“Stowaway” is a story about a guy on the first day of his new job who finds himself in bizarre circumstances beyond his control. Desperate to keep his job and unsure of how to resolve the situation he turns to his friend for help, but the solution may be crazier than he would’ve expected. The moral of the story: when confronted with crazy it’s always good to have crazy in your corner.
“Family Reunion” is about a teenager whose clan only holds their annual reunion on Halloween. While her friends are out getting drunk, playing pranks, and engaging in the usual reckless teen Halloween shenanigans, she is forced to hang out with her parents, kooky uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents. However, even a moody teen has to admit sometimes that their family can actually be cool.
“Stalker” is about… your new or ex-best friend? Maybe your next or ex-lover? Or maybe the crazed killer or monster lurking outside your window? It is clearly someone who has seen you in your best and worst moments, but cherishes you regardless of that. Someone who understands you better than anyone and wants to be accepted by you… or even wants to be you. Consider it a compliment.
“Something From Storybooks” is just a story about a mythical beast living in modern day and reminiscing about a time when her kind ruled the Earth. It is about a timeless being who is a prisoner to the world she once roamed freely even if she is not in captivity. Because the rulers of the world would fear her and she fears them, she conceals herself. Looking at this story now, it seems like it would reflect how a lot of people probably feel as well—to be someone great in the past who people tell stories of to this day, but knowing no one would respect who they are presently and so they hide it. Maybe I’m just rambling again, but it is a concept that I probably had in the back of my mind when I wrote this story.
“Spirit of Paranoia” is a fun little horror story that once again plays with the idea of urban legends. In this one, a boy is victim of a cruel prank played by his friends and finds himself confronted by his own worst fears—literally.
Fortunately, I did not ignore P&SI for as long as I have in the past this time, but anyways it was fun taking a look back at these stories with fresh eyes. I will most likely do another five-story post to catch up on the missing week, so there is definitely more to come. Be sure to check out Freaky and Fantastical 500 Words or Less and check back for more.