Wayne’s car died downtown while a frizzy-headed kid watched. Three sickly children stopped playing under a large electric snowflake when he walked by, and a pale, stained baby, rolling on the sidewalk, began wailing. Now he runs past the shuttered tourist-shop windows, seeing shadows in doorways, twisted faces in car windows, and figures from the corners of his eyes. The rumor can’t be true–that children, murdered by Herod, haunt the streets tonight seeking abusers. Broken sidewalk catches his foot and cracks his knee like a walnut.
Then they come.
Pallid boys emerge from the cracks: grabbing, pulling, twisting, choking.
(Thanks for Loren Eaton for organizing this shared storytelling event. See his post for a list of other stories.)
Wayne, gets what he deserves. Enjoyed the reference to pallid boys and the twisting of faces in car windows.
I’ve written in other posts with no results as to getting a question I have for Phil/Lars….
Once I was told I was writing SPAM and I should be horse-whipped or something for doing so….
So, here I am, not relating to this post and just trying to get a simple question out to you all.
Two of my grandsons; 8 and 11 are reading C.S. Lewis books by the car-load…they read high school and early college level novels and other types, (Those with morals and a great degree of cleanliness…)
So, since I can’t get any book to them by Christmas… and they are half Japanese, I was thinking of sending them Lars’ collection of good books he’s authored for Japanese New Year.
What say ye? Appropriate?
I wouldn’t give my books to kids that young. Both for reading level and content reasons. I’m not sure who to recommend. It’s kind of out of my area of expertise.
I saw your other comment, Book, and hadn’t gotten round to responding, but since you brought it up here too, let me suggest: Andrew Peterson —
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: Adventure. Peril. Lost Jewels. And the Fearsome Toothy Cows of Skree. (The Wingfeather Saga)
The Fiddler’s Gun (Fin’s Revolution)
N.D. Wilson’s books
– There are several good books for boys here.
Jeffery Overstreet has good fantasies here – Auralia’s Colors Series
I just got done reading about Herod’s slaughter of the innocents about 30 minutes ago. Chills me most every time, but I’d never thought of it as an inspiration for a horror story. Works darn well.
Very good horror. I think I could handle monsters better than murdered children.
Well done Phil.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
………dhole
Thanks. I think it’s an idea that could work for a long piece. It’s similar to any story of return from a historic horror. The problem would be attempting to explain it. If an author over-explains the idea, it could ruin it, if not mainstream it into just another bland ghost story.
Thanks, Donna. May the Lord bless you according to his richest mercy.
There’s a horror book in that concept. Brilliant stroke, Phil.