Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Boogaloos
    Boogaloos
    Boogaloos
    Ebook118 pages1 hour

    Boogaloos

    By Douglas Wright

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    From Douglas E Wright comes a supernatural tale of love, loss, and mortality.

    They watch . . . 

    A few years from retirement, Crozier Buck wants nothing more than to spend his remaining days in the dead letter department, out of sight, out of mind in the building’s basement.

    They wait . . . 

    In the dead letter department, something is waiting for Crozier . . . something that doesn’t recognize his unrealized abilities, something that is willing to kill.

    They KILL . . . 

    Crozier unwittingly awakens a dormant presence hell-bent on claiming a new guardian. And in its wake secrets are revealed .....
    That's when he is forced to confront a frightening destiny ......

    Even the Dead SEND mail......

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDouglas Wright
    Release dateNov 24, 2017
    ISBN9781386977889
    Boogaloos
    Author

    Douglas Wright

    Douglas is a quiet horror writer, whom for thirty years, worked at Canada Post. Over the years, he has traveled and lived in various parts of Canada, from Iqaluit Nunavut to Springdale Newfoundland to Whitehorse Yukon to Victoria BC. From these travels he picked up local lore and created dark stories from the scenery and the people he's met along the way. Douglas writes dark fantasy and supernatural horror, sometimes with a literary bent called quiet horror. His short stories have been published in: Britain's Horror Express, HUB and Thirteen Magazine: USA's Black Ink Horror Magazine, Escaping Elsewhere and Mount Zion Press. He also has stories in the anthologies 'Raw Meat' by CWW Press and 'Enter the Realm' by Larry Sells. His hardback Romantic Suspense novella 'BOOGALOOS', along with his chapbook 'SWEET THINGS' was published by Sideshow Press and sold out in four days in late 2009. His list of influences is extensive. He likes styles of Nancy Kilpatrick to Ray Bradbury, from David Morrell to Kafka and from Joe Hill to Charles Dickens. The films he enjoys are just as diverse. He likes movies and their directors such as Tim Burton's 'Corpse Bride' to Frank Capra's 'It's a Wonderful Life.' Douglas also spends a great deal of time working and tinkering on his website. He likes horror conferences, collecting advanced horror movie posters and signed horror books as well as Aurora horror models.

    Related authors

    Related to Boogaloos

    Related ebooks

    Literary Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      NEVER Done That

      Mar 4, 2020

      NEVER Done That
      6 min read

    • Article

      Never Done THAT

      Oct 20, 2020

      Never Done THAT
      6 min read

    • Article

      ME, Myself, I

      Nov 17, 2021

      ME, Myself, I
      9 min read

    • Article

      Christina

      Mar 23, 2021

      Christina
      6 min read

    • Article

      Playing God

      Apr 10, 2023

      After Jack was abducted by the alien spaceship, and after the round vessel had vanished into the Milky Way, he found himself walking down a tubular corridor with white vibrating walls, escorted by a sinuous blonde who smiled graciously and said her n

      13 min read

    • Article

      The Professor’s Wife

      Sep 1, 2020

      The Professor’s Wife
      8 min read

    • Article

      How I Began to Write

      Mar 6, 2019

      How I Began to Write
      6 min read

    • Article

      Prey

      May 10, 2021

      As I drove slowly towards the mob of angry protestors and my meeting with 200, I thought of 199. The ashes of a once hard man, staring at me with wide eyes that pleaded for hope like a dog begging for treats. I’d somehow found a way to give him that

      41 min read

    • Article

      The List

      Mar 10, 2024

      “So, who’s on your list?” Nick looks eagerly at me. I take a sip of my coffee. “What list?” “You know. The list.” He shovels a handful of popcorn into his mouth. “She’s on mine.” He nods toward the TV. “Keira Knightly?” I ask. “Yeah.” “I still have n

      18 min read

    • Article

      Prey

      Mar 10, 2024

      As I drove slowly toward the mob of angry protestors and my meeting with 200, I thought of 199. The ashes of a once hard man, staring at me with wide eyes that pleaded for hope like a dog begging for treats. I’d somehow found a way to give him that h

      41 min read

    • Article

      Animals And Origami

      Oct 10, 2021

      I miss the sea breeze mussing my hair and the feel of cold sand worming between my toes. Even now, in autumn, the shoreline has its charms, like the squeals of the oystercatchers and the rhythmic ebb and flow of the tide. My dreams are of swimming in

      11 min read

    • Article

      Words Of Wisdom

      Sep 2, 2021

      Words Of Wisdom
      9 min read

    • Article

      Six Dart Out

      Sep 10, 2023

      Marc figured the girl was a vegan. Her puke had overflowed the sink and run onto the floor—tomatoes and rice marinated in microbrew lager. He’d told Vegan Girl to slow down, but her friends had won the turning-21-peer-pressure battle. Admittedly, Mar

