Oceans Read online

  CAROLE DE MONCLIN travels both the real world and imaginary ones. She’s lived in France, Australia, and the USA; visited 25+ countries; and explored Mars, Ceres, and many distant planets. She writes to invite people on a journey. Her stories can be found in The Arcanist, The Deep Space Anthology, and every volume of the Dark Drabbles series.

  Website: CaroledeMonclin.com

  Twitter: @CaroledeMonclin

  Where the Light Cannot Go

  by Crystal L. Kirkham

  Deep, deep down they go.

  Where no man had dared before.

  Black like ink, pressure in the deep.

  What could survive down here?

  They shouldn’t have gone, for now they know.

  Monsters never seen before.

  They lie in wait deep within the seas.

  Hungry for what lived in the light they cannot reach.

  And those poor brave souls who dared to explore?

  Now they call this darkness their home.

  Never to see the sky again.

  Forgotten bones on an ocean floor.

  Those that live in the light will never know

  What waits deep down below.

  Where the light cannot go.

  CRYSTAL L. KIRKHAM is a multi-genre speculative fiction author. She has published novels across several genres including her fantasy adventure Feathers and Fae (October 2019 from Kyanite Publishing) and her self-published urban fantasy series, Saints & Sinners. She is also a contributing author to multiple best-selling anthologies. Hailing from the wilds of Canada, she is an avid outdoors person, unrepentant coffee addict, part-time foodie, servant to a wonderful feline, and companion to three delightfully hilarious canines - Treble and Freddie the Standard Poodles, and Nahni the Australian Shepherd.

  Website: www.crystallkirkham.com

  Where Once Whales Wandered

  by Clint Foster

  Our oceans thrived in a manner we cannot imagine, when the most primitive humans dared not lust for a land beyond their own, when the stars were their guidelines and the wind their motor. Once, before us, whales wandered here in pods as big as islands. They frolicked and fished, singing to the deep, which sang not back with machinery, engines, and nets. Through the oceans so dark and deep, the whales once ruled gently, and did not exact a price from the world for their station. There is much we could learn from the world in which whales wandered.

  CLINT FOSTER lives with his herd of four cats, beloved Basset, Zero, and wonderful wife, Nik. He loves to tell stories just as much as he loves to read them and is excited to share his work. A long-time consumer of media of all kinds, he enjoys giving back what he hopes everyone else thinks are good stories.

  Facebook: ClintFosterAuthor

  Sea Waste

  by Derek Dunn

  The waves rise and fall to a steady rhythm, washing ashore a mishmash of waste. What man once tossed to the sea returns in unsightly heaps of ruin. Plastic bottles, bags, and cigarette butts line the beach. Scavenging birds search the debris, hoping to find remnants of food.

  But something else has washed ashore. Something far more sinister than piles of foam lurks beneath, weaving its way to the prey above. The fowl make a tasty treat, but what it really wants is human flesh. The cloaked creature lies in waiting. It won’t be long before another do-gooder shows up.

  DEREK DUNN is a film enthusiast and musician who writes primarily horror and mystery stories. After obtaining a degree in Media Arts Studies and dabbling in film production, he’s turned his efforts to writing fiction. Several of his works have appeared in recent anthologies. He lives in the American northwest with his family, dog, and fish.

  Twitter: DerekTDunn

  Selkie

  by Stacey Jaine McIntosh

  The ocean was a dangerous place. Seals roamed these waters. Not just ordinary seals either. Selkies. Mythological shapeshifters capable of shedding their skin and becoming human. Few did out of fear of having their skin stolen, but Isla was certain she would share the same fate as so many other selkies had.

  Of course, she couldn’t have been more wrong. Now she paced up and down the length of the beach staring wistfully out at the ocean. Mourning her old life. And dreaming of the day she would be able to swim freely in the ocean as her true self.

  STACEY JAINE MCINTOSH was born in Perth, Western Australia where she still resides with her husband and their four children.

  Although her first love has always been writing, she once toyed with being a Cartographer and subsequently holds a Diploma in Spatial Information Services. Since 2011, she has had a vast number of stories and a few poems published online as well as in various anthologies. Stacey is also the author of Solstice, Morrighan, Lost and Le Fay and she is currently working on several other projects simultaneously. When not with her family or writing she enjoys reading, photography, genealogy, history, Arthurian myths and witchcraft.

  Website: www.staceyjainemcintosh.com

  It’s So Quiet

  by Stephen Herczeg

  Surfing was my life, right up until my death.

  I should have known not to go out that day. It was rough. The waves dumped me; the board’s fin split my skull open. All went dark for a while, but then I became aware.

  The waves stole my board. The tide dragged me away from the shore.

  I can’t feel the cold. I should; I’ve been down here for ages, but I can’t.

  The fish took my eyes and my ears, but I can hear, and I can see.

  It’s light above, dark below; but down here it’s so quiet.

