Catalogue Raisonné of Le Lapin was first published in Run, Rabbit, Run: Dark Drabbles #15 by Black Hare Press in April 2023.
Catalogue Raisonné of Le Lapin
Few realised Le Lapin’s name was literal. Her paintings – a cacophony of colour created by hoping haphazardly on canvas – were tipped to become the toast of the art world.
Sales soon made her millions, which could only be spent via her conservator, sole conduit – or so he claimed – for conveying the artiste’s desires.
Crates of carrots seemed suitably on-brand, but the luxury cars, less so.
But this curious expenditure was quickly balanced by the sale of her latest masterpiece; although her conservator was oddly absent from the press conference.
A vellum canvas piece, eerily tactile, of the most unyielding red.
Sales soon made her millions, which could only be spent via her conservator, sole conduit – or so he claimed – for conveying the artiste’s desires.
Crates of carrots seemed suitably on-brand, but the luxury cars, less so.
But this curious expenditure was quickly balanced by the sale of her latest masterpiece; although her conservator was oddly absent from the press conference.
A vellum canvas piece, eerily tactile, of the most unyielding red.
Off Track was first published in Mythical Beings of Asia by Insignia Stories in September 2021.
Off Track
Sae-byuk was lost in thought when the train stopped. She had never known the Seoul subway to do so unannounced...
As she sat waiting for word from the driver, she caught sight of a man watching her from beneath a wide-brimmed hat.
He approached her measuredly, before offering his hand.
On impulse she took it, and her ears were assaulted with the sound of screams.
Sae-byuk had been gifted a final glimpse of the mortal plane: her body amidst a chaotic train crash.
The man was a Jeoseung Saja, sent to lead her soul away to whatever world came next...
As she sat waiting for word from the driver, she caught sight of a man watching her from beneath a wide-brimmed hat.
He approached her measuredly, before offering his hand.
On impulse she took it, and her ears were assaulted with the sound of screams.
Sae-byuk had been gifted a final glimpse of the mortal plane: her body amidst a chaotic train crash.
The man was a Jeoseung Saja, sent to lead her soul away to whatever world came next...
Earth Shattering was first published in Mythical Creatures of Asia by Insignia Stories in May 2021.
Earth Shattering
Batu knew well the rhythmic rumbling of the Gobi trucks, each ferrying collected copper back and forth from deep within the earth. It was a comfort – a certainty – like his mother’s heartbeat in the womb.
The mines of Mongolia were a second home to him, which is how he first sensed the unfamiliar, unsettling shake from somewhere else… far below ground.
The source would not remain a mystery for long. Olgoi-khorkho – the fabled death worm – had finally been reawakened.
Crashing up from underneath him, Batu saw the monster’s massive maw as it made him its first meal in a millennia...
The mines of Mongolia were a second home to him, which is how he first sensed the unfamiliar, unsettling shake from somewhere else… far below ground.
The source would not remain a mystery for long. Olgoi-khorkho – the fabled death worm – had finally been reawakened.
Crashing up from underneath him, Batu saw the monster’s massive maw as it made him its first meal in a millennia...
Bookworm was first published in Dark Magic by Eerie River Press in May 2021.
Bookworm
Retinal detachment. Medical emergency.
The moment Luciano’s mother heard these words she raced her boy to the hospital.
***
The first specialist was bemused. Luciano had described seeing a black curtain drawing across his vision – but his retina looked firmly attached.
Little Luciano revealed he had been reading just before it started. Well, trying to. The words failed to make sense to him, saying them out loud only formed garbled gibberish.
Failing vision? Dysphasia? A neurological disorder?
The truth was no medical department could cure an ancient incantation; nor diagnose the eldritch parasite that had already taken up residence within him...
The moment Luciano’s mother heard these words she raced her boy to the hospital.
***
The first specialist was bemused. Luciano had described seeing a black curtain drawing across his vision – but his retina looked firmly attached.
Little Luciano revealed he had been reading just before it started. Well, trying to. The words failed to make sense to him, saying them out loud only formed garbled gibberish.
