Gratitude: A Halloween Short Story

Oct 24, 2016 | 2016 Articles, Fantasy & Fangs, Mysteryrat's Maze, Terrific Tales

by Barry Ergang

Here is a fun very short flash fiction piece about a vampire written by mystery author Barry Ergang, perfect for Halloween. It was originally published in 2005 in an online anthology titled Ghosts Inside the Machine at the Mystery Island website

vampireExiled from his birth country for many years, the vampire spared one of the young women his servants captured—a woman from his homeland—and demanded she tell him of it. Nightly released from her cell, a terrified Scheherazade, employing dilatory embellishments she enchanted him with descriptions of cities, villages, and people that evoked his distant youth.

On the fifth night, her store of information and creativity exhausted, tremblingly she awaited her fate.

“You’ve given me great pleasure,” the vampire said. “I must show my gratitude.”

Hope flared in her breast. “Freedom?”

His gaze impaling her soul, he bent toward her with a wide grin. “Fangs for the memories.”

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & short stories (including more Halloween ones) in our mystery section and watch for many more Halloween short stories this month.

Derringer Award-winner Barry Ergang’s work has appeared in numerous publications, print and electronic. You can find some of it in e-book form at Smashwords and Amazon. Learn more on his website.

7 Comments

  1. Another good one from they Guru of Groaners. Enjoyed it, Barry.

    Reply
  2. Nice! The late Dr. Isaac Asimov, scientist and extremely prolific writer, said that he considered the pun the highest form of humor. I agree with the Good Doctor. 😉

    Reply
  3. My thanks to all of you; I’m glad you enjoyed it. You can find more groaners in my e-book PUN-ishing Tales: The Stuff That Groans Are Made On.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

podcast