  STEPHEN HERCZEG is an IT Geek based in Canberra Australia. He has been writing for over twenty years and has completed a couple of dodgy novels, sixteen feature length screenplays and numerous short stories and scripts. His horror work has featured in Sproutlings, Hells Bells, Below the Stairs, Trickster’s Treats #1 and #2, Shades of Santa, Behind the Mask, Beyond the Infinite; The Body Horror Book, Anemone Enemy, Petrified Punks and Beginnings. He has also had numerous Sherlock Holmes stories published through the Belanger Books - Sherlock Holmes anthologies.

  Amazon: amazon.com/-/e/B07916SQQS

  Facebook: stephenherczegauthor

  Falling into Deep Blue

  by Cindar Harrell

  The ocean always calmed me. The soothing coolness, the weightlessness. The never ending blue.

  It took my breath away. I wished to stay on the ocean forever.

  Now I am encased in it, falling. Cold. Weightless.

  My eyes were closed against the salty sting, but now I force them open, I want to see.

  The blue. The dying light.

  My red hair flares around me like a fiery halo. I see a figure standing in the middle of the fading circle of light above my world of blue.

  Was he a genie come to grant my wish?

  Or a murderer?

  CINDAR HARRELL loves fairy tales, especially ones with a dark twist. Her writing is often fairy tale inspired, but she also loves mystery and horror. Her stories can be found in various. Traveling is a passion for her as it inspires her imagination to run wild, especially in places that have a mystic presence in the air. She regularly moonlights as another human, but no matter who she is, she is always writing. Her novella inspired by The Snow Queen is set to release in 2020 as well as her debut novel, Lithium, and short story collection, Perchance to Dream.

  Facebook: CindarHarrell

  Night Dive

  by J.M. Meyer

  The hotel concierge suggested my brother Joe and I go for a night-time scuba dive.

  As suggested, we floated deep below the surface and turned off our headlamps; vigorously stirring up the water with our arms and fins.

  When the water glowed from the millions of neon coloured bioluminescent algae, I froze, realising we were not alone.

  A bloated man, wearing only tattered swim trunks, smiled menacingly at us.

  I turned on my headlamp, bolting toward the surface. Below, I watched Joe struggle; reaching for me in betrayal and d
isbelief as the demon dragged him deeper to his watery grave.

  J.M. MEYER is a writer, artist and small business owner living in New York, where she received her master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. Jacqueline enjoys writing speculative fiction and mysteries. Her favorite author is Alice Munro and her favorite film...is...anything horror related. Jacqueline also enjoys hiking with her dog Molly and the company of her husband Bruce and daughters; Julia, Emma and Lauren. Jacqueline’s Mantra lately; there’s no such thing as failing, it’s called learning.

  Website: jmoranmeyer.net

  Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/jacquelinemoranmeyer

  Inside My World

  by Umair Mirxa

  Isabela sank slowly to the depths and felt the last of her breath escape her lungs. Cold water rushed to replace it.

  A moment lapsed. Eternity flowed.

  She opened her eyes to light. To life. To a face more beautiful than any she had seen before.

  “Am I dead?”

  “Inside my world, darling,” came the soft reply, “such ideas hold no meaning.”

  Isabela realised then she was lying deep underwater, and not drowning. Yet.

  “Wh-where am I?” she asked. “Who are you?”

  “I am Amphitrite, Queen of the Sea, and you, little one...why, you belong to me now.”

  UMAIR MIRXA lives and writes in Karachi, Pakistan. His first published story, ‘Awareness’, appeared on Spillwords Press. He has since had stories accepted for publication in anthologies from Zombie Pirate Publishing, Blood Song Books, Black Hare Press, Iron Faerie Publishing, Clarendon House Publications, Fantasia Divinity Magazine & Publishing, and The ReAnimated Writers Press. He is a massive J.R.R. Tolkien fan, loves everything to do with mythology, fantasy, and history, and wishes with all his heart that dragons were real. When he’s not writing, he enjoys reading novels and comic books, playing video games, listening to music, and watching movies, TV shows, and football as an Arsenal FC fan.

  Website: umairmirxa.com

  Almanack

  by Anika Claire

  By the light of the sun, find the rock pools where children play, where the waves crash over the rocks and rush down the other side in glittering waterfalls. Where the sun beats down on the white sand, but the turquoise water stays cold.

  Return after dark to the luminescent shore. Place your bare feet on the smooth rocks and draw the ocean’s energy in. Feel it fill your bones and the hollows in your lungs.

  Draw it all in, but make sure to return it to the water once you’ve completed your working. The ocean can hold a grudge.

  ANIKA CLAIRE lives in Brisbane, Australia with her young family, where she alternates between making maps and escaping to other worlds, through either reading or creating them. You can find her reviewing and podcasting about books at;

  Website: teainthetreetops.com

  Instagram: @anni.treetops

  Siren

  by Susanne Thomas

  It had seemed like such a good idea to dive into the sea to reach the beautiful mermaid that beckoned Sam. Her hands and smile had invited him. He’d considered the empty winter beach he’d been hiking as he searched for inspiration. Here, in front of him, was all the wonder Sam could want, and she wanted him to join her.

