My story “Miatellan Bay” appeared in the Midnight Echo, the Australasian Horror Writers’ Magazine number 19, edited by Dan Rabarts. It was fun and interesting to write a little outside my usual genres, though back when I was firing off little flash fiction pieces (under 1000 words, and often much less) to all and sundry, I did get a whole lot of little stories published on the flash horror websites – Microhorror, Flashes In The Dark, The New Flesh, and numerous others. Many of those sites have vanished now, but I did collect some of the stories in little books like Zombie-Eyed Girl and Jacob’s Naked Aquarium.
I’ve popped one of my favorite flash stories from that era below. “Heading For Boise” originally appeared at MicroHorror, edited by Natalie Rosen.
Now that I’ve started the conversation, I want to mention that flash fiction is a whole different thing from what I write now. I would struggle to write a flash piece these days. Fifteen years of learning about fiction have, I think, given me a new and stronger toolbox, but robbed me of the patience for flash stories. Clearly lacking discipline.
Anyway, check out “Miatellan Bay” in the anthology – available from Amazon for $7.99 (Australian). There’s a host of great stories within.
Oh, and “Heading for Boise” is available as an ebook to download for free from the website. The ebook includes an afterword I wrote for it… which is longer than the story itself. I also have included an extract from “Miatellen Bay” in the download. Partly to give a taste of it, but also for my own peace of mind to see how my writing has changed (grown and improved, I hope).
And for the fun of it, I’ve made a cute little paperback version of the whole caboodle, available from Amazon for $4.99 U.S. / $8.99 Australian.
Heading for Boise
“So the boy driving the car didn’t survive?”
Rhonna flicked her eyes at Milton, then back at the shrink. “She didn’t even like him.”
“He was drunk,” Milton said.
The psychiatrist made notes. “And you’re moving here next week?”
“Mm-hm.”
“I can do Tuesdays with her, after school.”
Rhonna smiled.
* * *
Glass exploding. Branches. The tree shredding the car.
Analise sat up shaking, throwing the covers aside, looking at jumbled half-packed boxes littering her bedroom.
She went downstairs, poured herself juice from the refrigerator.
Back in her room, she looked down at the plane trees and parked cars amongst the shadows.
Analise lay back on the bed.
* * *
“Just an extra week,” Milton said on the breakfast stool. “They want me to finish things up at work.”
Rhonna nodded, sighed. “Maybe Analise and I could go ahead, get her settled in school.”
“I’ll talk to-” Milton broke off, seeing Analise in the doorway. “Honey?”
“I don’t want to move anyway,” she said, and fled back upstairs.
* * *
Lying on the road, staring at the stars, such a clear night. Silent. Almost. The car ticks as the engine cools. She gets up, light-headed, and starts walking.
Analise went to the window again. One day she would sleep properly. She opened the drapes and stared into the street.
She saw something moving slowly along the sidewalk like an injured dog, dragging itself along in the shadows.
“Honey?” her father said from the hallway.
“I’m okay,” she said. The dog had slipped into the dark.
“It’s past two am,” he said.
“Sure.”
“I know you don’t want to go, but it’s for the best.”
“I wanted us to go together.”
He came and hugged her. “Okay.”
* * *
Her Mom smiled at breakfast. “We’ll stay a bit longer then, Sunshine?”
“Sure, whatever.”
* * *
Sam lying beside the road, bloodied and broken. But she turns away and staggers through the woods.
Analise heard a sound outside. At the window, she saw the movement again, closer, almost at their front yard. Not a dog. More like a broken person, with one good arm.
She shivered as it moved.
The head shifted, looking up at her.
* * *
“Honey?” her father said, standing over her.
“Huh?” She was on the floor by the window.
“What happened?”
“I…” She stood, looking out, but the thing had gone.
“Sleepwalking?”
* * *
“Mom?”
“Analise?” Her Mom downed her coffee and rinsed the cup.
“I want to go now.”
“To school?”
“To Boise.”
“I thought you didn’t want to leave.”
“We need to go.”
Her Mom frowned. “I’ll talk to your father. Maybe at the weekend.”
Analise’s shoulder’s slumped.
* * *
Staggering away from the wreck. Walking and walking. Sitting by the river all night and all the next day until they found her. She hadn’t even wanted to get into the car.
As the sun went down, she stood at the window. If it came, she would scream, her Dad would come and it would fade into the shadows, wouldn’t it?
But when she saw it, the thing was dragging itself away. She watched until it was gone, then lay back on the bed.
* * *
“Mom,” Analise said as they headed for Iowa.
“Mm.”
“I was driving.”
“What’s that?”
“I’d been drinking too, but Sam was way drunk, so I drove.”
Her mother said nothing.
“That’s why I ran away. Not shock, drunk. I knew I’d be in trouble. By the time they found me I was sober.”
“Oh Honey.”
Analise was crying now. “I think he was haunting me, back in Chevalier.”
Her mother swallowed. “This is good. I’ll talk to Dr Walbern. You’re making progress.”
* * *
Sam laughing, tickling her, the car sliding. Glass exploding. Sam lying on the ground, both legs and one arm shattered and torn. His eyes on her for a moment, burning at her.
Analise sat up in her new bed and went to the window, realizing that the thing hadn’t been dragging itself away. It had been heading for Boise.
Full version available as an ebook or pdf from the website for free – includes the afterword, and a preview of “Miatellan Bay”.
Thanks for reading.
On his last day alive, Gus Caleb sits alone in a bar. Quiet place. No problems. Until problems show up.
Sean Monaghan - Writer 