Dark Highlands Anthology Volume 1

Dark Highlands Productions

P.O. Box 4772

Davenport, Iowa, 52808-4772

United States

www.darkhighlands.com

©2010 by Dark Highlands Productions

All contributors maintain the copyright for their individual works and may republish, print, and sell their own works as they see fit.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Dark Highlands.

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Dark Highlands Anthology Volume 1

October 2010

What is Dark Highlands?

Dark Highlands is a creative arts company that showcases regional writers, artists, and performers. We specialize in horror, dark fantasy, and supernatural fiction, as well as art, poetry, theater, and music that fall under those categories.

Dark Highlands Anthology was founded in February 2010 when JR Tschopp approached Brad Ellis of Orange Guy Media Design and writer Paul-Thomas Ferguson about the desire to create a journal for speculative fiction. Thus, the Anthology was born.

Our aim is to give writers, poets, artists, and performers specializing in materials with darker subject matter a forum in which to present their work through both print and digital means. We believe in the promotion of regional visual and literary artists and aim to support them by raising awareness of their creations. Dark Highlands staff does not receive compensation for their work on the Anthology and a portion of Anthology sales is donated to local arts groups.

Acknowledgements

No large undertaking is possible without the assistance of numerous people behind the scenes. The staff at Dark Highlands Anthology would like to thank our friends and families for help and support.

In particular, we would like to thank all of those who came out to help on the Unholy Orders photo shoot, including: Roberta Barton, Anastasiya Bauswell, Amanda Bennett, Johnny Hawkins, Jeremy Koester, Jeremy Mahr, Andy Masengarb, Craig Newkirk, and Rebecca Wren.

We would also like to acknowledge the assistance of IndieGoGo, Fred & Ethels, Cool Beanz Coffeehouse, Hippie Golf Wear, and the City of Rock Island.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge the invaluable support of those who bought into our idea, pre-ordered t-shirts, and/or donated money to get the Anthology up and running, particularly our IndieGoGo supporters:

Alison Benowitz

Teeocka Sylvester

Kendall Davis

Wendy Kauten

Beccy Harris

Amandia Daigneault

And several anonymous benefactors.

Thank you!

Cover artwork: Bells and Whistles by Alissa Rindels

Table of Contents

Modus Operandi by John T. Hawkins

movies for milkweed by David James Keaton

Xuxores by Michael Callahan

You Never Can Tell by Dick Michener

Infinite Regress by Andrew Walters

Horror Haiku by Joyce Paustian, Lucas Jordan, KatyLee Underhill

The Best Horror by Gregory Lewis

The Beast of L.T. Brown by JR Tschopp

The Tinker by Paul-Thomas Ferguson

Untitled lithograph by Charlie Ross

Hollow by Monica Veraguth

Faces in the Crowd by Bruce Walters

Bird of Prey by Alissa Rindels

Toad by Brad Ellis

Unholy Orders: The Supernatural Adventures of Israel Blake by Brad Ellis & Paul-Thomas Ferguson

Contributor Biographies

Staff Biographies

Call for Submissions

***

Modus Operandi

by John T. Hawkins

Rock Island, Illinois

Oh, I think it’s rather obvious; she was under the influence of something and thought she grew wings. The autopsy found traces of heroin and cocaine in her system. When you’re dealing with a case like this, you have to consider the deceased was in a business where this kind of stuff happens all the time. Just remember that for every young girl you see out here selling themselves, there’s a set of parents at home wondering whether they’re ever going to see their child again.

That was the only comment Lieutenant Rafferty would give the media. Just hours before, he had been called to the scene of an apparent suicide. The body of a twenty-four year old girl, the same age as his own daughter, had been found by a neighbor. The medical examiner had sent his report, concluding, Cause of Death: drug-related suicide.

* * *

Lisa Stanning was on the phone with Michael, her fiancé. As of late, they had been fighting quite often; usually about Michael’s jealous fits. They had been on the phone for nearly two hours, crying, screaming, apologizing, and then screaming some more. That’s how the conversations had been for the last four months. They were addicted to each other, though neither of them would admit it.

Lisa had recently been hired at Pike’s Peek, one of the town’s more notorious ‘gentlemen’s clubs.’ Not that she was particularly fond of strutting her stuff for all the men to see, but the pay was good, as were the tips. She had been graced with an outstanding physique, and it was common for her to walk out with three hundred dollars on an ‘average’ night.

Michael, on the other hand, was not at all accepting of this latest venture in Lisa’s life. Who could blame him? He was a guy who had everything going his way, and he was used to it. He had been dating Lisa for four years, and engaged to her for the past eleven months. Now, the woman that would soon share his name was making a public spectacle of herself; showing every guy in town what, until recently, had been reserved for him.

Lisa, you know the kind of scum that hang out in those types of places. I don’t want you associated with those kinds of people, Michael stated firmly. They’re all junkies and tramps. You don’t want to be thought of like that, do you? Come on! Michael hesitated for a short moment. I love you, he continued, and I know you love me, right?

Lisa didn’t give him a chance to go any further. She knew what would be next: the ultimatum. Goddammit, Michael! she blasted. You just don’t get it, do you? It’s a job. It pays damned good money, too. She fumed. It’s not like I sleep with any of them.

And just what in the hell is that supposed to mean? Michael blasted back. Am I supposed to be relieved by that little comment? he asked sarcastically. Why can’t you just get a normal job, and keep your clothes ON?

Exhausted, Lisa finally had had enough. Look, Michael. It’s late and I’m tired. Goodnight. Lisa hung up the phone and looked at the clock. It was 3:22 a.m.

* * *

Lisa awoke at 11:45 that morning. It was raining. This was a good day to call in sick to work. It wouldn’t be a lie either. She hadn’t slept all that well after her and Michael’s telephone bicker-fest, and it left her with a headache that was still pounding eight hours later.

The apartment was cold, and having hardwood floors didn’t help things any. She hastily put on her grey sweatpants ~ the ones that used to belong to Michael ~ then rolled over to the other side of her bed, thus avoiding the toe-numbing cold of the floor, to retrieve her favorite wool slipper socks. There. Now she was ready for that one final morning necessity.

Coffee, she mumbled to herself, and sleepily staggered toward the kitchen. A halfway phony phone call to Pike’s and three cups of coffee later, Lisa was ready to face the day. For some reason, that meant calling Michael.

I must be crazy! she said to herself. Ok, so I’m crazy. Picking up the