  So he had swam towards her, stroke after freezing stroke bringing him further out. The vicious riptide came out of nowhere and pulled him away. He heard her song drifting on the salty breeze before he knew nothing more.

  SUSANNE THOMAS reads, writes, parents, and teaches from the windy west in Wyoming. She’s an MFA graduate of the University of Arkansas at Monticello Creative Writing Program and she loves fantasy, science fiction, speculative fiction, poetry, children’s books, science, coffee, and puns.

  Website: www.themightierpenn.com

  Beneath the Triangle

  by Raven Corinn Carluk

  Charles sighed, slumped in the crystal chair, eyes drifting toward the display board to his left. The purple gems glowed the same Atlantean glyph they had for what felt like three hours.

  For the millionth time since the boat had capsized, Charles cursed his friends for taking him to the Bermuda Triangle.

  He’d thought himself the lucky one for surviving and arriving in sunken Atlantis. Charles just had to go through refugee processing.

  The interminable waiting and questions sapped his appreciation of the marvel until he began to realise the fabled land had drowned beneath a sea of red tape.

  RAVEN CORINN CARLUK writes dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and anything else that catches her interest. She’s authored five novels, where she explores themes of love and acceptance. Her shorter pieces, usually from her darker side, can be found in Black Hare Press anthologies, at Detritus Online, and through Alban Lake Publishers.

  Twitter: @ravencorinn

  Website: www.ravencorinncarluk.com

  From the Fog

  by Radar DeBoard

  The men of the ship all stood in complete silence. Each one terrified of what might be coming. They all knew the old legends and could tell that all the warning signs had occurred.

  The ocean’s waters had become almost completely still. There were no sounds coming from the sea. Yet, more than anything else, the men were terrified of the fog.

  The smothering fog that had just creeped over the ship. It was impossible to see anything. Though it was easy to hear the scraping of a hook against metal as the ghosts of the sea descended upon them.

  RADAR DEBOARD is a horror movie and novel enthusiast who resides in the small town of Goddard, Kansas. He occasionally dabbles in writing, and enjoys to make dark tales for people to enjoy. He has had drabbles and short stories published in various electronic magazines and anthologies.

  Facebook: WriterRadarDeBoard

  False Memory

  by Sara A. Mosier

  As he fell from the boat, the blood bloomed around him like bleeding roses; it was a funny thing to admire as he sank to the bottom of the ocean. The taste of salt was on his tongue, his eyes burned, his limbs ached, but nothing else mattered. The sun looming made him think of the prairies of the Midwest, a concept of something so far away. He wished he could take a breath, but then the orange exploded around him. As the ocean pushed him onto the shore, he gripped the sand tightly, and then he heard the scream.

  SARA A. MOSIER is a Nebraska author, poet, and recent graduate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she received a BA in English. Her writing focus is fiction and poetry of which she enjoys typing on an old 1950’s typewriter. She has poetry published in several issues of Laurus Magazine, Cocky-Tales anthology, and University of Nebraska Press’s 75th Anniversary edition of “Voices of Nebraska”. Her romantic short stories “Sparkling Human Conundrum” and “Summer Dilemma” can be found in the anthologies Love Dust and Salty Tales on Amazon.

  No Escape

  by Cindar Harrell

  The plague spread quickly and with no cure, there were few options left. What people remained unaffected fled beneath the oceans.

  The city we built was a technological marvel. I loved looking out the thick windows and watching the ocean life swim by. It was like living inside a giant aquarium.

  However, things changed quickly. Some people just don’t know how to be happy.

  A radical group went insane. Longing to see the sun again, they started killing and taking hostages. It turns out; the plague was hiding in their brains.

  Now we are stuck here. There is no escape.

  CINDAR HARRELL loves fairy tales, especially ones with a dark twist. Her writing is often fairy tale inspired, but she also loves mystery and horror. Her stories can be found in various. Traveling is a passion for her as it inspires her imagination to run wild, especially in places that have a mystic presence in the air. She regularly moonlights as another human, but no matter who she is, she is always writing. Her novella inspired by The Snow Queen is set to release in 2020 as well as her debut novel, Lithium, and short stor
y collection, Perchance to Dream.

  Facebook: CindarHarrell

  Keep off the Beach

  by Maxine Churchman

  The beach was deserted, even though the day was warm. The children hunted through the rock pools for crabs while the adults sat on blankets drinking beer.

  Billy saw it first: a grey shapeless blob half-buried in the sand, glistening wetly in the sunshine.

  “Cor! Look at this” he said, prodding the leathery surface with his toe.

  The others ran over to look. Jenny screwed up her face. “Yuck! What is it?”

  Quick as a flash, it reared up; tentacles pulling the children into its gaping maw before disappearing back under the sand again.

  “Where are the children?” screamed Lily.

  MAXINE CHURCHMAN lives in Essex UK and has recently started writing poetry and short stories to share. Her interests include learning to improve her writing, reading, knitting, walking and teaching yoga. She is also planning a novel.