Tag / best-of

by Warren Benedetto

“It’s What’s Inside That Counts” selected for Best of Space Squid

My weird fiction story It’s What’s Inside That Counts has been published in The Best of Space Squid 2025. It’s the story of 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

“From Below” published in Best of Metastellar Year Four

My short eco-horror story, From Below, has been published in The Best of Metastellar Year Four anthology.

In the flooded remains of Old Manhattan, the wealthy stay dry and well-fed in their penthouses, while everyone else is left to fend for themselves against the unseen horrors lurking just below the surface.

Content warning: cannibalism (implied), gore, suicide

“We will be safe there?” the boy asks.

The roar of the powerful outboard motor echoes through the flood-ravaged streets of Old Manhattan as I pilot the boat down the center of what used to be 5th Avenue. Water laps at the facades of the submerged structures, spraying a fine mist into the cold night air.

I glance down at the child. He’s young, no older than ten, with straight black hair and dark brown skin. The way his bangs flop over his forehead reminds me of myself as a child.

“Of course,” I lie. “You’ll love it.”

by Warren Benedetto

“Blame” published in the Shadowed Realms anthology

My techno-horror story Blame has been published in the Shadowed Realms anthology by Horror Tree, featuring the best publications in indie horror in 2022.

Blame is about an audio engineer at a software company investigating strange sounds heard during customer voice chats. It’s a “found footage” story told through emails, Slack conversations, Reddit threads, phone transcripts, and more unusual artifacts like git commits, JIRA tickets, door entry logs … even a Walmart receipt.

Content warning: misogyny, sexual assault (mentioned), suicide (mentioned)
by Warren Benedetto

“Unarmed” published in The Best of MetaStellar Year Two

My dystopian political thriller Unarmed has been published in The Best of MetaStellar Year Two anthology.

It’s a story about a citizen fighting back against a cult-like authoritarian leader, using the only weapon she has at her disposal: herself.

Content warning: gore, self-mutilation, sexual violence (mentioned)

The amputation was the easy part.