Tonatiuh Duran Meza

“The eighth body” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #105

Copper saw the eighth victim of a murder spree he had began taking great interest in. While the media covered each death as just another in a long list of gang related casualties, part of him doubted that was really the case. The reporter was quite familiarized with the violent history of the city and, by extension, the very distinctive signatures and modus operandi of said gangs, long before covering them in the next day tabloids. It was a sad truth about the state of things, but it was because of that familiarity with violence and crime th...

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“And the devil gave comfort” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #104

“Are you coming tonight?” Daniel heard Kate say on the other side of the line. And while he found much enjoyment from teasing the poor girl, he decided not to make a comment on how nervous and meek her voice sounded at the moment. Just as he was about to answer however, he was interrupted by the sound of a power drill reading up before he could even get a word in. Growling to no one in particular, he quickly closed the door from the room behind him shut, making the reinforced frame shake behind the force he’d put. Daniel counted his blessin...

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“Beautiful nightmare” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #103

Laura didn’t know if she was dreaming or not because of what was standing before her, it had been so long since her mind could be relied on. Drifting between consciousness and dreams, the fine line between both states of mind blurred in a dangerous mess that left her vulnerable to even the slightest of influences. Yet something inside of her told her that what she was seeing wasn’t a dream, despite how impossible it was to believe. Right in that moment, the woman of her literal dreams stood in front of her in all her horrifyingly beautiful s...

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“The vanished” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #103

Divinidad had seen its fair share of strange coincidences or events, more so than the legend riddled Churchwood, yet none like this. Robert had seen weird things while serving as a police officer responding on calls, some too grotesque and morbid to even think about without severe repercussions on his psyche again, and while no one at the station wanted to admit it, many of the cases were locked away for good because there was no explanation for them. That was a lie of course, there was an explanation but it wasn’t reasonable, more so groun...

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“Cooper” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #103

Cooper was pale after having picked up the last photograph he had dropped in his frenzy of getting so much information from an unexpected informant. Part of him wanted to vomit on the floor because of sudden realization of just how deep he was in the matter to turn back, vile and breakfast already on the back of his throat waiting for release. It never came however, the reporter having to steel himself and his will as to not break now, not after how long he’d been on the trail of these killers. Yet it wasn’t the picture itself that made him...

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“The stranger of St. Moore street” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #102

Chruchwood is a small college town, home of the proud and renowned Kabata university. The sort of town where everyone knows everybody, be it students or teachers, that sense of community and solidarity was easily found in everyone. A town so lackluster and uneventful that upon discovering its rich history and obscure myths surrounding it and the ever ominous Blood hills in the outskirts, one would wonder where all that dark allure had gone. Despite it all, utter peace, bordering in ethereal and divine ruled over silent the town, making it b...

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“Hunting duty” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Daniel understood the line of thought of his employers when they began to shift his role in the organization, though that didn’t mean he wouldn’t miss the splendid meals served during each target’s last moments. Despite not being as celebrated as the other divisions in their association, it was an essential part of their work, something which the prior assigned individuals in hunting duty failed to understand. Looking at the woman he’d been following for quite some time now, the cold, calculating part of his mind quickly took over. He’d re...

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“Ritual of the abyss gazer” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #101

It was supposed to have been nothing more than a cheap thrill for them, a stupid game to play on Halloween night just to get a scare or a high of adrenaline, but not once did they believe it would have worked. They had done everything the ritual had suggested, followed every instruction in order to avoid the supposedly horrible consequences if they didn’t. Supposedly, the description of the game had stated that if done correctly five orbs of red would glow from the other side of the mirror, and each and every one of them could ask whatever t...

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“Last meal” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #100

The scent of delicious food filled his nose as he started waking up, the sound of chains rattling on par with every move he made. The entire room was shrouded in darkness save for where he was seated, an overhanging chandelier at the exact center of a table casting just enough light for both ends and every tray and plate on to be illuminated. While somewhere inside there of the room the sound of classical music came out of unseen speakers, the quality of each piece far too tarnished by the poor quality of the loudspeakers and the rebound of ...

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“Repression” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #99

Everything became a hazy mess after the name came through the other end of the phone, the word ringing inside of my head after going for so long without being affected by it. It had been years since I had gone to Ruidoso with my family, years since we had found a bit of solace from being disconnected from the commodities of the modern world for just a few days. The calming forests and the imposing yet beautiful sight no amount of photos could ever capture, making anyone who saw them wish for more than just memories of that place. That year ...

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“Fading Stars” by Tonatiuh Duran Meza

Submitted to Contest #98

He’d tried to warn everyone close to him, tried and fail to convince them that something big was coming towards them. The increasing obsession for this catastrophic event severing all ties with those he sought to warn from the coming darkness, leaving him alone with the terrible knowledge of the inevitable fate that would befall everything. His fingers flew over the keyboard in a frantic attempt of conveying as best everything he had seen happen time and time again in his dreams, the typing growing faster with each paragraph describing a hel...

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