Roland Hacker

“Scarlet Grin” by Roland Hacker

Submitted to Contest #195

An ambiguous, iniquitous entity exists in Utah, an unnatural presence felt merely from itinerant travel through the Great Basin. Rising elevation stokes greater separation from the scope of human perception, upslope fog concealing mystery as the endless grind of time and weather before it. Those native to this land know of what I describe, for urban legend began long before settlers descended the Rocky Mountains seeking fairer climes.  My introduction to this wretched place came as I found myself in service to Dr. Gregory Porter, a re...

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“Riddle of Daedalus” by Roland Hacker

Submitted to Contest #124

“I would gladly trade all of my scholarly titles and awards for greater knowledge and discovery,” said Dr. Howard Fine. The professor currently hunched over his ancient map held four Ph. Ds: Mythology, History, Anthropology, and Archeology. “Of course you would,” said Brandon. “But you really ought to find satisfaction in what you have accomplished from time-to-time. You’re going to burn out your assistants. You could probably be the most famed archeologist in the world by now if you wanted to. Back me up on this, Alyssa.” “It’s true t...

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“Tamora” by Roland Hacker

Submitted to Contest #123

“There’s someone with a delivery for the play director around back of the theater, Jerry,” “Thanks, I’ll be there in a sec,” replied Jerry. No matter his preparation or instruction, show days always proved to be the most chaotic and hectic on the schedule. The delivery being referenced was a day late, assuming Jerry was guessing correctly what he’d find behind the building. Samantha, the female lead portraying Tamora, was already half an hour late for make-up. He’d caught two stagehands, Zach and Eddie, firing up a spliff in the bathroom...

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“Share the Pain” by Roland Hacker

Submitted to Contest #117

Everything was ready for the ritual. A bizarre flame illuminated the otherwise cold, dark space with an eerie cobalt glow. Runes of meaning unknown to me were scrawled neatly in a complete circle around the hearth. I placed the stag’s skull into the center of the frigid, blue blaze; the eyes smouldered to life with sinister radiance almost immediately, while recesses of the antlers darkened with ominous blight. No amount of preparation could keep the shiver from my spine as doubt and fear inevitably crept into my conscience; my self-loathi...

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“Last Confession” by Roland Hacker

CW: Murder / gore mention Father O’Connor leaned over to grab the newspaper before ascending the church steps, the headlines identifying more victims of the serial killings that had gripped the city of Boston with fear for the past three weeks. Seemingly every day, more were found dead. The Father shook his head in disbelief and sadness as he unlocked the church doors and headed in. The serial killer had already claimed at least 15 innocent lives that the authorities knew about, or had been reported by the media at least. One of the vic...

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