Tag / short-fiction

by Warren Benedetto

“Wine List for the Apocalypse” published by The Weekly Humorist

My post-apocalyptic satire Wine List for the Apocalypse, Courtesy of Your Olive Garden Sommelier has been published by The Weekly Humorist. Listen in as tonight’s sommelier, Giovanni, reviews the wine list against a backdrop of flickering firelight from our ruined Earth.

Our Pinot Grigio? Unfortunately, we’re unable to properly chill it to our satisfaction, mostly due to the lack of refrigeration and basic human sanitation. Without electricity, the closest thing we have to refrigeration is the cold realization that all is lost.

by Warren Benedetto

“Die On Your Feet” published by Havok Magazine

My short horror story Die On Your Feet has been published as part of Havok’s Thriller Thursday series. It’s only free to read for the next 24 hours, so catch it while you can.

The story is about a group of survivors huddling close to the ground to avoid whatever is lurking in the fog just overhead. It’s an allegory about what happens to people who deny the reality of their situation, despite all the evidence telling them they are wrong.

“It ain’t real,” Grady insisted. “Think! Have you ever actually seen one of the things up there?”

“No, but I’ve seen what it does to people.”

by Warren Benedetto

“Blame” selected for the Brave New Weird shortlist

My techno-horror story Blame has been shortlisted for the upcoming Brave New Weird anthology by Tenebrous Press, a collection of the best new weird horror stories of 2022. With over 700 stories submitted—all of which have already been published—it’s an honor to be included in this shortlist with so many other incredible authors and stories. The final table of contents will be announced on December 1st.

by Warren Benedetto

Two stories published in The Literary Hatchet

Two of my favorite horror stories, They Say Crows Can Remember Faces and Something’s Wrong With Mom, have been published by The Literary Hatchet. The entire issue is free to download for the next month, so grab a copy while you can.

  • They Say Crows Can Remember Faces is the story of a what happens when a bully picks on the wrong girl, who may or may not be a witch.
  • Something’s Wrong With Mom is the story of two young boys who wake up to discover that their mother is on the ceiling. Again.
by Warren Benedetto

“The Man Who Ate the Road” published in Haven Spec Magazine

My weird horror story The Man Who Ate the Road has been published in Haven Spec Magazine. When a woman tries to return home after visiting her abusive father, she discovers that the road is closed … but just for her.

It wasn’t until I had already steered onto the narrow shoulder and rolled to a stop that I began to realize how risky it was for me to pull over. I was a woman driving by myself down a deserted highway in the middle of the night, in the middle of the woods, in the middle of nowhere. I was completely and utterly alone.

by Warren Benedetto

“Set For Life” Audio Edition released by Dark Matter Magazine

The Audio Edition of my cyberpunk story Set For Life has been released by Dark Matter Magazine. This is an extraordinary production, with top-notch narration, acting, and sound design. The MP3 can be purchased for $1.99, or you can get it for free as part of your Dark Matter Deluxe membership. You can’t go wrong with either choice.

Andy loaded the body into the back of the van, then slammed the door. “Last one,” he called out, knocking on the rear door with his knuckles.

by Warren Benedetto

“From Below” published in Parsec #5

My post-apocalyptic eco-horror story From Below has been published in Parsec #5. In the flooded remains of Old Manhattan, the wealthy live in penthouses and dine on fresh meat, while everyone else is left to fend for themselves against the unseen horrors lurking just below the surface.

The boy from the boat—the one who had spoken to him only minutes earlier—was at the window, pounding on the glass. His face was a mask of pure terror. Panicked, the boy looked over his shoulder, then down at Jeremy. He screamed, his lips forming two words that Jeremy easily understood, even through the thick, soundproof glass.

“Help me!”

by Warren Benedetto

“A Sinking Feeling” published in the Emergence anthology

My underwater horror story A Sinking Feeling has been published in the Emergence anthology by The Writer’s Cache. It’s the story of two survivors trapped in an air pocket in a sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean. And they’re not alone.

I didn’t know how long we had been underwater at that point—we had no way to measure time—but for however long it was, we hadn’t heard any noises outside of our own movement and the occasional groan of the ship’s structure as it settled into the ocean floor. But this noise was different.

Something was moving. And it was close.

by Warren Benedetto

“Feed the Worm” published in the Beautiful Darkness anthology

My horror story Feed the Worm has been published in the Beautiful Darkness anthology from Dragon Soul Press. If you like stories about carnivorous cosmic murder worms, this is the one for you!

The girl was on her knees, crouched low behind the rear bumper. Exhaust swirled around her, lit up a hellish red by the glow of the taillights. Her hair hung over her face in damp ropes. Breath steamed from her nose in short, rapid bursts. She looked up at Ben. Her eyes were wide with terror. “Hide,” she whispered.

You can also listen to the audio production of Feed the Worm on the Night’s End Podcast.

by Warren Benedetto

“Butterscotch” published in HAUS: Anthology of Haunted House Stories

My short ghost story Butterscotch has been published in HAUS: Anthology of Haunted House Stories by Culture Cult Press. Renting an apartment above a funeral parlor might freak some people out, but not Ellen. Not at first, anyway.

For a moment, I imagined my grandmother laying there on one of the tables, her body cold and stiff, her eyelids stitched shut, her tissue-thin skin pulled taut over her jutting cheekbones. Nicholas had done that, I realized, right in the room where I was standing.