Meghan Brooks

“Hoot Knew?” by Meghan Brooks

Submitted to Contest #226

Deals with demons, bargains with fairies, contracts work with strigans, all of these require reading the fine print before one throws themselves at something that they might come to regret in the long run. Desperation breeds rash decisions and that's what makes these transactions all the more powerful and dangerous like they were fish, ensnared by the temptation of a fishing line. Not many people are known to have wised up to the sweet talk of these beings and gotten out of these dealings with their souls, hearts, or other things they valued...

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“The Tome of Night Terror” by Meghan Brooks

Submitted to Contest #221

Trigger warning: violence, mentions of Hell, and gruesome deaths.The Bat Wing Society bookstores had many customers come and go, renting spellbooks to those who wanted to experiment and use them for whatever purpose they wanted. The lady of this particular Pondview store, Miss Foxglove, cautioned against using books that involved the use of dark arts, especially necromancy. She kept certain books like a book with the face of a blue demon on the cover locked up as a precaution. Miss Foxglove wanted to ensure that no one stole them at night or...

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“Tail of the Raiju” by Meghan Brooks

Submitted to Contest #220

Trigger warning: violence and gruesome death. Astraphobia: defined as the extreme fear of thunder and lightning. It is also known as brontophobia and keraunophobia. Corin Downing went out for a walk on a Sunday morning, stopping by the book shop in downtown Naperville. She looked at some books on Japanese folklore, looking into myths related to the yokai. She was interested in this research after realizing through a blood test that she had Japanese ancestry. She was hoping to connect with her family's roots. She spent so much time, engr...

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“Seth's Road to Recovery” by Meghan Brooks

People say recovery is not as clear-cut or linear as people overcoming an addiction to drugs or trying to eat less sugar when dieting. Relapses are bound to happen in the road to recovery. Relapses cannot be helped when you try your damnedest to ensure you don't screw up. When it comes to nyctothropy, however, one variation from following the way to recovery to the letter could turn dangerous and potentially even deadly. It had been about a month since I came home, following Mr. Ritt's recovery from when I stayed with him for three months....

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“Beware the Obsidious Mirror” by Meghan Brooks

Submitted to Contest #219

The Bat Wing Society began to surge in popularity with local teens.  Some say interest in the occult appeals to all types these days including the posh and outspoken, Mira Callisto, the quiet and meek, Sage Menken, and the bright and inquisitive, Iris Fury. As they entered the store, the elderly lady standing near the entrance greets the trio with "Welcome to the Bat Wing Society, where we feature many different curiosities that will certainly make your Halloween or movie nights more magical." Upon the store shelves were stacks o...

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“Seth's Nyctothropy” by Meghan Brooks

Submitted to Contest #215

They say you can never tell anyone about the curse of being a werebat, out of fear of being killed, ostracized, or both. I've had this curse for five years. I was a careless teen when I got too close to a bat, trying to help it when it was trapped in my family home. I grabbed it in mid-flight and then it brought down its fangs into my hand as I threw it outside into the darkness. My vision blurred from seeing the blood coming out of the bite, but when I woke, I was in a hospital room, hand all bandaged, my parents worried about how I could...

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