Welcome, dear readers, to the HALLOWEEN special edition of APOCALYPSE CONFIDENTIAL. Halloween is, as Scottish poet Robert Burns said, "thought to be a night when witches, devils, and other mischief-making beings are all abroad on their baneful midnight errands." It is the ultimate liminal space: not just a transition from autumn to winter, but between … Continue reading A SPECIAL PRESENTATION: HALLOWEEN 2021
Category: HALLOWEEN
Though The Witches Are All Hung
June 26th, 1977 The red brick obscenity rose up seven stories against the feverish New York City skyline. Dilapidation was the apartment’s principle character, though beneath the grime and squalor a strange dignity remained; hinting at the structure’s queer tenacity, its utter unwillingness to yield wholly to the ravages of time. Built in the style … Continue reading Though The Witches Are All Hung
Thirteen Apples
The four young people stood around a wooden table, one per side. Heather had red hair and curves, Jason was stick thin with long hair and chin scruff, Cara was petite with purple hair, and Lorin’s head was buzzed. The table was bare but for thirteen apples, all arranged in a neat row. “You’re first,” … Continue reading Thirteen Apples
Souvenirs From Dead Man’s House
It was Wednesday evening at 461 High Dr. on an otherwise quiet week; when we say quiet, we mean nothing had deviated from the usual chaos and jittery thrill seeking the gang was accustomed to. Like slobbering dogs the boys were getting drunk playing Gin Rummy on the coffee table while the girls gossiped outside … Continue reading Souvenirs From Dead Man’s House
Semen World
The SeaWorld dolphin enclosure always had a smell of semen to it. A combination of the stinking fish fed to the dolphins and the cutting bleach from the janitor’s custom-cleaning-detergent created the horrible scent. Joseph found himself breathing through his mouth every time his patrol route made its way east, past the manta-ray hut and … Continue reading Semen World
Sailor’s Knoll
I The looters came in mobs, raiding homes and stores. At first, wakes of broken glass and the occasional vehicle fire. Then the cops stopped patrolling, and now there are bodies splayed in the roads and doubled over fences. No coroners in navy blue windbreakers. Instead, dogs tearing at the flesh. Rats and racoons. All … Continue reading Sailor’s Knoll
The Rat-Man of Yellowdale Industrial
He was a singularly odd shaped man, reminiscent of a sort of Innsmouth type but rodentlike rather than piscine. His shoulders were grotesquely rounded, in the manner of a quadruped almost, like an otter or squirrel, his short arms projected forward and down, no hint of the Germanic squareness one considers the norm. His spine … Continue reading The Rat-Man of Yellowdale Industrial
Prince of Putridity
Hangover be damned, I hopped out of bed and slinked over to the bathroom in the nude, ready as ever for another day. I’d installed a makeshift kitchenette in the upstairs bathroom, right on the ledge of the scum-lined tub, and while I emptied myself I prepared a modest breakfast. As I sat on the … Continue reading Prince of Putridity
Palm Sunday
“Who’s the exorcist for the archdiocese?” “Silva.” “Yeah. When’s he coming?” “He can’t.” “Then who’d you ask?” “Sacred Brotherhood of Francis Borgia.” “Borgia? He’ll be lucky to keep his intestines.” Maldonado stood up and went over to the table. It was spread with sweetbread, egg tarts, queijadas, and a jar of coffee milk. “I’m about … Continue reading Palm Sunday
The Night Guest
The bedroom was illuminated only by a clouded Apollo in a silver cage. At a glance, Anja could identify a number of unusual things about this creature. For one, the fact that it was glowing at all, a flame of blue indignation licking at the dusty darkness. Not only that, the colour of its light … Continue reading The Night Guest