A collection of speculative fiction short stories, mostly of the sci-fi genre from creative writing classes. If you're looking for something to test your critiquing skills, this is the book for you! Some of these are better than others, but were gre...
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He wanted to leave before he could be seen by them. They lurked still, stalking the overgrown lanes and weaving endlessly in and out the crumbling buildings behind him. He could feel their presence, or at least the cold shivers of whatever unearthly presence kept this town pitch black while the mid-day sun still shone in the rest of the forest. Not a single light from any lamppost cast a shadow, rather the only source of lights came from the eerie glowing bodies themselves. He couldn't leave yet though, not until he got it. He'd snuck through the streets, hiding from the spectres and looking aimlessly for the town well, but now it was in front of him.
His hands wouldn't stop shaking, and he fumbled the rope, causing the bucket to crash back down into the well below. When it finally splashed at the bottom, Emery's flailing hands were able to grab onto the rope once more before it, too, disappeared in the murky depths. He cursed himself, took a deep breath, and began hauling the bucket up once more.
"Isaac?" A voice called out.
Emery froze, looking up.
Five feet away, a ghostly pale light was floating up the hill.
"Are you there, Isaac?"
He didn't know if it had seen him yet, but he still needed the water. He doubled his speed, hoisting up the bucket as fast as his hands could pull it. The bucket rocked back and forth, splashing its contents all over, but it wouldn't matter. He only needed a little bit.
He hauled the bucket out and, trembling, removed the flask from his coat pocket. He opened it quickly, then poured, spilling the water everywhere. The glow was stronger now and he ducked back behind the well. His heart was racing but he couldn't allow himself to breath.
A young woman's giggle filled the air. "Are you hiding again, Isaac?"
Emery couldn't bring himself to peek, but when the light seemed to hover closer he started crawling around the other side of the well, hoping to remain out of eye shot. Instead, in the darkness, his knees tripped over something and it snapped. The glow was right over top of him then, and for the first time he saw a face of the spectre.
Her face was almost normal. Young and fresh, but the faint glow made her seem pale and sickly. Her eyes on the other hand were non-existent, just empty irises of consuming darkness. Her face wrinkled, breaking into a scowl and, though he did not think it possible, tears fell from those hollow eyes...red as blood. She was pointing at him, her face contorting into terror as she screamed. Her shriek was piercing and he didn't wait for her to move. He ran as fast as his feet would carry him away from the well, and back into the safety of the forest canopy. He never looked back.
