Oceans

by D Kershaw

  Water Damage

  by Jasmine Jarvis

  The water trickles in at first through the gaps in my bedroom door and window. Slowly it builds in intensity, the bedroom door bowing under the strain of sea water pushing against it. I close my eyes and tell myself this is just a dream, but still the water continues to rise. I thrash and struggle to no avail, and soon I am pinned to my bed under the weight of the ocean. My bedroom door gives way to monstrous tentacles unfurling. Searching for food. It finds me. Its tentacles squeeze me tight, snatching me up to be devoured alive.

  JASMINE JARVIS is a teller of tales and scribbler of scribbles. She lives in Brisbane, Australia with her husband Michael, their two children, Tilly and Mish; Ripley, their German Shepherd, and indoor fat cat, Dwight K. Shrute.

  Men and the Sea

  by E.L. Giles

  Thirsty for conquest and glory, they braved the wildest waters. For wealth and supremacy, they crossed the seas, seeking to appease their basest instincts of violence and their desire for dominion.

  Aboard their machines of destruction, they decimated, mile by mile, the fragile harmony that reigned over the unfathomable depths of the world below. Wherever their ships went, a hecatomb followed in their wakes.

  They contemplated the blood oozing from the harpoon wounds and running over the murky water, satisfied. Their eyes followed, as they departed, the spectacle of the floating carcasses that starving seabirds and opportunist sharks alike refused.

  E.L. GILES is a dreamer, passionate about art, a restless worker and a bit of a weird human. He started his artistic journey as a music composer until the need to put his thoughts and stories down on paper grew too strong for him to resist it any longer. He lives in the French Province of Quebec, Canada, with his girlfriend and two boys.

  Facebook: elgilesauthor

  Website: www.elgilesauthor.com

  Lay Down to Perish

  by Crystal L. Kirkham

  Monstrous waves threw us upon the ice.

  Stuck. Helpless. Waiting for rescue.

  Torrential rains and heavy fog.

  We held tightly to a tenuous string of hope.

  Days passed. We waited. The water slowly filled the boat.

  Shivering, starving.

  We knew that we would not return.

  Our wives might never know the fate of those for whom they wait.

  As they stand with candles upon the shore.

  So we wrote our names upon a gaff.

  Our hands shook from the cold.

  Our last goodbye barely legible.

  Unwillingly, we lay down to perish.

  As the cold and the sea took us away.

  CRYSTAL L. KIRKHAM is a multi-genre speculative fiction author. She has published novels across several genres including her fantasy adventure Feathers and Fae (October 2019 from Kyanite Publishing) and her self-published urban fantasy series, Saints & Sinners. She is also a contributing author to multiple best-selling anthologies. Hailing from the wilds of Canada, she is an avid outdoors person, unrepentant coffee addict, part-time foodie, servant to a wonderful feline, and companion to three delightfully hilarious canines - Treble and Freddie the Standard Poodles, and Nahni the Australian Shepherd.

  Website: www.crystallkirkham.com

  The Statue of Atlantis

  by D.J. Elton

  After the typhoon unleashed its fury on several thousand small islands, a colossal statue poked up through the angry seas. Not seen until now, the ancient art lay hidden in Atlantis for centuries. And who has seen Atlantis anyway?

  Island people sang, played music, and brought offerings to this giant rock woman, now facing calmly across their bays. Her arms broken, breasts chipped and cracked, belly half missing, yet a face intact.

  Eyes of clean crystal, a curved smile, a shattered nose.

  Some called her a witch. Others, insightfully, called her a goddess, and blessed the ocean for sending her.

  D.J. ELTON is a writer living in Melbourne’s west. As a child she came from England to Australia, on the last boat down the Suez Canal, where she underwent a sacrificial dunking ritual in the court of King Neptune, and has never looked back. She likes creating speculative micro fiction and short stories, as well as random essays. Her work has been published in several anthologies, and she has written a historical fantasy novella, ‘The Merlin Girl.’ When not playing with a pen, she likes most of all to go to the green country.

  The Breathing Hole

  by V.A. Vazquez

  The restaurant was serving seal-meat dishes.

  She didn’t care about the protesters; her family had hunted here for generations. And they needed the money.

  She sat on a milk crate, spear in-hand. The wind whistled past her icebox-ears, as she tugged the drawstring on her hood. She heard a sound under the ice, a scritch-scritch-scritch that didn’t sound like a seal. She knelt down on the pack ice, squinting into the bottomless black water of the breathing hole.

  She heard it again: Scritch-scritch-scritch.

  Finally, she lifted the milk crate.

  Fingernails, so long they twisted like twigs, scratched against the ice.

  V.A. VAZQUEZ writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She currently lives in Glasgow, Scotland with her husband and small doggo.

  Website: www.vavazquez.com

  The Watching Waves

  by S.N. Graves

  My fiancé was gone when I woke on the beach. His towel remained, gold watch tossed haphazardly in its folds, the late hour a sallow, digital pulse on its face. I thought perhaps he’d gone for another dip in the water. But he’d chosen this spot for seclusion; the lights from the nearest pier—nearest anything—were a mile down the shore. No one would swim in the ocean in total darkness. That’s what made the hordes of shining green eyes staring back at me—like punched holes in the black screen of roaring waves and starless sky—so unsettling.