Failing vision? Dysphasia? A neurological disorder?
The truth was no medical department could cure an ancient incantation; nor diagnose the eldritch parasite that had already taken up residence within him...
First Born was first published in Dark Magic by Eerie River Press in May 2021.
First Born
The bull’s heart hadn’t worked. Ariel had tried drenching it in unguents and oils, but clearly they weren’t enough.
It was the heart itself, it had to be – it must have been lacking some essential element that would bring her childhood doll to life.
Freshness? Not possible; the bull had been thriving in the field that morning.
Vitality? No. It had been difficult to take down alone; it resisted to its last breath.
Humanity.
A life for a life. The chance to cherish a child of her own – one born within the body of the doll she’d once so loved...
It was the heart itself, it had to be – it must have been lacking some essential element that would bring her childhood doll to life.
Freshness? Not possible; the bull had been thriving in the field that morning.
Vitality? No. It had been difficult to take down alone; it resisted to its last breath.
Humanity.
A life for a life. The chance to cherish a child of her own – one born within the body of the doll she’d once so loved...
Half-Life was first published in Beneath by Ghost Orchid Press in April 2021.
Half-Life
Max first felt something was wrong when the flowers lost their fragrance. Their aroma had accompanied him throughout the construction of his cabin, but now the whole forest seemed to lack its signature scent.
Soon after, bruises started spreading like ink blots across his body – staining his thinning skin a sickly shade of puce.
By the time the bleeding began... it was already too late.
Max could never have known the cause of his sickness had been radiating out from beneath his feet.
Undocumented nuclear waste.
It would be years before somebody finally found him.
But not nearly long enough...
Soon after, bruises started spreading like ink blots across his body – staining his thinning skin a sickly shade of puce.
By the time the bleeding began... it was already too late.
Max could never have known the cause of his sickness had been radiating out from beneath his feet.
Undocumented nuclear waste.
It would be years before somebody finally found him.
But not nearly long enough...
Unearthly Urge was first published in Southeast Asian Fantasy Drabbles by Insignia Stories in September 2020.
Unearthly Urge
I wasn’t thrilled when my aunt invited me to stay with her in Thazi for the summer, but how I felt didn’t matter. She’d been lonely ever since my uncle died, and my parents felt guilty for not attending the funeral – though apparently no one did.
That left me as the perfect candidate for cosy teas and long chats to make amends.
It only took one milk tea for things to turn sour.
“I had to cancel the whole thing,” she sobbed, “so your uncle couldn’t pass on!”
Something shuffled into the room.
“He’s starving, he needs fresher flesh now...”
That left me as the perfect candidate for cosy teas and long chats to make amends.
It only took one milk tea for things to turn sour.
“I had to cancel the whole thing,” she sobbed, “so your uncle couldn’t pass on!”
Something shuffled into the room.
“He’s starving, he needs fresher flesh now...”
Infestation was first published in Southeast Asian Fantasy Drabbles by Insignia Stories in September 2020.
Infestation
It started as a hum. That’s all it was at first. A brief vibration beneath the skin that would rise and fall throughout the day.
Angel thought nothing of it.
Next came the crawling sensation – then little lesions that ran the length of his body.
These were harder to ignore.
A local wise woman confirmed the worst: Angel had been cursed by a mambabarang – a sorcerer capable of inciting insects to burrow and breed beneath a person’s flesh.
Unless he could identify the spellcaster and make amends, he’d become a time bomb with a bellyful of bugs...destined to burst!
Angel thought nothing of it.
Next came the crawling sensation – then little lesions that ran the length of his body.
These were harder to ignore.
A local wise woman confirmed the worst: Angel had been cursed by a mambabarang – a sorcerer capable of inciting insects to burrow and breed beneath a person’s flesh.
Unless he could identify the spellcaster and make amends, he’d become a time bomb with a bellyful of bugs...destined to burst!
Unfeeling Dawn was first published in Ancients by Black Hare Press in August 2020.
