010)

  Tracie McBride's story "Baptism" was originally published by Hecate Magazine (2009)

  Ramsey Campbell's story "Dead Letters" copyright © 1978 by Ramsey Campbell, later reprinted by PS Publishing in Told by the Dead (2003)

  F. Paul Wilson's story "Please Don't Hurt Me" was originally published by Maclay and Associates in MASQUES IV (1991)

  Jack Ketchum's story "Returns" was originally published by Gauntlet Publications in Right To Life (2002)

  Laird Barron's story "Shiva, Open Your Eye" Originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (2001)

  Joe R. Lansdale's story "On a Dark October" was originally published in The Horror Show. (1984)

  Editors in Chief: Mark C. Scioneaux

  R.J. Cavender

  Robert S. Wilson

  Reading/Selection Team: Mark C. Scioneaux

  R.J. Cavender

  Robert S. Wilson

  Jennifer Wilson

  Selene M'Only

  Ann Magee

  Formatting: Boyd E. Harris

  Layout and Design: Bailey Hunter

  E-book Formatting

  and Conversion: Steven W. Booth

  www.GeniusBookServices.com

  Cover Art: William Cook

  www.bloodrelated.wordpress.com

  A Message from the HWA President ~ Rocky Wood

  The Journey of Horror For Good ~ Mark C. Scioneaux

  Autumn as Metaphor ~ G.N. Braun

  On a Dark October ~ Joe R. Lansdale

  Mouth ~ Nate Southard

  Blood for the American People ~ Lisa Morton

  Reception ~ Ray Garton

  The Long Hunt ~ Ian Harding

  The Apocalypse Ain't so Bad ~ Jeff Strand

  The Gift ~ Monica O'Rourke

  The Silent Ones ~ Taylor Grant

  Sky of Brass, Land of Iron ~ Joe McKinney

  Consanguinity ~ Lorne Dixon

  Dead Letters ~ Ramsey Campbell

  The Monster in the Drawer ~ Wrath James White

  Baptism ~ Tracie McBride

  Atlantis Purging ~ Boyd E. Harris

  Returns ~ Jack Ketchum

  The Other Patrick ~ Brad C. Hodson

  A Question of Morality ~ Shaun Hutson

  The Meat Man ~ Jonathan Templar

  A Man in Shape Alone ~ Lee Thomas

  Solution ~ Benjamin Kane Ethridge

  To and Fro ~ Richard Salter

  Please Don't Hurt Me ~ F. Paul Wilson

  The Depravity of Inanimate Things ~ John F.D. Taff

  The Lift ~ G.R. Yeates

  The Eyes Have It ~ Rena Mason

  Road Flowers ~ Gary McMahon

  The Widows Laveau ~ Steven W. Booth & Norman L. Rubenstein

  This Thing That Clawed Itself Inside Me ~ John Mantooth

  Somewhere on Sebastian Street ~ Stephen Bacon

  June Decay ~ Danica Green

  Shiva, Open Your Eye ~ Laird Barron

  —A MESSAGE FROM THE HWA PRESIDENT

  I am very pleased to congratulate the editors—Mark C. Scioneaux, R.J. Cavender, and Robert S. Wilson on Horror For Good. And to commend you for buying this anthology, the proceeds of which benefit amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, which is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment, education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.

  Horror For Good is not just a title—it is an expression of the heart and soul of the horror literary community. Like all literary genres, horror can be insular, but of course our readership spreads out across the wider community worldwide. Horror is the original form of storytelling, going back to the caveman's fire and the savannahs of Africa, when hunters told of the fearful creatures and natural phenomena they had encountered. And the genre is alive and very well in the 21st century.

  One of the things that mark our genre and we who write in it, is the tremendous generosity of spirit that is inherent in our colleagues. In recent times, I have been involved in fundraising and increasing awareness around ALS/MND (or Motor Neurone Disease) and I never cease to be humbled by the generosity of so many writers, and so many fans and readers from the horror community. I am sure this has been exactly the experience of the editors in compiling this anthology and I congratulate the authors who have donated reprinted, rare, and original stories. Many of them are members of the Horror Writers Association, the leading professional writers' group in our genre, and they do themselves and the entire membership proud by choosing to participate.

