December 2020 – West Coast Review

Short Story Sunday: 2020

“How does it work?”

“I don’t know exactly. All time travel technology and equipment is stolen.”

“Well, that isn’t going to do us any good. Pray tell who stole it and whom did they steal it from?”

At that point I was done with the conversation. While Dr. Latimoure was beautiful, sexy, and extremely intelligent, she was also an egotistical bore.

“Megan, listen, why don’t we just back off for a while. I need time to think.”

She crossed her arms and pouted. Just like a teenager. She stood there and stuck out her pretty lip and crossed her arms so that her breasts pushed together and formed some impressive cleavage. Only I wasn’t impressed. Not this time.

“Fine then, where do you want to go? I mean, I know enough to give a preview.”

I told her to sit, then carefully put the blue helmet over her head. Sliding the…

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When A Stray Cat Meets A Vampire…

This is wonderful!

cosistories

The smoke gray tabby lived alone. Any place that offered her shelter was home.

Underneath porch stairs.

Inside cardboard boxes.

Inside broken down and abandoned houses.

But when she slept, she dreamed of having a real home.

A place that was warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer.

A place where food and water was readily available. She wouldn’t have to hunt for either or fight for them. They would be there, sitting there, waiting for her.

A place with soft beds and soft perches.

A place of gentle hands and kind voices. No one would grab her by her scruff and toss her. No one would throw things at her. No one would yell profanities at her.

It would be more than a home. It would be a haven of safety.

It was her favorite dream.

***

The smoke gray tabby skulked down the sidewalk. She…

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Chico and the Raven

The Thought Harpy

An Anthropomorphic Short Story.

Chico Barbosa sat high on the pine tree looking down at the houses. He was mentally trying to communicate with his humans, Mama and Papa Barbosa.

The white landscape blanketed the golf course and surrounding rooftops so that it confused him. Everything looked the same. It was blinding in the morning light. Last night he had admitted to himself that he was lost. He was hoping Moms and Pops would walk down one of these streets calling his name so that he could fly down and land on Pop’s shoulder or Mom’s head, his favorite perches.

The wind blew like shards of glass, bending trees, and whistled through the branches. Then, the early morning fog had disoriented him even more so he remained perched in the relative security of the thick pine tree. The cold snap the night…

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The Backstory of Barbara Ruick

(Travalanche)

I became intrigued by Barbara Ruick (1930-74) from an eye-catching bit turn she performs in Robert Altman’s California Split. She plays a lady bartender in a cowgirl outfit in the climactic poker scene. Ruick only has a couple of lines, but something about it was arresting to me. She seems much more confident and present than an ordinary extra, and Altman seems to give her slightly more attention and screentime than would be typical (though Altman is often generous in this way to minor characters, allowing them their moments to shine). But it turns out there are NUMEROUS reasons for her prominent presence in the scene.

The first is, sadly, she died during the shoot. She left work early one night, citing a splitting headache and upset stomach. Someone went to check on her the next day when she didn’t return to the set and found her dead. Brain…

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We’re Not So Different

Merry Christmas

DysFictional

My daughter was clearly upset when she arrived home from school. Crystal tossed her pink, sparkly book bag into the corner and gave it a kick.

“Bad day, honey?” I asked.

She didn’t answer at first. Instead, she ducked her chin and pouted as only a twelve-year-old can.

I waited. Finally she looked at me.

“Is it true?” she demanded.

“Is what true, sweetie?”

“That we’re going to Hell?”

“What? Where on Earth did you get that idea?”

Crystal mumbled something unintelligible.

“Pardon me?”

“Becky Bullock! I hate her so much!” she ranted. “Just because her father’s a minister she acts like she’s God and treats everyone else like dirt!”

“Now, I hardly believe God would treat anyone like dirt, honey. Come here and talk to me.” I sat on the sofa, shoving aside a pile of towels I had been folding…

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Free Ebooks!

Woo Hoo!

DysFictional

Remember these dates, and grab a free download to pass those chilly winter nights.

The Feeder: FREE until Dec 18

Brutal vigilante justice… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTJYY4Y

Phobia: FREE Dec 16-20

An agoraphobic, terrorized inside her only sanctuary, trapped by her own fears… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PR98CLI

A Feast Not So Fancy: FREE Dec 17-21

A grisly cat-astrophe…
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0099RQTGY

Dysfictional 2: Shreds of Sanity: FREE Dec 17-21

A collection of twisted tales…
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MT6P1S4

Dysfictional 3: Down the Psycho Path: FREE Dec 20-24

More twisted tales… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KK85SQ7

Goin’ Extinct TooBy WPaD: FREE Dec 28-Jan 1

A collection of apocalyptic tales by
Writers, Poets and Deviants…
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B5NYDV2

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Tangled Tales – Now Over 200 Short Stories

Vampire Maman

Short Stories from Vampire Maman

A good portion of the posts on Vampiremaman.com read like short stories, but the list here is of stand alone stories that don’t necessarily follow the tales of Juliette’s life with her husband, kids and assorted Vampire Mom adventures.

Expect the unexpected … and a lot of fun!Click on the title to go to the story.

You’ll find Vampire, parenting, Gothic romance, horror, humor, urban fantasy, science fiction, odd ditties, literary fiction, and otherunique and unexpected tangled tales. This isn’t the complete list but it will keep you busy for a while. Keep checking back for more.

* Guest authors