- Richard
- Lisa
- Lizzie
- Tom
- Serendipidy
- Norval Joe
- Planet Z
RICHARD
Frostbitten
I told you about that time I unwittingly told my future boss I was a porn star, right?
It wasn’t exactly career suicide, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t do me any favours either.
On her first day as my manager, I was called into her office and she gave me a look so cold it could cause frostbite.
‘I hope you don’t intend bringing any of your questionable immoral behaviours into this office, while I’m in charge’ she said sternly.
I assured her I wouldn’t.
‘Good. You can save them for after work. My place, tonight. Bring wine!’
LISA
The Man in the Library
An old gentleman, he’s in daily but doesn’t speak to anyone. He has no interest in the books or the papers. He wears a suit, an old suit that has an almost iridescent sheen through age. There’s a thin pin stripe to it; possibly faded.
His skin is beyond pale, a white almost grey transparent covering. If he wasn’t walking around you’d assume it the ashen skin of a dead man.
He sits and watches everything. Rises.
Shakes the librarian’s hand.
Leaves.
Regardless of the weather outside, his touch is always cold. In winter that handshake practically gives you frostbite.
SERENDIPIDY
Back in the days when I had a proper job, health and safety wasn’t quite as it is now.
I worked in a meat processing factory and one of my co-workers really had it in for me.
We had one of those big walk-in freezers, but back then, they didn’t have safety locks. He shoved me inside and locked the door.
Thankfully, I was found soon after, but not before I’d lost three fingers to frostbite.
Years later, I got my own back, in my own special way.
His body’s downstairs now, in my chest freezer.
A fitting end!
LIZZIE
When words stumble through the page in a wave of sorrow, tears morn a future unlived. When a smile brings a tightness to the heart, one pauses just to breathe, a foggy gaze peering through, an overwhelming sadness stifling one’s fears. Numbness creeps through the cracks of one’s soul and one swears never to feel this chill again. And yet, it returns. Word after word. Tear after tear, the pages pacing relentlessly, gnawing at what remains…
“What? I thought it’d be a children’s story this time,” said Mouse. “The darn book shifted again… This online sorcery course is total nonsense.”
NORVAL JOE
Joan Weinerheimer put her arm around Sabrina. “Don’t cry, dear. We’ll get your things and get out of here quickly.”
They made their way to the stairs to the basement. The more they progressed, the colder it got in the house.
Billbert shivered. “We need to hurry or we’ll all get frostbite.”
In the basement, frost clung to the window and exposed metal pipes.
Sabrina’s backpack and unopened suitcase sat on the floor, next to the ropes previously used to restrain her.
“Grab her things,” Billbert’s mother said. “We need to get out. I think this house has been cursed.”
TOM
Red Christmas
The old witch on Maple Street rolled up a snowman on her lawn. The kids creeped up to the grinning coal eyed horror. “Closer, my pretty-s,” rasped the snowman,” I’m frosty. Want to have some fun?” Timmy the bravest and stupidest of us grabbed the carrot nose. Being the little monsters, we were, we moved in close to mock Frosty. The snowman wrapped Tim with his twiggy arms, took a bit out of his neck. In quick order we were all bleeding of Frostbit. As Timmy’s eye turn from blue to white, Frosty suggested we head down to the mall.
PLANET Z
The road leading to Ray Kinsella‘s farm was packed with cars. They didn’t know why they were driving there. After all, Ray was the jackass who had plowed up his field to build a baseball park. They parked wherever they could park, here were only a few small bleachers, no concessions, no restrooms. Some lined up to use the bathroom in the house while others just went out into the field to piss. Those who returned came back smiling, calm, as if they’ve seen something glorious. Others never returned. The next day, they blamed it all on a gas leak.