Authors: Milo James Fowler
Alienated (6 page)
Sirens
wail, echoing off the buildings around me. She must have called the cops. His
girlfriend—a real hottie. I will enjoy getting to know her better.
I
reach down with the bat and poke him in the back. No response. No more bubbles.
Just blood, and lots of it. I did a real number on his face, I'm afraid. Nobody
will be able to recognize him now. Not even her.
The
cops arrive with the facilities manager, who unlocks the pool gate. Two
officers draw their weapons and tell me to drop the weapon. Of course I comply.
I don't want this to end badly.
It
was an act of self-defense, you see. He broke into my condo, and he ransacked
the place. I chased him out, cornered him here. Hit him a good one with my bat.
I played some ball in college, and I've always had a pretty good swing. Didn't
realize I'd hit him so hard. I apparently don't know my own strength.
Something
to look out for in the future.
Two
more officers arrive, and they turn the body over in the water. They wince and
let out a few choice words at the face—caved-in flesh and shattered bones, like
a melon with its insides all mashed up.
"Crime
of passion" is the term for it, I suppose. But I don't feel anything. I
just know that everything will be better now.
There
couldn't be two of us. The universe isn't meant to function that way.
Who
am I? Where did I come from? How did the first-person narrator change from him
to me—or from me to him back to me—or whatever it did? Yes, I'm sure you have a
lot of questions.
So
will the cops. I will answer the ones I can.
You
people have it so good here, and you don't even know it. In my world, no matter
how ready you are for the end of your days, it never comes. We're trapped in a
living hell over there. Immortal, yes. But doomed to live forever in a decaying
reality that's coming apart at its seams.
How
did I get here? What do I want? How is any of this possible? More questions
that will go unanswered, I'm afraid. Because it's not my job to answer your questions.
I
don't give a damn about your stupid questions.
I'm
just relieved the crossover worked. They said it wasn't possible back home. But
I'm living proof, right?
I'm
here, after all.
And
I'm never going to return. That I'm sure of. Nobody from this world would know
how to send me back. Nobody here even knows my world exists. Not yet, anyway.
Except
for you.
So
how about you keep this sordid little tale to yourself? Otherwise, I just might
have to invite your very own doppelgänger across to pay you a visit sometime.
What's
that? You won't tell anybody? Well, that's fine then.
You
take care now. But be sure to keep an eye on that rearview mirror of yours.
You
never know what you might find back there.
What readers are saying about
1
Dozen – Short Tales of the Strange and Spectacular
:
"A masterful collection of flash fiction for fans
of Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe."
"You will be haunted, but you will be
entertained."
"I was impressed with this collection, and was
particularly surprised to find myself at the end of the book, without having
encountered a single story I didn't like."
1 Dozen
collects 12 of Milo James Fowler's
flash-sized tales in the slipstream, horror, and science fiction genres:
A Creature Stirring
When Tomorrow Comes
Breathe
Scuttle
Soul Smuggler
Grandpa's Bluetooth
Just Leave
Stone in the Sky and Bread Below
For a Handful of Crowns
Suburban Legend
Captain Quasar and the "If Only" Elixir of Opsanus Tau Prime
Tomorrow's Dawn
1
Dozen – Short Tales of the Strange and Spectacular
Now available from Amazon.com
What readers are saying about
"The writing style, characterization, and most of
all, the twisty, off-kilter world in which these two stories are set bring back
nostalgic memories of pulp thrillers and Mystery Theatre Radio.
"If you're looking for some thoughtful stories
with a bit of humor and terror thrown in,
Out of Time
is the book for
you."
"This is an engaging collection of two short but
haunting time-twisting tales by an author who has a fertile imagination, a
captivating voice, and a subtle but devilish sense of humor."
Out of Time
collects two of Milo James Fowler's "un-timely" short stories. In the
first, "One More Tuesday," Josef finds himself trapped with only one
way out—and a life or death decision once he discovers how to free himself. In
"Leap Day," Joan experiences a time distortion in her own apartment,
and she must weave her knowledge of the past and future in order to survive the
present.
Now available from Amazon.com
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About the Author
Milo James Fowler
is an English teacher by day and a writer by night.
His work has appeared or is forthcoming in over 50 publications, including
Cosmos, Daily Science Fiction, Shimmer, and Macmillan's Criminal Element. He's
currently seeking good homes (publishers, that is) for six novels: a western comedy,
a future noir detective story, a YA thriller, two post-apocalyptic fantasies,
and a space opera parody.
Visit his
website
or
"like" his
Facebook
page
for breaking news on his journey through the Published
Land, and be sure to check out Milo's
Amazon
Author Page
for the latest available titles, such as:
Soul
Smuggler
(8,600 words)
Soul Smuggler
collects 4 para
noir
mal tales featuring Mercer
the phantasmal antihero:
"The Coyote" - In the future, Mercer's services are requested by a
powerful man seeking to keep his stepdaughter quiet about certain
indiscretions.
"Soul Smuggler" - An orphan boy seeks Mercer's help in reuniting with
his dead mother.
"The Second Option" - Father Thomas, assassin from the clandestine
Terra
Sacra
order, sets out to destroy Mercer once and for all. But Mercer has
other plans.
"Abomination of Desolation" - A boy with horrifying powers is at the
top of the Church's extermination list, replacing Mercer for the time
being. Father Thomas makes Mercer a deal he can't refuse if he helps rid
the earth of the young abomination.
"Identity
Thief"
(3,200 words)
How safe is your identity?
You shred your bank statements, refuse to buy anything online, avoid sharing
your social security number in public. You think you're so secure. But I've
been watching you. And I think your face will look amazing in my closet...
"Like
a Good Neighbor"
(5,000
words)
Based on a true story: I
grew up on Tanglewood Road in a rural suburb just outside of Springfield,
Massachusetts. We lived at the bottom of a cul-de-sac full of kids
close to my age, with snowball fights in the winters and mudball fights in the
summers, tearing down the hill on our Big Wheels and dealing as best as we
could with the neighborhood bully—the brother of my best friend, Bobby
Reilly. This is a story about Bobby, about our friendship, and about something
he did that I'll never forget, no matter how hard I try.
"Power
Chords"
(3,000 words)
An unassuming pawn shop is
the last place you'd expect to find an ancient tome able to open a portal to
the hereafter – all you need is a guitar. But will you play "Stairway to
Heaven" or "Hell's Bells"?
"El
Diablo de Paseo Grande – A Coyote Cal Weird Western"
(5,700 words)
Something's attacking the
livestock outside the little town of Paseo Grande, and our heroes are hot
on the monster's trail. But Coyote Cal, Big Yap, and Donna "the
Witch" Jamison may have bitten off more than they can chew this time, and
only one of them will be able to save the day—or die trying.