BOO-GLEECH

Written by Jonathan Wojcik

A 2015 Creepy Preview!

At the time of this writing, we've just now hit 100 entries in this year's weirdo-fiction write-off, and you've got weeks left to send in your own. If you need a little inspiration - or you just can't wait to read some new stories - I've picked out ten to share a little early!

If you're the author of any of these, let me know if there are any errors to correct!

Soft Reset

"I've been up all night trying to get this stupid Shiny."

A nice, quick video game horror revolving around an off-brand Pokemon knockoff, I can easily see this story going pretty viral, and I can't wait to see some fan-art floating around of this awful battlemonster.

Chang'e's Scream

"We have colonies on Mars, space stations in orbit, even rumors of something with Ceres, but Luna stares down at us, blank and devoid of life."

If you're a fan of Artificial Intelligence horror, I thought this was one of the most unsettling I've read in a fairly long time, though as is basically always the case, the A.I. in question is a great deal more sympathetic than the meat-things that created it.

The Snow Never Melts

"For almost eleven months a year, all is dark and still. We go about our lives in the cold and the dark, chopping wood for our fires and hunting game for our meals."

A seasonal and darkly humorous story, emphasis on "darkly." I genuinely didn't see the twist coming for miles, but on a second read it all should have been so obvious. That effect is pulled off by a lot of entries, but I think this has become one of my top favorite examples.

Gabriels

"The second Gabriel will arrive on his doorstep on a Friday afternoon, dropped off by a blue truck emblazoned with the logo of the medical company."

I doubt this will be the most popular story by Johnny this year, who has been fairly productive and inventive since the very first cookoff, but it's definitely a personal favorite of mine and a great warm-up before some of his still weirder, still darker entries.

The Hooligans: Pipe Winder

"It was slimy looking, and a bubbly, pale, pink, and somewhat tube or maybe pickle shaped."

The Hooligans is a whole series that's been sent in this year, and I thought Pipe Winder made a good introduction to the idea. Every Hooligan is this weird. Some of them might even be weirder! You're going to love them all.

The Man in My Eye

"If I had ever seen this face before, I didn’t recognize it."

Inspired by some all-too-real medical phenomena, this was one of the first entries this year to feel absolutely terrifying. Your mileage may vary, of course, but it's worth noting that I've read enough horror in my life to experience that sensation only once in a blue moon.

Fry Cook

"So I'm at work, right, and this dude walks in- but something's just wrong, you know?"

Maybe I'm just a little biased towards food horror lately, but Fry Cook offers a pefect balance of humor and horror in a short, sweet package, split into two parts from two different perspectives that still only take a couple minutes to read.

Gashes in My Mind

"I pictured my dad when I graduated high school. He was there, all dressed up as best he could, grinning like an idiot, tears welling up in his eyes, standing alone with one hand clapping futilely against the air like he still had both his arms..."

What's happening in this story is fairly classic, but I can't say I've ever read this scenario from quite this perspective, in quite this way.

GAVAGE

"Our muscles have atrophied; even if we were free of our cages, we would still captives of our own flesh."

This story made me absolutely sick. This is one of the most uncomfortable, graphic body horror pieces we have ever received. Don't say I didn't warn you, but believe me, the payoff is worth it.

Roommate

"Every morning I found a bunch of dirty plates in the sink, and all the leftovers were gone from the fridge."

After GAVAGE, you might need to cleanse your mind with something a little more lighthearted. This story introduces one of my new favorite "characters" from the cookoff's history, and while part of me wants to know more about him, that would only spoil the charm.

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