Jethro Pili

“The Cat & The Sword” by Jethro Pili

The moon hung low and fat over the city, casting its ghostly light across the shadowy streets and alleyways. Alex adjusted the collar of his jacket and squinted down the narrow alley, his footsteps echoing softly against the wet cobblestone. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was out so late, but he knew it had something to do with the sleek black cat weaving through the puddles just ahead of him. It had all started with a simple look. He’d been sitting at his favorite café, enjoying a cup of tea after a long day, when the cat appeared out of no...

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“Friday Night Lights” by Jethro Pili

The stands were buzzing with energy as the crowd cheered on Brookside High’s Bumblebees in their homecoming game. It was Friday night under the floodlights, and the cool autumn air was thick with excitement. But as much as the fans hoped for a victory, the score on the board made it clear: the Bumblebees were struggling. The Stallions, their rivals from Stanton High, were leading by a narrow margin. And with just minutes left on the clock, the Bumblebees needed a miracle.Earlier, during halftime…The halftime locker room was a tense place. Th...

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“From Haunted To Healed” by Jethro Pili

Submitted to Contest #275

Maggie Montgomery had lived in the third-floor apartment for only a few months when she first noticed the shadows. San Francisco nights had their own ghostly feel to them, she thought—wind slipping down narrow alleys, fog blanketing the streets, and lights blinking through mist—but this was something different. Every night, without fail, seven shadow figures appeared in her apartment, filling the corners, hovering by the walls, or lurking just outside her view. At first, she tried to ignore them. She figured the city, or maybe just her mind,...

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“A Little Fall Of Rain” by Jethro Pili

The Texas sun beat down on the small town diner parking lot, the stifling heat mingling with the stench of asphalt, gasoline, and sweat. Six FBI agents stood on the cracked concrete, their casual clothes sticking to their skin as they eyed the nondescript sedan across the lot. They blended in with the crowd, but their tension betrayed their presence, eyes locked on the car that sat in the far corner. The fugitive was in there, and they had him. "Are you sure this is the place?" SSA Trystan "Boss" Thorne asked, his voice low but commanding.&n...

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“The Hunt” by Jethro Pili

Ryan Hall crouched in the shadows, the faint sound of his prey’s footsteps echoing through the narrow alleyway. He moved silently, his body a black silhouette against the dim lights of Compton’s streets. His prey—unaware, unalarmed—had no idea what was coming. It was a young woman, maybe twenty-five, dressed in baggy jeans and a hoodie pulled tight against the autumn chill. But Ryan didn’t care about her clothes or her past. All that mattered was the scent of blood, hot and pulsing just beneath the surface of the woman’s skin. Ryan’s chest t...

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“Curiosity Killed The Cat” by Jethro Pili

Ted Piznarski tiptoed down the narrow staircase of their family’s large home, the kind of house that had both a regular kitchen and a dairy kitchen. It was midnight, and the whole place was quiet except for the faint creaks of the old wood under his socks. Ted, though careful, wasn’t worried about waking his parents. They slept like rocks in the upstairs bedroom, especially after Friday night Shabbat dinner. But his brother Jeremy, now that was a different story.  Ted made his way to the dairy kitchen, a small space off to the side of t...

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“The Weight of Expectations” by Jethro Pili

Josh sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the pile of textbooks stacked high on his desk. The light filtering through the window did little to brighten the oppressive atmosphere of his room, which felt more like a prison than a sanctuary. A small clock ticked rhythmically, each second a reminder of the time slipping away as he wrestled with the dark thoughts swirling in his mind. “Josh! Get in here!” his father’s voice thundered from downstairs. He winced, knowing he couldn’t ignore the call. Sliding off the bed, he shuffled down t...

