Short Fiction

Ingrid has been dead five years; she returns from the other side of life to meet with her husband, Mick. He doesn't know why she has come. Yet.

This could be the most amazing invention in mankind's history...and a glimpse of mankind's future...Part One of Two.

Ah, Vienna, city of ancient beauties! But what may feast the eye may still endanger the soul...

All the people you see are like closed doors. You don't know what's behind them...

Ricky is surviving on an inadequate paycheck. But his current problems seem to focus upon a mother who lives in la-la-land and a sister who wants to control his life.

At first it seemed like it was only pizza zombies in the little town, but now Lindy has seen the marching undead on other streets as well. From horror to fear to now annoyed, Lindy makes a leap to regain control of her life...

Bailey left home when she went to college, returning only for short visits. She believes Uncle Max's funeral will be another stop in dysfunctional land. But Max's one-track has led in directions Bailey has never fathomed...

They're everywhere she looks, zombies gobbling and munching. What? Meatlovers' pizza? Lindy is almost as grossed out as she is scared! Part Two of Three.

Nice clothes, new cell phone, company car -- now that's a good start to a business trip. But the way Lindy's day is going, you know it has to be Monday. Part One of Three.

There! By the pilings, the water moves in that certain way -- that's where you cast your line...

Conclusion. What can have happened to Charles, who is arguably the most handsome, intelligent, and sensitive of cats?

Charles has run away. Is it because of what was read to him? Part Two of Three.

Jess has only three additional family members; only one of them speaks to her. A connection with her daughter seems as likely as bringing Jess's husband Stan back from the dead. But something even more unexpected than a sudden ice storm is about to happen...

How much do our animals understand from us? Do they merely act on instinct, or are they listening to what we actually say? Part One of Three.

Do you ever stop and think about what it was like back then, when the future was still an unknown iceberg in the Ocean of Life?

Can you say ... "Automatic?"

Peace, joy, hope, happiness. All these are found in love...so how can we leave what we loved behind?

And this world, and all things in it...?

Dominy Clements studied composition and flute at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1983 to 1987. After graduating he came to The Netherlands in 1987 to study composition with Louis Andriessen at the Royal Conservatoire, also studying with Gilius van Bergeijk and Frederic Rzewski.

Luther wasn't exactly human, but he is dead. He leaves behind a token that contains a power beyond anything even he could have expected.

Is your writing a reflection of your soul? Or is it a biography of your life? Or a road map of your journey...?

Too many of the words we say are simply noises we've learned to make. We say they have meaning, but do we actually know what that is?

Caroline Taylor writes short stories, novels, and nonfiction. She's clueless about the purpose of social media, but she can imagine where it might be heading.

Welcome to October 2015, and BIZARRE Month in the Piker Press! Keep an eye on your computer, strange things can happen there...

Can you say that you've lost everything when you didn't understand what it was you had?

Searching for novelty, searching for beauty, searching for excitement...why is it such a an biological imperative when so often it leads to destruction?

Haunted house? Hah. Sigfried and Roy could have done a better job than the sideshow at the Brinkman House. Still, debunking superstitious nonsense like paranormal phenomena is what scientists do. Nice that there are people willing to dedicate their lives to science.

Cora has no place to go. An answer finds her, but it isn't what she would expect...

Honesty is the best policy, the old saying goes. But the best -- for who?

Time and space are finite. But love, and spirit are not...