Category / Stories

by Warren Benedetto

“The Salt Circle” published in Howl: A Shapeshifting Anthology

My weird fiction story The Salt Circle has been published in Howl: A Shapeshifting Anthology by Graveside Press.

It’s not your typical werewolf story. In fact, it’s not a werewolf story at all. Instead of turning into a wolf when the moon is full, the main character turns into a slug when he has an early morning meeting.

Were-slug?

Yes. Were-slug.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” Linda said, wiping at her nose with a soggy, crumpled tissue. “I’m worried about you.”

I extended my eye stalks toward her, giving her what I hoped was a look of indignation. I couldn’t believe she was trying to spin it like it was my fault. “If you didn’t want me to get hurt, maybe you shouldn’t have been so quick to deploy the chemical weapons.”

She waved her tissue with a dismissive gesture. “It’s just a little salt.”

by Warren Benedetto

“Something’s Wrong With Mom” published by 7th Circle Pyrite

My short horror story Something’s Wrong With Mom has been published in Issue 8 of 7th Circle Pyrite. It’s the story of two brothers who wake up in the middle of the night to discover that their mother is on the ceiling. Again.

Content warning: suicide (implied)

“Jimmy!” Grant whispered. He grabbed his sleeping brother’s shoulder and shook him. “Jimmy, wake up!”

Jimmy groaned. He opened one eye and looked at the Darth Vader clock next to his bed. It was 3:05 AM. He rolled over and pulled his Star Wars blanket up over his head. “Go away,” he mumbled.

Grant yanked the blanket away from Jimmy’s face and shook him again, with both hands this time.

Jimmy planted a hand on Grant’s chest and pushed him away. “Stop, I said!”

“You have to get up!”

“Why?”

“Something’s wrong with Mom.”

by Warren Benedetto

“A Piece of the Sky” published in the Wreckollections anthology

My sci-fi horror story A Piece of the Sky has been published in Wreckollections: Restrained Cries of the Past by Wicked Shadow Press. It is told through the testimony of the surviving member of a two-person asteroid mining crew that picked up an unfortunate souvenir during their expedition.

Content warning: gore

With all due respect, sir, you don’t know what you’re talking about. There was no way Bakely could’ve known what the thing was when he picked it up. It looked like a rock. Hell, it was a rock, just a hunk of the asteroid’s crust that he grabbed as a souvenir for his kid. There’s no way he could’ve known it was a nest.

by Warren Benedetto

“It’s What’s Inside That Counts” published by Space Squid

My surreal weird fiction story It’s What’s Inside That Counts has been published by Space Squid. It’s about a young girl who realizes for the first time that there’s a ticking clock inside of every living thing.

Content warning: terminal illness of a child

We gathered around the large table at the front of Mrs. Collins’ science lab, each of us outfitted in plastic smocks, rubber gloves, medical masks, and oversized goggles. We looked like the world’s youngest, most incompetent surgical team.

On the table was a dead pig in a stainless steel tray. I expected the pig to be pink like the ones in the movies, but it wasn’t. Its flesh was a sickly gray color, with a rubbery consistency that reminded me of a popped birthday balloon.

Mrs. Collins held up a scalpel. “Are we ready?” The other students nodded.

by Warren Benedetto

“Things Are Looking Up” published in Call Me When You’re Dead

My short horror story Things Are Looking Up has been published in Call Me When You’re Dead. After a man and his wife are in a fatal car accident, the man decides he will do anything to see his wife one more time. Even if he has to dig.

I’ve been in a dark place since the accident.

I know I need to let her go, to accept that I’m never going to see her again, but I can’t. I can’t rest. I can’t lie still. I can’t move on. All I can do is think about her. My wife. My love.

My Lisa.

by Warren Benedetto

“Dragonsbreath” published in Spectacular Spectacular

My urban fantasy story Dragonsbreath has been published in Spectacular, Spectacular!: An Anthology of Circensian Horror by The Dionysian Public Library. It’s the story of a teen forced to wear a fireproof mask to protect himself and others from a power he can’t control.

Content warning: mild gore

The woman’s head lurched forward as her SUV slowed to a jarring stop, its bumper only inches from the police car parked sideways across her lane. Half a dozen emergency vehicles crowded the street ahead of her. There were police cars. Fire trucks. An ambulance.

The woman watched with mounting horror as a pair of paramedics lifted a gurney out of the ambulance and began wheeling it up the driveway of a nearby house.

Her house.

by Warren Benedetto

Listen to “Matches” on the Lunatics Radio Hour podcast

The audio production of winter horror story Matches—a dark(er) retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Match Girl—is now available to listen to on the Lunatics Radio Hour podcast.

It’s the first story, starting about one minute into the show.

by Warren Benedetto

“Things Are Looking Up” published by Exquisite Death

My short horror story Things Are Looking Up has been published by Exquisite Death. After a man and his wife are in a fatal car accident, the man decides he will do anything to see his wife one more time. Even if he has to dig.

I’ve been in a dark place since the accident.

I know I need to let her go, to accept that I’m never going to see her again, but I can’t. I can’t rest. I can’t lie still. I can’t move on. All I can do is think about her. My wife. My love.

My Lisa.

by Warren Benedetto

“Dawn Patrol” published by Written Tales Magazine

My short (non-horror) story Dawn Patrol has been published by Written Tales Magazine. It’s about the sun setting on an old relationship that has run its course.

Scott steered his bike one-handed into the empty parking lot at Salt Creek Beach and coasted toward a row of palm trees inked black against the soft pink sky. He lowered his bike to the ground, then gazed at the water. The ocean was polished glass. Scott sighed. The surf report had promised chest-high swells. Normally, he would have been disappointed at having woken up extra early for nothing. Today, he didn’t care. He was awake anyway. He had never gone to sleep.