  S.N. GRAVES was born in the South and can’t see calling anyplace without a Waffle House home. She earned her M.F.A. in Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2014 and was a senior editor at Loose Id LLC. She is twenty-three years happily married to the self-proclaimed victim of Stockholm syndrome, Brian David Graves, and enjoys duct taping her two adult sons to a chair and forcing them to read all the ugly first drafts of her books. Graves also freelance edits and creates art, including book covers.

  Website: www.sngraves.com

  Facebook: Shannon.N.Graves

  The Ocean

  by Musaab Sultan

  I loved the ocean; the sparkling waves, the cool winds and the smell of saltwater and sand. The ocean brought peace to my mind, gave me new life and something to look forward to. Those waters were my haven and my heart. They were my source of joy and solace.

  That is until the first body washed ashore, then the second, and before I knew what was happening, my symbol of peace and joy—the place that gave me life—then became the stuff that nightmares were made of. I once loved the ocean, now it was my greatest dread.

  MUSAAB SULTAN is a 22 year old university student and aspiring writer from Karachi Pakistan who spends his time buried in fictional universes, books and animes when not battling to keep his grades afloat.

  That Sinking Feeling

  by Henry Snider

  “Sinking,” Terrance gasped. “We’re really fucking sinking.”

  He smacked the cracked remote for what felt like the fiftieth time.

  A muffled boom reverberated through the cruise ship, and without warning, it listed starboard. The growl of water rushing away from steerage was music to his ears.

  He threw the door open and slid across the hall’s drenched floor.

  Lights dimmed to a muddy glow.

  “No,” was the only word he managed.

  The remote fell to the floor. Terrance stared at the sticker on its back as a wall of water rushed to meet him.

  TIME TRAVEL TOURS: RIDE THE TITANIC!

  FOR OVER TWO DECADES, Henry Snider has dedicated h
is time to helping others tighten their writing through critique groups, classes, lectures, prison prose programs, and high school fiction contests. He co-founded Fiction Foundry (fictionfoundry.org est. 2012) and the award-winning Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group (1996-2013). While still reserving enough time to pursue his own fiction aspirations, he continues to be active in the writing community through classes, media work, editing services, and advice. Henry lives in Colorado with his wife, fellow author and editor Hollie Snider, and numerous neurotic animals, including, of course, Fizzgig, the token black cat.

  Website: fictionfoundry.org/members/henry-snider

  Unlikely Compassion

  by Eddie D. Moore

  Sailors scattered as the Kraken wrapped large tentacles around the ship. Several men jabbed fruitlessly at the monster with spears while others tried to load passengers onto life rafts. The ship threatened to roll as boards creaked and cracked under the weight of the beast.

  Ada braced herself against the cabin door frame with her right arm as she stepped onto the deck. She held her newborn daughter against her breast with her left. A giant eye broke the surface of the water and stared at her for several long seconds before releasing the ship and vanishing into the depths.

  EDDIE D. MOORE travels hundreds of hours a year, and he fills that time by listening to audiobooks. When he isn’t playing with his grandchildren, he writes his own stories. You can find a list of his publications on his blog or by visiting his Amazon Author Page. While you’re there, be sure to pick up a copy of his mini-anthology Misfits & Oddities.

  Website: eddiedmoore.wordpress.com

  Amazon: amazon.com/author/eddiedmoore

  Sea of Revenge

  by Harry J. Canis

  Within the dark forest, my body sways with the kelp stems, which endlessly reach for the light above. The creatures get little nourishment from my decomposed corpse, as my tormented spirit awaits release. Revenge will come, so I wait.

  People swim from the pier above, their bodies just out of reach. I wait for the day my husband forgets his betrayal and plays here with his prefect replacement family. On that day of our reunion, I will grasp for him, hold him in an eternal cold embrace until his life dwindles and the eels have new organs to feed upon.

  HARRY J. CANIS is a writer based in the beautiful English Lake District. You can often find him running or hiking within the area and being immersed in nature. His genre is Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Horror, with strong environmental and natural survival themes. Within his writing, he tries to bring an understanding that our planet is precious and needs our care and respect.

  Website: harryjcanis.com

  Melisande

  by Cecelia Hopkins-Drewer

  Melisande licked the salt off her lips and glanced around. Yellow sand, blue sky, darker water. She had always loved the beach.

  The only thing that spoiled her pleasure was the occasional stinger broken from a jellyfish, forcing Melisande to monitor her footsteps carefully.

  What large fragments had been washed up today...if the tentacles are that long, how immense might the actual creature be?

  A bulbous head rose from the water, its amorphous, bluish form disguised by the waves. The monster floated lazily in the ocean, waiting for the girl to bathe. Even partially immersed, its deadly reach was impressive.