Unfeeling Dawn
Watching from atop a mountain peak, Itztlacoliuhqui never sleeps.
Bringing the dawn with him each day, he resents the people of the Aztec Empire – able as they are to enjoy the sun he so unwillingly summons.
Somewhere deep within him, he remembers the warmth of that blazing orb, but his obsidian skin – unfeeling as it is – ensures it remains a distant memory…
One thought sustains him: stealing their lives away through famine.
Each year he has one shot at brushing away their bounty beneath a bitter blanket of snow. A chance to watch them waste away under the winter sun…
Bringing the dawn with him each day, he resents the people of the Aztec Empire – able as they are to enjoy the sun he so unwillingly summons.
Somewhere deep within him, he remembers the warmth of that blazing orb, but his obsidian skin – unfeeling as it is – ensures it remains a distant memory…
One thought sustains him: stealing their lives away through famine.
Each year he has one shot at brushing away their bounty beneath a bitter blanket of snow. A chance to watch them waste away under the winter sun…
Tying Up Loose Ends was first published in Ancients by Black Hare Press in August 2020.
Tying Up Loose Ends
Clotho ceased her labour, raising up her hands to see how skeletal they had become. “I can take no more of this, Sisters. There is simply too much to weave…”
“Too many lives,” murmured Lachesis, nodding in agreement. “Perhaps it is time to end this project?”
“An apocalypse…?” Atropos’ eyes widened in wonder. “Yes, yes, they’ve brought it on themselves.”
Lachesis gathered up the countless threads from around the room, as her two sisters watched on in silence.
“Sever them, Sister,” whispered Lachesis, holding the great bundle of thread aloft. “End human life on Earth.”
Atropos raised her shears. “Gladly.”
“Too many lives,” murmured Lachesis, nodding in agreement. “Perhaps it is time to end this project?”
“An apocalypse…?” Atropos’ eyes widened in wonder. “Yes, yes, they’ve brought it on themselves.”
Lachesis gathered up the countless threads from around the room, as her two sisters watched on in silence.
“Sever them, Sister,” whispered Lachesis, holding the great bundle of thread aloft. “End human life on Earth.”
Atropos raised her shears. “Gladly.”
Neptune's Bounty was first published in Oceans by Black Hare Press in April 2020.
Neptune's Bounty
It all started with a single shark washed up on the shore. Dead, bloated, a thick film of foam around its mouth. It was only a minor nuisance at first, quickly taken back out to sea by some local fishermen.
Then the rest arrived.
Whole schools of fish, dolphins, whales. Each new fish festering under the unforgiving sun. Within days the town was being choked out by the miasma; but the sea’s bounty kept surging relentlessly.
Unable to afford to leave, most folks left it too late... Failing to stem the tide, the gangrenous grave would soon swallow every soul...
Then the rest arrived.
Whole schools of fish, dolphins, whales. Each new fish festering under the unforgiving sun. Within days the town was being choked out by the miasma; but the sea’s bounty kept surging relentlessly.
Unable to afford to leave, most folks left it too late... Failing to stem the tide, the gangrenous grave would soon swallow every soul...
Baby Doll was first published in Forgotten Ones by Eerie River Publishing in March 2020.
Baby Doll
Ayaka kneeled on her tatami mat as she chanted away, cutting each paper doll down to size as her calls for protection grew more frantic.
These little katashiro would soon form her only defence. Each would have to be ready to receive part of the curse she knew would be incoming imminently, so she needed to work faster.
Ayaka had never meant to hurt her baby. The curse wouldn’t care; it would come for her regardless.
Her tears only making the spell more indistinct, deep down Ayaka knew that hanging even a hundred around her home couldn’t save her now...
These little katashiro would soon form her only defence. Each would have to be ready to receive part of the curse she knew would be incoming imminently, so she needed to work faster.
Ayaka had never meant to hurt her baby. The curse wouldn’t care; it would come for her regardless.
Her tears only making the spell more indistinct, deep down Ayaka knew that hanging even a hundred around her home couldn’t save her now...
