He closed his eyes and waited.
He did not wait long.
Slowly, the tethers holding him to this world came undone, the detachments peeling screams loose from him until his voice ran hoarse and teeth found his throat and his mouth and tongue, and obliteration followed.
In his final moments, as the darkness descended, he saw Lucille. She was young and pristine, her blond hair full and ringing her perfect, beautiful, unlined face. Everett was young again, too, and when she opened her arms to him, he fell into her embrace. Her smile was golden, and her kiss even better.
She held him tightly and never let go.
A Note To Readers
Thank you for choosing to read my work – it’s greatly appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed the journey!
If you would like to know about my future releases, and even get free advanced reader copies before these books hit the shelves, you can sign up for my newsletter at http://bit.ly/1H8slIg.
Acknowledgements
Let Go was a fun story to write, and hopefully an enjoyable read for you. I owe a debt of gratitude to a few people that helped make this work what it is. If you liked it, you can share them in your thanks. If you didn’t, then the fault rests entirely with me.
Many thanks to my editor, Angela McRae, and proofreader, Irene Steiger, at Red Adept Editing. And thanks to Lynn McNamee for hiring these souls brave enough to edit neurotic indie writers such as myself and to coordinate our small team’s efforts.
Thanks, also, to my beta readers David Spell and Tommy Muncie. Their insights and feedback were invaluable and both went far and above the call of duty. At the risk of this going to David’s head, the man is a rock star. Tommy, a star in his own right to be certain, is a Twitter friend and a fellow author, and he was able to give me plenty of useful suggestions and meaningful criticisms.
Finally, Adam Hall from Around The Pages is the man responsible for the terrific cover art. We had a brief exchange on the story elements and, right from the start, he hit on a design that exceeded expectations. But having worked with Adam before, I fully expected that. Great work, Adam!
Between all of these dedicated folks, Let Go grew into a much stronger work than it initially was, and it came a very long way in a short amount of time.
And thank you, too, for reading this story and giving me a brief chunk of your time. Time is a precious commodity, and I appreciate you spending it with me.
About the Author
Michael Patrick Hicks is the author of the science fiction novels Convergence, an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2013 Quarter-Finalist, and Emergence. His work has appeared in several anthologies, and he has written for the websites Graphic Novel Reporter and Audiobook Reviewer. In between compulsively buying books and adding titles that he does not have time for to his Netflix queue, he is hard at work on his next story.
To stay up to date on his latest releases, join his newsletter, memFeed: http://bit.ly/1H8slIg
Website: http://www.michaelpatrickhicks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authormichaelpatrickhicks
Twitter: @MikeH5856
Books by Michael Patrick Hicks
DRMR Novels
Convergence (Book One)
Emergence (Book Two)
Anthologies and Short Stories
No Way Home (Stories From Which There Is No Escape)
Crime & Punishment
The Cyborg Chronicles
Consumption
Revolver
Let Go
Praise for Revolver
Top Short Story of 2015, The Leighgendarium
“Revolver by Michael Patrick Hicks, however, takes the ‘shocking’ gold medal. A classic example of social science fiction … most gripping.” - David Wailing, author of Auto
"[A] truly gut twisting, heart wrenching, sphincter squeezing tale of loss and abandonment that stuck with me long after the last page." - Anthony Vicino, author of Time Heist
“This story, you should print out and give to your friends and family. You should read it aloud at book club meetings and you should dissect with strangers at the bus stop. This story is freaking amazing.” - Stephanie Lehenbauer, Novel Commentary Review of No Way Home
Praise for Convergence
An Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2013 Quarter-Finalist
“From the opening page of Convergence I was hooked. The dystopian world building is well done and the descriptions are vivid. The technology is imaginary and different...great characters and plenty of suspense/action.” - Nicholas Sansbury Smith, author of Extinction Horizon and the Orbs series
“Convergence is fast-paced, full of action and a thrilling ride from start to finish. There is violence, depth of feeling, explosions, car chases and tenderness. The book has everything and is perfect for those who like their SciFi gritty, edgy and realistic.” – J.S. Collyer, author of Zero
