Twelve-year-old Mary wiped an arm across her sweaty brow and leaned her bike against a cottonwood tree. The Animal House was like her own, but smaller and less ornate. The grass was unkempt, and an ominous pillar of smoke sometimes wafted from the stone chimney. Mary peddled to the wretched place as fast as she …
Author: GriffithsKL
MTO Catie Beach
Catie's freakish flexibility stunned everyone. During a spontaneous beach yoga class she popped a bird-of-paradise like she was crossing her legs. Like, can't everyone do this? Um...no. Who could've known her flexibility would be related to her demise? That, and her fearlessness. Always down for a thrill, the idea of skydiving lit Catie up. Never …
MTO Roger Miller
Roger was out of stage blood. How had that happened? He could've sworn there was more than half a bottle left. The "zesty mint" flavor made a dab of blood on the tongue an effective breath mint. But that didn't explain half the bottle gone. And--four alarm fire--it was Friday the 13th. Roger and Beth …
MTO Will Saxon
Will looked up at the growing line of ill and infirm hostiles waiting to be addressed by an emergency room intake nurse. Nurse? Nurse? Wherefore art thou, nurse? Will's soul was rolling its eyes since he could not do it outwardly. With three call-offs and no travel nurses available, Will was the de facto receptionist. …
My Why
About a month ago, this was me: It wasn't District 12 Reaping but a zoom call. WANTED: volunteers to help with an HWA Ohio Chapter podcast that would focus on the craft and process of horror writing. Although I have thoroughly embraced the introvert I am and the comfort zone of no-human-contact, the teacher and …
MTO Stacey Weschke
Elvis jumped onto Stacey's lap and nuzzled into her clasped hands, trying to pry them apart with his peachlike nose, to interrupt her prayers with his purring. With eyes closed, Stacey gave him a few pets and resumed her silent prayer. Elvis wasn't having it. He gave another, more urgent poke into her hands and …
MTO Laura Kennelly
Small Step She was born before the war. Not long before, but long enough that she remembered ice cream and lawnmowers and the smell of fresh-brewed coffee. She remembered laughter and the way the playground slide took her tummy almost into her throat. She knew what it was like to think of Earth as safe …
MTO Kelly Griffiths
You may remember Shaun McKinley, last week's "character," whose trip to the dentist went very south for his hygienist. Shaun is a gifted writer, and when he asked me if I'd like an MTO of my own...well, I was overjoyed. You can read his AMAZING story HERE, then come back and scroll down for what's …
MTO Shaun McKinley
Dental Dread Mom beamed. And Mom wasn't an easy-beamer. Homeschooling four kids into academic brilliance and civic acumen meant every moment mattered. Even about-to-lose-my-five-year-old-mind-I'm-so-terrified moments. Especially those. Having served in the Army, Mom did not buy into the notion that scared little brains could not process new information. Nonsense. If you waited for the perfect …
MTO Jenna
Road Rage The plan: Leave work early, pick up Charlie from the groomer, and make it to the Dojang in time for taekwondo class. Simple, right? Wrong. First, the groomer wasn't finished with Charlie. Would Jenna like to wait while they dried Charlie a little better? "Hate to send you off with a wet dog." …
KL Griffiths 