Apocalyptic Short Stories

The title of this book means ‘broken door’ in Latin, and within these pages you’ll definitely find doorways to other worlds, some of them broken and some… perhaps better left closed. Dive through a wormhole into the interstellar adventure of Anomalies, or visit the international space station in the surreal Patchouli Puke. Empathize with the protagonist in Five Minutes From Now who knows when people are going to die, or learn how a life lived poorly can still ultimately make a difference in The Horizon Behind. Perhaps you’re an action or horror fan? Then How Bhutan Became the ...

"Master of the World" is a "black novel," filled with foreboding and fear of the rise of tyrants such as the novel's villain, Robur, and totalitarianism. Set in the summer of 1903, a series of unexplained events occur across the Eastern United States, caused by objects moving with such great speed that they are nearly invisible. The first-person narrator John Strock, "Head inspector in the federal police department" in Washington, DC, travels to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to investigate. He discovers that all the phenomena are being caused by Robur, a brilliant inventor.

It’s the hottest winter on record, but Raymond’s demanding, bedridden mother doesn’t mind. She likes it warm. Lately, however, control over the thermostat has become a nasty struggle. And each morning that she’s still alive is a suffocating new challenge for Raymond. How high can the mercury climb before he boils over?

When hell claws its way up from the dark depths of the Earth, and the dead begin to walk again, for several people the zombie apocalypse doesn't just mean the end of the world as they know it, it is also the beginning of a brave new life for them. For some it offers freedom, for others a deeper torment and unforgiving life than they ever thought possible. The coward, the street rat, the hero, and the lovers, everyone has their place. What really decides their fate in this new existence, nature, or nurture?

The Stoker Award-winning editor of the acclaimed, eclectic anthology The New Dead returns with 21st Century Dead and an all-new lineup of authors from every corner of the fiction world, shining a dark light on our fascination with tales of death and resurrection - and with zombies!

To be born underground, in the dark, never to see the surface. That seemed to be Loreto’s fate. Born nearly half a century after the world had been destroyed by total, global, nuclear war one young man must find his destiny. He must learn what it means to be himself. Destined to become a Topsider, will he walk upon the surface? Will he be one of the brave few who work to usher humanity back to Earth’s population? Find out in Loreto: An Earth Has Fallen Short Story. See Loreto Rucker’s humble beginnings as he grows into the young man we will meet in Servidio’s Earth Has Fallen Post-...

**A HORRIFYING SHORT STORY BY THE AUTHOR OF THE MAN FROM TAURED** Stockboro Island is located just off the coast of Maine. Idyllic, peaceful. A tourist attraction during the summer months. When a biological disaster on the mainland begins to spread across the globe, the residents watch in fear. What will happen to them when they can’t communicate with the mainland? More importantly, what happens if the mainland tries to reach out to them? The residents of Stockboro will need to make some very hard decisions quickly. How far will they go to protect themselves? Their island? How far will ...

Welcome to Tisaia - the last hub of modern civilization, in a world left scorched by the nuclear fires of the Biomass Wars. Surrounded by a fortress of steel walls, and protected by a fierce and loyal Council of Royal Knights, Tisaia seems relatively safe to the average State worker and citizen. A plentiful supply of Biomass powers the cities, and food is abundant, but security has come at a terrible cost.

Following the events of Planet of the Dead, survivors of the expanding outbreak take shelter in homes and bunkers and apartment complexes. Across the world, armed police and military struggle to maintain safety. Tensions mount as the worst imaginable comes to pass when nuclear weapons are used on civilian populations overrun with the living dead.

Brace yourself for a heart-stopping journey as Dr. Allison Hayes battles an ancient evil disguised in the most innocent of melodies. Your pulse will race. Your skin will crawl. Reality itself will warp around you as you plunge headfirst into a world where every whispered note could spell doom. This cosmic horror will infect your mind, leaving you breathless, exhilarated, and forever changed. Forget everything you thought you knew about the power of music.

Matthew found Marie, now can he get her to safety? After what seemed like an eternity, Matthew's finally saved Marie. In the time since she saw him last he's been through Hell. Not only that, but he's killed a lot more people than he ever thought he would. He's ready for some reprieve. On the other hand, Marie's been held against her will and has been forced to patch up the same Fulcrum soldiers who kidnapped her. Now two parties stand between them and their sought-after safety. The Fulcrum want to hunt them down and take revenge. The invading alien Beets are just willing to take whatever ...

Earth as a new Dungeon World means opportunities and dangers galore. One of the enduring aspects of the System is the Shop, an interdimensional series of stores that compete for the opportunity to service clients and make a profit doing so. New clients on a new Dungeon World mean rare and heretofore unseen items and massive profits. No surprise that the vultures have arrived, searching for easy marks.

A collection of apocalyptic short stories that are full of surprises and horror and heroism.

A boy and his father walk on the shore of an ocean filled with bloody spears cast off from a war between gods. A father travels back in time over and over, unable to rescue the mother of his child. A mischievous satyr lurking in a dungeon has a field day with trespassing adventurers. These tales and more are in Resurrections, a compilation of short stories written by Chris Philbrook.

Undead Tales: Fifteen Thrilling Zombie Stories is the audio version of the new zombie anthology, published by the best-selling authors, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon. Get it now and start listening!

Life after the apocalypse is one daily grind after another. It's a good thing for Wendy that she's got friends - a lot of friends as a fairy summoner. But life in Exeter is not easy, even for a summoner, and the grind of daily jobs and never-ending quests is getting to her. She's got one shot at getting a place for her own, a place of safety and maybe getting ahead. But it'll require Wendy to do the one thing she swore she'd never do again.

Morning in Whitehorse, and everything is normal. All too normal. A girlfriend who loves him; an evening at the farmer’s market in Shipyard’s Park. Idyllic, relaxing, peaceful. What more could a man want? John Lee isn’t sure, but stray thoughts intrude, and memories of a different time, a different place, a different world keep intruding. Angst-ridden, exhausting memories of a world of pain and struggle. Nothing like the paradise he lives in. Now, if only John wasn’t so attracted to them.

A scientist suffering from PTSD is faced with the terrible knowledge of the impending destruction of our species. In his desperate attempts to prevent humanity's fate, he commits violent acts and is branded a terrorist. How far would you go to save the planet from annihilation? Where do humans come from and how did we get here? Scientists have theorized about the human race's origins for many years. But no one was prepared for what was found in orbit, seven ancient alien probes that have been monitoring the planet for billions of years. The data and video images recorded inside them show ...

So close, yet so far away. Still reeling from Elijah’s brutal retaliation, Sparks and the other survivors continue their ill-fated journey west. As the reach the town of Junction, the group finds that their troubles are far from over.

How will the world end? With aliens or angels? Or a groundhog? Bleak despair? Martial fervor? Or a belly laugh? Whatever the apocalypse, it will be borne by people and their families and their dogs and most of all, it will challenge their notions of themselves. This anthology includes international award-winning writers, poets, and thinkers that give you their version of the apocalypse.