“[A] smart splice of espionage and science fiction. ... frighteningly realistic. Well-drawn characters, excellent pacing, and constant surprises make this a great cautionary tale about technology and its abuses.” - Publisher's Weekly
“A cyberpunk thrillride through a future America under Chinese rule. The conflict between the humanity of the main character, Jonah, and the things he has had to do to survive in this harsh new world makes ‘Convergence’ an absolute pleasure to read.” – SciFi365.net
Praise for Consumption
"Consumption is one of the most horrifically intriguing novellas that I've read for quite some time....a quite different tale of horror that resonates feelings of dread and shock, very well written, some great ideas and some darkness around the invention of various culinary delights." - Paul Nelson, SCREAM Magazine
“Your stomach will turn, your throat will restrict, and jaw will clench tighter than a bull’s arsehole in fly season.” - S. Elliot Brandis, author of Irradiated and Once Upon A Time At The End Of The World
“…wonderfully macabre! Cleverly thought out, I was both disgusted and excited by this tale. This a MUST read for horror fans.” - Great Book Escapes
“Hicks takes the reader to some twisted, nightmarish places and if you’re a horror fan with a strong constitution, add Consumption to your reading list – you won’t regret it.” - Teri Polen, Books & Such
“Consumption is wonderfully paced and a real treat for horror fans. … I read it with the lights off and my Kindle screen turned up, and it was a totally immersive and satisfying experience.” - Franklin Kendrick, author of The Entity series.
About Consumption
You Are
Reclusive chef Heinrich Schauer has invited six guests to a blind twelve-course tasting menu.
What You Eat
While snow blankets the isolated Swiss valley surrounding his estate, the guests feast eagerly, challenging one another to guess at the secret tastes plated before them.
This Meat Is Murder
As they eat, each guest is overtaken by carnal appetites, unaware of their host’s savage plans...or of the creature lurking below.
One thing is clear: There is more on the menu than any of them have bargained for.
Consumption is a 12,000 word (approx.) short story. It contains graphic depictions of sex and violence, and is intended for mature audiences.
Heinrich Schauer drew the blade across the smooth, silky flesh, his face set with concentration. His eyes were narrowed in focus as the knife’s tip found thick bone, slicing down at an angle and then across, separating the soft tissue. His fingers pressed into the fatty outer layer, holding the meat still, as his blade sliced with surety and carved free a long strip of meat.
Marveling at the ugly creature lying prone before him, Schauer promised that not a bit of it would go to waste. He had a generous menu planned, the courses incomparable to anything he had ever created.
Setting the meat aside, he turned his attention to the network of tentacles along the beast’s flanks. They, too, were smooth, unlike those of, say, an octopus. While it la
cked suckers, the heavy musculature was striated into narrow but pronounced gills. Moving away from the base, the flesh tapered to a jagged point, the thick tentacles ending in a jagged, vicious array of stingers.
Again, the knife bit in, piercing the hide and releasing a milky fluid as he separated the stingers from each long appendage. When he was finished, twelve evenly cut stingers stood atop the counter, their gray skin glistening beneath the white lights. While he doubted their digestibility, the stingers would make for a rather dramatic element in the main course’s plating.
He took stock of the rest of the monstrosity, formulating plans for each of the evening’s dishes, giving new weight to his previously fluid ideas.
The creature was fatty, but well-muscled. Its meat would be nicely marbled, and the back fat would be excellent for pan-frying. Tentacles lent themselves to numerous methods of preparation, and he immediately found himself mentally flicking through dozens of recipes: battered and fried, stewed with saffron and smoked paprika, or perhaps a preparation more classically Asian, with coconut milk and ginger, or stir-fried with scallions and ginger. He smiled as he struck upon the ideal recipe, one that he had always found to be charming with squid. The recipe would work rather nicely, and even provide a bit of levity as the meal got underway.
Yes, that was it, then. Hors d’oeuvres of deviled…devil? He smiled tightly at the small bit of humor as he wiped his hands clean on a dishtowel.
He prepared the broiler and oven, his ingredients neatly arranged, ready to begin.
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