Story Snacks
Tankas
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Tankas 〰️
About my stories:
I strive to conjure stories that unveil the dark secrets hidden within the mundane, stories that peel back the layers of everyday life to reveal the unexpected lurking beneath the surface. Through my work, I aim to challenge perceptions and invite readers to question the familiar, confronting the shadows skulking just beyond their routine existence.
My stories serve as a reminder that the ordinary is often anything but—that even the smallest moments can conceal profound and unsettling truths. I aspire to captivate, unsettle, and provoke, encouraging readers to question what lies beneath the surface of the familiar and to, if only briefly, pull at the fragile tendrils that tether us to our sense of reality—and maybe even sanity.
About Story Snacks:
Are you a fan of psychological suspense? Crime fiction? Both?
Welcome to Story Snacks, where you’ll find eleven bite-sized stories that will have you wondering about how the mundane can sometimes harbor dark secrets and unexpected twists. These tales delve into the shadows of ordinary life, revealing how seemingly routine events can spiral into mystery and danger. Perfect for a quick read, each story promises to keep you on edge, questioning what lies beneath the surface of everyday moments.
What if your government decided to eliminate half the population by decree (Deathday)? Why does your neighbor push a doggie stroller every day, yet you’ve never seen them with a pet (Potter’s Field)? Ever been poisoned by a promotional freebie (Giveaways)? Find these stories and more in Story Snacks.
BONUS: the first three chapters of my novel, The Absence, are included. In this story, grief propels Ezra, a young chemist mourning the untimely death of her girlfriend, to steal her uncle’s recipe for a drug that transports its users and allows them to relive vivid memories of their choosing – including memories of their dead loved ones. Ask yourself - would you trade your waking existence for the one in your dreams?
Note: The stories in Story Snacks all carry an element of intrigue, suspense, or death. Please be aware that in one of the short stories, someone unalives themselves.
Chapter Twelve
Tankas: Palate Cleanser
Tanka: a Japanese poem consisting of five lines, the first and third of which contain five syllables, and the others seven, making 31 syllables in all, and giving a complete picture of an event or mood.
Couple
Silver crowns of hair
Filling in each other’s space
Words caressed his ears
Her magic crinkles twinkled
She seduced exquisitely
≈
Subway Ride
Lights brighten, dim, strobe
Train’s moving, people jostling
Complainers complain
I said get out my face, yo!
Welcome to New York City
≈
Unfamiliar
He used to know me
Back when I was his pumpkin
Only memories
Remain, only inertness,
Disdained. Now we wait, resigned
≈
Bottle Service
Time to scrounge around
Another day without a
Dollar, another
Day to get those bottles, out
The cans they sit in, waiting
≈
Fear
Is that a bug? Is
That a bug? Is that a bug?
Is that a bug? Is
That a bug? Is that a bug?
Kill the bug, kill the bug, kill…