      9 min read

    • Article

      Growing Close

      Aug 25, 2020

      Growing Close
      6 min read

    • Article

      AN EXCERPT FROM The First Line of Dante’s ‘Inferno’

      Dec 1, 2020

      Early forties, tall, self-possessed. Hiking in the woods in search of her missing sister. A young park ranger, late twenties. Pretty. Slim. Strong. The play is formatted like prose; however, it is intended for performance. If actors simply perform th

      15 min read

    • Article

      LOVE, Virtually

      Feb 16, 2020

      LOVE, Virtually
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Family Plot

      May 7, 2020

      The Family Plot
      10 min read

    • Article

      How we MET

      Aug 1, 2023

      How we MET
      6 min read

    • Article

      Just a Kiss

      Jun 4, 2020

      Just a Kiss
      6 min read

    • Article

      Dreams Can Come True

      Feb 2, 2023

      Dreams Can Come True
      5 min read

    • Article

      Jean Hanff Korelitz: ‘The Idea For The Story Was A Thunderbolt That Came Out Of Nowhere’

      Mar 23, 2021

      “I was really interested in writing about the theme of decimating a life that looked good from the outside. What if this woman, who was incredibly together and hubristic enough to presume to tell other people how to live their lives, was so blind to

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Book

      Oct 30, 2019

      The Book
      20 min read

    • Article

      THE NEXT CHAPTER: Chapter Book Prize winners

      Apr 6, 2023

      Congratulations and thank you to everyone who entered the Writing Magazine Children’s Book Prize 2022. In the Chapter Book category, we had 72 entries, with all kinds of genres being represented, including fantasy, adventure, humour, spy, spooky, con

      7 min read

    • Article

      Party RULES

      Jul 22, 2020

      Party RULES
      6 min read

    • Article

      Friends, Once

      Aug 25, 2020

      Friends, Once
      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Boogaloos

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Boogaloos - Douglas Wright

      CHAPTER ONE

      Friends

      AUTUMN 20—,

      Gawd, you can be a real ass. Crozier limped toward the post office steps. Sometimes I could just kill ya.

      Hey, you don’t really mean that, Jerry answered, trotting across the four lanes of traffic. Killing me? Christ. That’s the craziest. He ran his sights over the surrounding skyscrapers. Just trying to help. Like I said before, you gotta stop living in the past. He stepped into a stray beam of autumn sunlight. You hafta quit talking to Rebecca. It’s been twenty years since she died.

      What? You don’t believe in ghosts?

      That’s not the point and you know it.

      You might wanna ask George Androski about that.

      The guy’s old. He’s been hawking those Boogaloo ghost stories since we started at Depot Nine.

      That’s alota years, Jerry. There’s gotta be something to them. He wouldn’t be still telling them if they weren’t true. Not after all this time. He glanced across the street.

      We don’t see him often enough to know if they’re true or not. He stays in the return-to-mail station in the basement most days. As for dead letters killing people, I think George’s the product of the sixties, He’s been smoking pot longer than he’s been sorting mail.

      I don’t care what you say. I believe his stories are true. You know, I’ve talked to Rebecca for the last twenty years, so it’ll be hard to convince me the dead don’t live.

      They’re campfire tales. That’s it, that’s all. Get over it, buddy. Get on with your life. You’re almost at retirement. You don’t want to be an old man living in a one room apartment, do ya?

      Don’t try and scare me. I’ll be fine, Crozier said.

      Jerry shook his head. Yeah right. Don’t you know I’m telling you this for your own good? Don’t you know I’m your only friend?

      His cell phone sang a Nickelback tune. Jerry snagged it from the homemade leather holster and plugged it to his ear. Huh-uh he said, rolling his eyes. After a moment, a frown creased his face. He clicked the phone’s lid shut and jammed it back into its carrying-case. Another hang-up.

      Crozier stepped up a stair. Never saw any use in them cellphones, he said, ignoring everything Jerry had just said. He raised his face to the massive sandstone structure balanced on top of the stairs. His eyes caught the building’s elaborate carved gables. A slight smile emerged on his face. you know, sometimes this place amazes me. Even after all these years. He bent over and dusted a flattened cigarette package off the step. With one hand, he gripped the engraved stone railing and using the other as a guide, sat down on the damp stair.

