Friday 13th: 4 Stories from Sixty

To mark the day that holds superstitious beliefs for many (Friday 13th) S P Clark is sharing four stories from his book Sixty, which is a collection of sixty short stories, each exactly sixty words long. Within those limits, whole lives unfold - sometimes dark, sometimes absurd, sometimes unexpectedly tender. Today Clark shares four that expose the darker, scarier side of life! Happy Friday 13th.

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1. Appearances Can Be Deceiving

   His hand scoops around her neck.  Coupled.  She revolves quickly and her red dress sprays it colour as he whispers into her ear.  She lets her lips part but no words seem to come out.  And then he peers down her body from over her shoulder. Of course from the street you couldn’t see the gun pressed to her back.    

2. The Devil's Chord

   The manuscript paper is strewn upon the piano; unaltered, unchanged and unforgiving.  Longing to be written on but he cannot bring himself to compose the music that his soul drives him to draw.  He notes the change in the air, the dark cloud descending upon the room and the roaring fire building ever ferocious as he plays the devil's chord. 

3. Fearful Sights on a Window

   Eleanor screamed a high-pitched, piercing scream that made the neighbor’s dog recoil in fear.  It was a terrified scream that shattered glass, made her husband drop his steaming coffee cup and race like a greyhound up the stairs.  He walked in and saw Eleanor standing upon the computer chair pointing through the window.  He approached. A spider climbed the pane. 

4. Fire

   The flames tore through the Georgian house burning each piece of furniture to ash and blackness.  The flickers smashed through the glass and displayed the forceful black smog to the world outside.  Such devastating heat overwhelmed me as I stood on the grey pavement opposite, shocked.  I was horrified until I noticed the blood red petrol can in my hand.

© S P Clark