  CECELIA HOPKINS-DREWER lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has written a Masters paper on H.P. Lovecraft, and her weird poetry has been published in THE MENTOR (edited by Ron Clarke), and SPECTRAL REALMS (edited by S.T. Joshi). Her novels include a teenage vampire series commencing with MYSTIC EVERMORE. Short stories have been published in WORLDS, ANGELS & MONSTERS, BEYOND, STORMING AREA 51, and UNRAVEL. (Dark Drabbles anthologies edited by Dean Kershaw).

  Amazon: amazon.com/Cecelia-Hopkins-Drewer/e/B071G968NM

  Website: chopkin39.wixsite.com/website

  The Rescue

  by Maxine Churchman

  “Closer,” Brian shouted above the wind’s roar.

  He hefted the rope in his wet hands. On the third attempt, the loop snagged a jagged edge and held. Carefully, he used the rope to reach the rock and haul himself up.

  As he approached, he saw the figure was a naked girl with long hair; her skin seemed impossibly blue. He touched her icy shoulder and she spun round, her face splitting wide, exposing rows of needle-sharp teeth. Brian’s scream was cut short as she ripped out his throat before diving into the water with a flash of her iridescent tail.

  MAXINE CHURCHMAN lives in Essex UK and has recently started writing poetry and short stories to share. Her interests include learning to improve her writing, reading, knitting, walking and teaching yoga. She is also planning a novel.

  Beach Trip

  by V. Mylynne Smith

  My daughter and I lived in beautiful, sunny California. We made frequent trips to the beach where she built sandcastles, squealing with joy when the tide came in and nipped her feet. I’d never loved anything quite as much as I adored her.

  My late husband liked to hit us, and I finally got sick of it. We made another trip to the beach and dropped him off in the water. The cement block tied to his feet sent him hurtling into the depths.

  “Bye-bye,” I said, waving as he sank. “Let’s see how long he can hold his breath.”

  V. MYLYNNE SMITH primarily writes thrillers, but sometimes dips a toe into horror. Her love of psychology helps her craft malicious characters with the worst intentions. She aims to create twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the end. Smith is an Oklahoman that moved to Northwest Arkansas after meeting her husband. The pair live together in a cozy house with two pets: a pitbull named Renegade and a feisty cat named Bandit. When Smith isn’t stringing words together, you can find her in front of a mirror with make-up in hand or baking something delicious and fattening.

  Floating

  by Regina Kenney

  “A mermaid!” I squealed, scooting closer to the edge of our dinghy.

  Another boy mermaid. I thought mermaids were always girls, but father explained more boy mermaids come to the top to help carry sailors to shore. That’s why they’re always near broken ships.

  There were loads of mermaids when we left the big boat.

  “Why do they float with their heads facing down?” I asked.

  My father frowned. “Because they can’t breathe air, so they have to keep their heads in the water.”

  I said that I wanted to be a mermaid someday and my father started to cry.

  ORIGINALLY FROM MINNESOTA, Regina Kenney brought her irrational fears to the empty alleys of Chicago, the foggy streets of London and to the dank and dark pubs in her new home, Dublin. Her first horror story was published in the 2019 Hamthology collection and her stories have been accepted to nine more horror anthologies to be published in 2020.

  PSI

  by Drew Starling

  How am I on air? Let’s check the regulator.

  300 psi. Wait. 300 psi?? Should be over 1000! Uh oh. How far down is this dive? Twenty meters? Oh shit.

  Oh SHIT. 250. MY TANK IS BROKEN. Oh God. Okay, gotta surface. Now.

  GAHHH! My lung! Oh fuck! It. Ah. It must have collapsed. Oh God. The pain. I can’t breathe. I’m not. I can’t. I have to surface. The boat.

  Made it up. Okay. But this PAIN. Every inhale like a knife.

  The boat. It’s. FUCK. It’s so far. And the pain. GULP. Breathing water. Pain. I’m sinking.

  I—

  DREW STARLING is an author of horror and dark fiction. His short stories have been published in over a dozen anthologies and his collaborative novel “Storming Area 51: Horror at the Gate” spent time ranked as Amazon’s #1 Sci-Fi Anthology. His only rule of writing is the dog never dies.

  Website: www.drewstarling.com

  Twitter: @ScaryStarling

  Rising Up

  by Mikko Rauhala

  I open the hatch and launch upward, an oxygen tank in one hand and the black box in another. The sound of crushing metal reverb
erates in my ears. Screw the bends. I inflate my vest to speed me along.

  After an eternity of kicking upward, I burst through the surface. The black box glows a green light. Signal detected, distress call made, transmitting data. My body aches all over. Nitrogen bubbles in my veins.

  At least the data’s out. At least they’ll know.

  Something wraps around my ankle and pulls me under. I inhale the water to make it quick.

  MIKKO RAUHALA is a Finnish author of speculative fiction with a national Atorox award nomination under his belt. Informed by his master’s degree in intelligent systems, Rauhala is most at home in hard science fiction settings, though he’s not exclusive and likes to cross genres. Rauhala has dabbled in editing flash fiction for The Self-Inflicted Relative anthology, and some of his English science fiction can be found in the Infinite Metropolis short story and audio drama collection, co-authored with Edmund Schluessel.