Tag / weird-fiction

by Warren Benedetto

“It’s What’s Inside That Counts” published in NonBinary Review Issue #40: Epiphany

My weird fiction story It’s What’s Inside That Counts has been published in NonBinary Review Issue #40: Epiphany. 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

“It’s What’s Inside That Counts” published in DreamForge Magazine #16

My weird fiction story It’s What’s Inside That Counts has been published in DreamForge Magazine #16. 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

“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

“The Salt Circle” published in Moonday Mag

My weird fiction story The Salt Circle has been published in the latest issue of Moonday Mag. It’s a like a werewolf story, but with slugs. Yeah.

“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

“The Salt Circle” published in Tales of the Strange

My weird fiction story The Salt Circle has been published in the Tales of the Strange anthology by The Writer’s Workout. Imagine a werewolf story where, instead of the main character turning into a wolf when the moon is full, he turns into a slug when he has an early morning meeting.

“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.”

by Warren Benedetto

“The Salt Circle” published in The Literary Hatchet

My weird fiction story The Salt Circle has been published in Issue #32 of The Literary Hatchet by Pear Tree Press. You can download it for free for a limited time, or you can pick up a paperback copy on Amazon. This is one of the weirder stories I’ve written. It’s about a man who turns into a slug, and what happens when his wife dies after trapping him in a circle of salt on the kitchen floor.

by Warren Benedetto

“Make it a Double” published in the Water Turns Red anthology

My psychological horror novelette Make it a Double has been published in Water Turns Red: An Anthology Of Crime Fiction. It’s a dark cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of unchecked envy and greed. It’s not quite horror, though the ending is plenty horrific. It’s more like an episode of The Twilight Zone written by Hubert Selby Jr. on a bad day.