  HIV/AIDS is a disease that has struck the wider public consciousness on a number of occasions since it first appeared on our radar in the 1980s. As medical breakthroughs, funded by Government and private foundations such as amfAR, have reduced the fear of the disease in the wider community, it seems to have disappeared from the mass media. But I am sure we all know someone, or know of someone, who has been touched by the disease, and while awareness and prevention has been largely successful in "First World" countries, the same cannot be said of many countries in Africa and Asia in particular. Everything that amfAR and similar organizations can do to raise awareness (and defeat popular myth in these "Third World" cultures) and aid in prevention in those countries is critical not only to the individuals involved but to the entire economic and cultural future of nations.

  In reminding us of HIV/AIDS and the continuing fight to improve the medical response, awareness and prevention, the editors have delivered an anthology that is entirely readable in its own right, and reminds us once again that horror can heal, as well as terrify.

  Rocky Wood

  President, Horror Writers Association

  —THE JOURNEY OF HORROR FOR GOOD

  by Mark C. Scioneaux

  My uncle, Louis "Setchie" Scioneaux Jr., lost his courageous and hard fought battle with AIDS and Hepatitis on February 1, 2002. On tha
t day, the world lost a man who embodied what was good about humanity: love, passion, selflessness, and a sense of humor. His ability to make those around him laugh was so contagious that he could turn a complete stranger into a friend within minutes of knowing him. Currently in the United States, approximately 49 others will lose their battle every day, and for 154 the battle will have just begun.

  My Uncle Setchie was diagnosed in a time where the life expectancy for someone with AIDS was only two years. He lived for 10 years past the average. My family was blessed to get that extra time, though it didn't make saying goodbye any easier. I was 18 at the time, and still didn't understand the complexities of how the world worked. Death was something that was fortunately foreign to my family, but I lost my uncle and my godfather; my family lost a son, a brother, and a friend. The world lost an artist and something beautiful never to be recaptured again.

  Ten years went by, and though life moved on, his memory never faded. In fact, his paintings adorn the wall of my home; a constant reminder of his presence in my life. I was always interested in writing and for reasons unknown, horror appealed to me. In the years that followed, I went on to publish a novel as well as several short stories. I pursued my writing more seriously and started networking with fellow authors like myself. I was introduced to the Kindle Horror Books group on Facebook. KHB is an ongoing network for horror writers and readers to interact with one another in an honest fashion. An idea popped into my head one day. Here in this group were so many talented authors; why not get together and put an anthology out? But for what purpose? For our own reasons of hopeful fame and glory, or maybe for another cause? The idea of charity was the clear answer.

  The first person who should be commended is my friend and business partner, Robert S. Wilson. A brilliant author and editor, he immediately teamed up with me and allowed this idea of mine to take off. He is a genuine, honest person who looks to help others before himself. A devoted father of two and husband; I am lucky to know him. I envision him and I having a partnership in the horror writing world that will last for years.

  Author Christine Sutton worked hard to develop our Facebook page when we first started. She researched various charities for our cause to support and selected three. Though I had a vested interest in an AIDS charity, I had to follow the rules of the group vote. To my delight, amfAR won out. Since 1985, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy. This charity gave the best chance to not only help those living with AIDS in the USA, but also worldwide.

  Robert and I began to solicit some of the biggest names in horror since we both felt it could never hurt to try. We didn't expect to receive such a big response from these titans of the writing world, but we did. To our surprise, many great authors pledged their help. It seemed everyone wanted to send a story in, and did just that. Submissions went from five a week, to ten. Then twenty. And then more. Our little project had picked up steam, almost too much steam for two indie writers to handle. We needed help. Professional help to prevent this train from derailing before it had even left the station.

  Enter R.J. Cavender. A Stoker-nominated, industry-respected editor in the horror writing community, R.J.'s eye for detail and commitment to quality is unmatched. He took the challenge of Horror for Good head on, rounding up friends and numerous contacts to donate their time and services to ensure that this act of charity did indeed remain so. People like Steve Booth and Bailey Hunter donated their professional services and time to ensure Horror for Good would have the quality look that the collection of stories deserved. I'm not sure what R.J. saw in us that made him take the risk he did, but it speaks volumes to his class and character that he took a chance with us. I am lucky to call R.J. Cavender my friend.

  With R.J. came Boyd E. Harris and Cutting Block Press, offering their services to us for publishing and marketing. I will always be thankful to Cutting Block for believing in our cause, and stepping up to take on the responsibility of publishing this anthology. We had the credibility now, and the horror world opened up to us like a surging floodgate. Submissions came in by the hundreds. Questions from interested parties followed, as did offers for radio interviews, blog tours, and other promotional ventures. Support on Facebook soared, and it seemed even more people wanted to help.

