They Cometh

The author brings a work of horror, myth, and weird fiction. Come aboard and embark on six short stories filled with horror, riddles, and surrealism.The opening story introduces the reader to a tale in which the Norse god of mischief is the architect of a great tragedy. The traveler discovers a story without an end. The gods had meddled in the realm of the living. Our protagonist must break a powerful spell, a reality trapped in time, and bring a final chapter to the suffering of a tormented soul.Does vengeance transcend space and time? Is hatred capable of bending reality and time? Does every action we make reverberate in the cosmos? It is beautiful summer on Palm Beach Island. The early evening brings an outsider to town. The protagonist recognizes a mysterious visitor but cannot remember where or how. The mysterious visitor is an artist who organizes a particular art auction like no other. He will reveal his masterpiece at tonight’s gala, a painting to die for.Charlie is a rambunctious child who learned the traveling show is coming to town. This is the event of a lifetime in the small southern Mississippi town. The temptation is too much to resist for a young heart. A ticket will allow him to enter the show, but why buy a ticket when you can sneak in at night? This show, however, is a circus-like any other. Many patrons come to enjoy the show, but few live to tell the story. The young boy experiences a wild night filled with horrors. Morning comes, and it feels like it was all just a dream, but was it? Maybe not so.The Salem witch trial is at its peak. The demonic plight is sweeping across Massachusetts. A young woman is accused of witchcraft by the villagers, who desire to burn her alive. Honorable Douglas has returned to Salem after a short religious retreat, and the people expect him to deliver a death sentence. The God-fearing man senses there is more to the story. Things are not what they appear to be. The trial will reveal that evil sometimes comes wearing disguises.”The house is haunted! Someone has died on this property.” The estate agent pleads with his long-time friend not to buy it. Mr. Hanover, however, does not believe in ghosts and decides to purchase the estate. However, things take a strange turn when a black cat appears at his doorstep during the night. What is that peculiar warning on the collar tag of the cat? Or, more important, who is the actual owner of the cat? It is too late when our main character finds out.The young man senses something unusual and has difficulty remembering. He feels like time has passed in a blur. The city is suddenly strange and unfamiliar to him. What is the scar running down his chest? Was he involved in a gruesome accident? Was he in a prolonged coma? All the people he once knew had suddenly disappeared. During a stroll, he stumbles upon an older man. The elder is the only person who notices his presence. The conversation makes him realize that you cannot see what no longer exists; only someone dwelling in the darkness can see the shadows of the departed.