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“The Phantom of the Factory” by Jethro Pili

The first thing I notice when I wake up is the smell of coffee. It’s a strange smell to be greeted with after so long. I haven’t smelled much of anything in—how long has it been? Years? Decades? Time gets slippery when you’re dead. I remember the smoke, though. The bitter scent of it, the crackling roar of fire eating through the rafters, and then nothing. But now, there’s coffee. And voices. Lots of voices. Children laughing, someone humming, pots clanging. None of it makes sense. The last time I was here, there was nothing but charred beam...

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“The Headless Queen of St. Peter ad Vincula” by Jethro Pili

The Tower of London had always been a fortress of shadows, secrets, and blood. It was more than just stone walls; it was a repository of history, cruelty, and tragedy. Within its cold embrace, those who once wielded power were reduced to prisoners, condemned by the Crown. Among them, Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, executed in 1536. Her headless form was said to haunt the Tower, though few dared to speak of it aloud. St. Peter ad Vincula, the small, unassuming chapel within the Tower grounds, was where Anne lay buried, along with man...

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“I Hear Her Echo Through The Night” by Jethro Pili

The plane ride had been long and tiring, but the excitement of finally being in London kept Henry and Gabriel’s energy levels high as they checked into the hotel. Both boys were seventeen and had been best friends for as long as they could remember. This trip was a dream come true for them. Their families were close—practically extended family at this point—and every couple of years, they’d travel together to some far-off place. This time, it was the bustling city of London.Henry and Gabriel had their own room, separate from their parents. T...

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“Descent Into Death” by Jethro Pili

The wind howled as Kurt, Ned, Cedric, and Elroy stood at the gates of Waverly Hills Sanatorium. The decaying building loomed before them, its windows dark and lifeless, like the hollow eyes of a skull. The infamous tuberculosis hospital had a sinister reputation—whispers of tortured spirits, disembodied voices, and shadowy figures that roamed the halls long after the last patient had died. But none of that deterred the four friends, who had made it their mission to explore the most haunted places they could find.  Tonight, it was Waverl...

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“Dying To Date You” by Jethro Pili

The Match Amir Rahman scrolled through his phone, casually swiping left on most profiles that popped up on his dating app. He wasn’t exactly looking for love, but after years of his family pestering him about settling down, he’d finally caved. After all, how hard could it be to find someone interesting? It was only when a particular profile appeared on his screen that he stopped his absent-minded swiping. Her name was Zahra, and her photo showed a striking woman with dark, mysterious eyes, framed by curls of black hair that tumbled past her ...

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“Home From The Sea” by Jethro Pili

The sky over Lark Point darkened like ink spilling across parchment, swallowing the late afternoon sun. Thunder rumbled in the distance, a low growl that rolled over the jagged cliffs and the small coastal town. The fishing boats had come in hours ago, tied up safely in the harbor, save for one—the Mary Anne, an old boat weathered by decades of storms, yet still the pride of its owner, Captain Harry Quinn. It was late September, the season of storms, when the sea tested every vessel and every soul that dared to sail it. The Mary Anne had lef...

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“Dr. Life” by Jethro Pili

The roar of the tunnel collapse reverberated through the heart of Boston like an earthquake. Dust billowed through the streets, coating buildings and cars alike in a grimy film. Traffic came to a halt as sirens pierced the dense air. The rescue teams and emergency services mobilized with military precision, converging on the scene. What had once been a bustling city thoroughfare was now a scene of chaos.Inside the makeshift command center, the faces of city officials, engineers, and emergency planners were grim. The collapse had trapped doze...

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“The Holy Grail of Arthurian Enthusiasts” by Jethro Pili

Ethan Baxter had always been a bit of a loner, which was a trait that served him well as a student of medieval literature at the University of California, San Diego. Most people his age spent their weekends at the beach or bar-hopping in the Gaslamp Quarter, but Ethan preferred the quiet company of books. His passion for Arthurian legend bordered on obsession, and it was this obsession that led him to spend countless hours in the university library, poring over old manuscripts and obscure texts. But no matter how many books he read, how many...

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