      Jerry slapped his duster coat closed, lifted a foot onto the bottom step, leaned forward, and set his forearm crossways over the knee. A young blonde skipped down the stairs past them. He studied her rear-end as she hailed a cab. Yep, you’re the craziest, he said, watching the woman’s skirt hoist up as she climbed into the taxi. He returned his sights to Crozier. A toothy smile spread over his face. Working Thanksgiving night?

      Crozier picked at his jagged fingernails. He shook his head. Gawd. Know what? Gotta get me an easier job. Don’t think I can heft those heavy mailbags anymore. He tried to crack his knuckles but failed. He could do neither. I’m just too old, he complained. He raked his sparse grey hair before cupping a palm over the damaged knee. My knees and knuckles are always paining. I don’t wanna work overtime anymore. But I need the money. And at double time, I’ll be able to start my Christmas shopping. He stretched his leg and rubbed his kneecap.

      Jerry plopped next to him and swung an arm around Crozier’s neck. Know what pal? I think you should see the boss-lady.

      Crozier arched his eyebrows. What for?

      Retire early. Or at the very least get a doctor’s note for disability.

      What’s with that? You want George’s job when he goes?

      Nah, you’re my only friend.

      Great. That means I gotta put up with you forever.

      Yep. You probably won’t be able to do any better.

      Know what? I think I’ll go for the dead letter job.

      No way, Jerry said. Jobs go by seniority. You know that. He looked to a throng of young women crowding the sidewalk beyond the stairs. Lucy has us both topped. He returned to Crozier. Besides, you need a rest. Maybe even a permanent one. Look. Your wife’s been gone for twenty years or more. And in my book, that’s an awfully long time.

      In your book? Christ. I didn’t know you could read, Crozier answered. The thoughts of his dead wife bubbled to the surface. How could it be that one morning she went shopping, and by the afternoon, her body had been smeared over the road. He frowned. What’s anyone else got to do with my life anyway? I’m not hurting you, me or anybody else.

      I know, I know. Just forget it, okay? Jerry forced out a phony smile. So. What about Lucy? You know she’s got seniority. Chances are she’ll take that job. And you know what they say about the basement? It’s a scary place to work. He narrowed his eyes. But on the other hand, why not let Lucy have it. According to George, no one can control ghosts. They’ll all end up dead if they try. Jerry fell quiet, almost corpse-like, as if he was remembering an old flame. He looked to an oncoming streetcar. Didn’t mean any disrespect earlier, he said. But, you haven’t really been alive for years. Ever since Becky disappeared from your world.

      Becky? Crozier asked. That’s how you addressed her? Becky?

      Aw, c’mon, Jerry said. This is the craziest. Don’t keep going to the past. It was a one-time thing. It happened long before she knew you. Let’s forget it. Once and for all.

      Crozier’s voice came out low. Yeah. He returned his gaze to a tower across the thoroughfare. She was only my bride.

      Jerry forced wide a grin. So, what about Lucy? Think she’ll want the dead letter job? He clamped a hand onto Crozier’s shoulder. Whatever happened to her when she was young? What made her so nutty? He leaned into his friend. And, know what? At one time, I used to think she was hot. He eyed the women below. Any idea why she shaved her head? And what about those tattoos? And the weird eyes? What’s with that? Those contacts won’t ever look right on a chinc.

      Crozier shook his head. Her father’s Irish. With red hair and blue eyes.

      Really? Jerry asked. Would never have guessed. But hey. She’d look great spread-eagle in a clover field. He moved his mouth to Crozier’s ear and whispered, Ever screw her? He eased back to a sitting position where he notched up his voice. I mean back then. You know? When you were young enough to do it?

      Didn’t everybody? Crozier asked.

      A belly laugh exploded from deep inside Jerry’s gut. Nah. Just got blow jobs. Only way I could keep her filthy mouth shut.

      Well, at least her hair’s grown back. She doesn’t look half bad now. As soon as he had finished his sentence, a long-haired redhead strutted toward them from across the street. Her skirt clung to her like fresh paint. She didn’t look more than forty-five. Her smile was infectious. The woman glanced to the pair as she popped a letter into the mailbox at the bottom of the stairway.

      Crozier’s ‘hiya’ came out stronger than he had expected, yet the word had floated soft and airy.

      She quickly responded with her own feathery hello.

      What was that accent? Crozier had no idea, but it was different. Princess-like. Within seconds, he noticed her regarding Jerry. Her eyes had glazed over. She pivoted away.

      Nice, Jerry mumbled, slurring the word as he leaned forward. He watched her walk away before refocusing his attention back to Crozier. What?

      Always looking to get laid, aren’t ya? You know. One of these days a jealous husband’s gonna kill you.

      You never think of hopping onto someone built like that? Jerry asked. "Gimme a break. You’d punch her pudding as

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1