  We couldn't have handled all the submissions we received if it weren't for three wonderful women who volunteered their time to read hundreds of submissions from the slush pile. Jennifer Wilson, Selene M'Only, and Ann Magee, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. Because of these three, I can say every story submitted was read by a member of the Horror for Good team and received a fair chance. We all discovered many new authors that we will continue to follow. Everyone who submitted brought their best work to the table, and we were the lucky ones for it.

  The cover art was graciously donated by William Cook, a New Zealand native, who is a talented poet, author, and illustrator. He gave us access to every piece of work he had created and left it to us to choose any we would want. We chose the two hands reaching for one another. Though I am not sure of the original meaning behind the work, to me it represented a helping hand reaching out to another in need. Robert and I thought it was perfect, and William happily donated it to us. We needed a cover that would live up to the contents of this book, and I feel we achieved that.

  The authors contained within these pages are a mix of some of the brightest stars and some of the most promising new talent in horror. They have donated their stories, consisting of rare reprints, personal favorites, and brand new, never-before-published tales. I cannot thank them enough, just as I cannot thank everyone enough who submitted a story to our anthology. It is my hope that you, the reader, will enjoy these tales crafted by some world-class storytellers.

  Along the way I came to know an author that many may not know, Joel Marc Andre. Although he's not an author within these pages, Joel, to me, embodies what this project is all about. In speaking with him, I learned a few things that spoke volumes to the kind of man he is. In 2008, he did a series of charity items for the ASPCA, as well as several charity auctions that year. In 2009, he ran an event to bring in proceeds for a local homeless shelter. In 2010, he did a "Haunted Tour" in Phoenix, AZ for the Children with AIDS project. Just recently, he donated all royalties for the month of February from one of his e-books to the American Heart Association. Joel is a man who knows how to help others, and then goes home and writes horror, taking great care and skill to keep the two worlds separate. People like Joel are the reason why Horror for Good has been so well received. Just because we write about ghouls, gore, and death, it doesn't mean we do not care about the needs of others.

  The heart of the horror community is on full display, and it stretches from the very top with Horror Writers Association President Rocky Wood, all the way to an author whose first ever published work will appear in these pages. The Horror Community has heart! A large, caring, blood-drenched heart.

  In closing, the biggest "thank you" goes to you, the person who has purchased and is holding this book right now. I want you to know that you have just made a donation to amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and all the profits generated from your purchase went directly to them and no one else. You helped make a difference today, and on behalf of all the editors and authors, I thank you. So sit back, dim the lights, and prepare to be immersed into a dark world of terror. And remember that this is horror for you. Horror for me. Horror for Setchie. Horror for the 49, the 154, and the many others affected by this terrible disease. Horror for amfAR. Horror for a cure.

  This is Horror for Good.

  —G.N. Braun

  G.N. Braun was raised in Melbourne's gritty Western Suburbs. He is a trained nurse and holds a Cert. IV in Professional Writing and Editing. He is currently studying Dip. Arts (Professional Writing and Editing). He is the author of Boneyard Smack,
Bubba wants YOU, and Insurrection (all available as free downloads from Legumeman Books), as well as "Santa Akbar!" (Festive Fear: Global Edition, out through Tasmaniac Publications in Australia). He has had numerous articles published in newspapers. He is the current president of the Australian Horror Writers Association, as well as the director of the Australian Shadows Awards. His memoir, Hammered, was released in February 2012 by Legumeman Books.

  —Autumn as Metaphor

  By G.N. Braun

  I feel nothing.

  My daughter is gone; forever lost to me. Her life reduced to mere memories. The autumn leaves fall outside her window. She always loved autumn, and I think I may have loved her most of all this time of year.

  She used to kick through the piles of fallen leaves, laughing like a loon. I loved her laugh; loved the way her cheeks would flush with delight; loved her youthful exuberance.

  She would lie on the ground and pile leaves over herself—hidden—a shivering pile. I'd pretend I couldn't see her; I'd call her over and over while she'd lie giggling, trying hard not to shift the leaves but failing. The remembered sound of shuffling leaves brings tears to my eyes.

  I don't know if I can live without her.

  I don't know if I even want to.

  She lies there now, under a pile of leaves. Browns and oranges speckled with red, the colours of life and death; the brown of soil, the orange of sunsets, the red of blood.

  I sit and wait in darkness. The house is cold. Sooner or later someone will find her, but it won't be me. There's no sound from under the leaves. No giggling or movement. This time the red is more blatant. This will be the last time she lies under a pile of leaves. After this, she'll be under the brown earth.