Short Game

Nick Antosca's The Girlfriend Game is a tumble through the looking glass into a vortex of violence and desire. The 12 stories in the newest collection by the Shirley Jackson Award-winning author are brutal, urgent and unforgettable. In "Predator Bait", a decoy in a sex-sting news show questions her job and the man who shares her bed. An undependable son watches his mother become a creature he hardly recognizes in "Amphibian". A young man plots the death of his girlfriend's killer in "Winter Was Hard".

For over a month, he's been counting down, anticipating the promise circled in red Sharpie on their calendar. In a marriage that's evolved from vanilla beginnings into something far more complex, Ben has learned to serve, to watch, and most painfully, to wait. Dana enjoys her freedom, her rotating cast of impressive lovers, and—most of all—her husband's unwavering devotion through it all. She rewards his patience just once a year, on his birthday, with the ultimate gift: herself. But first, she makes him earn it. When Dana's favorite lover arrives unexpectedly on Ben's special night, ...

Come with me on a walk through the graveyard. What will we find? A song that gets stuck in your head and just won't go away--and there's a sinister reason why...A cat that continues to bring gifts in the form of dead birds and mice--and other things...A junkyard where the old cars aren't exactly what they appear to be...A vinyl record collector who just has to have that one special album, regardless of the price...A prescription drug that has side effects that were never listed on the label...and Brackett Hollister once again finds himself lost in the dreaded Black Swamp--can Chula save him...

Every thirty years, an ancient god hosts a very dangerous game. After Ryder Copeland wakes in a hospital after a suicide attempt, two people immediately try to murder him. A woman named Juliet saves his life and then reveals that he succeeded in his suicide after all. They’re both dead, but a mad god has granted them five more days of life... if they’re willing to kill for it.

Nothing is as it appears when Nightshade, a deadly samurai assassin, accepts a seemingly easy contract on his brother. Who can he trust when he is betrayed by his employer? A Samurai Cyberpunk Saga.

Maxine was made to do one thing: die. Except the minor non-player character in the world Riley is building makes her own impossible decision - veering wildly off course and exploring the boundaries of the map. When the curious Riley extracts her code for closer examination, an emotional relationship develops between them. Soon Riley has all new plans for her spontaneous AI, including bringing Max into the real world. But what if Max has real-world plans of her own?

Showcasing the best of Ernest Hemingway’s short stories including his well-known classics - as featured in the magnificent three-part, six-hour PBS documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick - this new collection is introduced by award-winning author Tobias Wolff.

Four cousins spend an unforgettable summer night on a beach that may or not be haunted.

“This country wasn’t built on good—only fought for with good intentions.” Jack’s dying mother told him, “Run and never look back.” He spent his life amassing wealth, but after losing his family, he has no one to share it with. Alone with his demons and a backpack, he heads to South America, where people with nothing teach him what matters. After thrashing his dog-abusing boss, Hunter learns of his father’s death in a mysterious fire. Biker buddies Nugget and Itch ride with him from North Carolina to California.

Nurse Nina: Filled Deep It's my very first day on the job working for the rich Mr. Manner. My boss Dr. Ardeen embarrasses me by performing an intimate physical exam. I'm stretched and probed. But that isn't the worst, my employer Mr. Manner is present and is watching my dirty initiation. Later that night, I'm given my first night watch over Mr. Manner. It's supposed to be easy and uneventful but Mr. Manner has one of his episodes and needs my help. Dr. Ardeen directs me on the intimate therapy I have to administer. I am not sure I can submit to such behavior. But he won't let me get away ...

I am paralyzed with dread and uncertainty as I stand in the cold and bare examination room. I turn to face the metal contraption, a strange combination between a table and a chair with leather restraints at the foot and head area. I shiver and look at the large mirror covering almost half of one wall. The door opens with a squeak. I turn to face the person who has purchased me. I suck in a sharp breath. I know the man, everyone knows him. His name is Darian Brandt. He is tall, has broad shoulders, and has an aura of authority surrounding him. He is wearing a black suit that is tailored to ...

Understand the vibrant world of the Hindi language with this engaging audiobook collection designed specifically for language learners! Whether you're a beginner or at an intermediate level, this carefully curated compilation brings together a variety of fun and educational audio resources to enhance your Hindi skills. Inside, you'll discover a mix of short stories read aloud in simple yet captivating Hindi, allowing you to build vocabulary and grasp sentence structures naturally through listening. Each story is followed by key words and a full English translation to reinforce learning.

Set in the Rocky Mountains, Legends of the Fall is the epic tale of three brothers and their lives of passion, madness, exploration, and danger at the beginning of World War I. In Revenge, love causes the course of a man's life to be savagely and irrevocably altered. And in The Man Who Gave Up His Name, a man named Nordstrom is unable to relinquish his consuming obsessions with women, dancing, and food.

A tale of grim realism, “The Fugu Feast” was originally published in On the Premises magazine (November 2012). This dark short story offers an inside look at a fictional suicide camp.

Come with me on a journey into the dark distance. What will we find waiting? A wooden soldier that is much more than the toy it appears to be... A father who wants nothing more than the forgiveness of his abused son... The most tragic automobile accident in history... A trip to Mexico that is anything but a relaxing vacation... A tower with a valuable jewel that turns out to be not what's expected... A vampire who finds faith can come in many forms... An interplanetary outpost haunted by a rogue alien... A serial killing shaman who takes refuge in the most dangerous swamp on the planet, ...

Ten excited guests arrive at the Westlake Estate, expecting a lavish retreat. They are the winners of a sweepstakes to "Live Like a Billionaire for a Week." But what was supposed to be a promising escape soon turns into a horrific nightmare. Within hours of arrival, the guests sit down for an extravagant dinner. When they pull their party poppers as instructed, a loud chorus of bangs resounds, followed by earsplitting screams as the guest seated at the head of the table bursts into flames and slumps to the floor.

"The things you're having me do… I was such a good girl before you came along." Abbi and her hunky older neighbor have always shared a close bond, playing all manner of friendly games with one another. Now that she's full-grown with some lovely adult parts, it's time to up the ante of their playtime… What begins as a perverted round of peekaboo leads to a risky game of pull-out, and they'll keep playing until her bumped belly spells game over. ~5900 words

An anthology celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Predator franchise, If It Bleeds includes 17 brand new, never-before-seen or heard stories featuring the Predators throughout space and time. Based entirely on the original films, novels, and comics, Predator: If It Bleeds reveals the Predators stalking prey in 12th-century Japan, ninth-century Viking Norway, World War I, Vietnam, the Civil War, Hurricane Katrina, and the modern day, as well as across the far reaches of future space.

The hunter becomes the hunted. You listened to The Most Dangerous Game in high school and college, but you've never experienced Richard Connell's classic short story like this before! As part of our Otio Dramatized Classic series, Otio Stutios has transformed this iconic story into a full-cast audio production skillfully assembled by world-class sound designer Brandon Leith and executive producer George Caudill.

Bryce’s fellow attorney and partner in their firm, Tom Middleton, experience the death of his son who is found out to be a mule for a drug cartel trading arms for drugs. The boy is killed in a violent way, and Middleton finds out that one of the firm’s biggest clients is involved. Middleton confronts the owner and later is accused of his murder. Tom asks Bryce to be a part of his legal team. Bryce begins to investigate the murder. As he investigates, he discovers that lots of other people had the motivation to kill the deceased. Bryce finds out that Mrs. Juarez was more involved than ...