Maynard & Sims (eds.) - Darkness Rising 6: Evil Smiles

[dem bones]

L H Maynard & M P N Sims (eds.) - Darkness Rising 6: Evil Smiles (Prime, 2003)

Amanda Sutton

G R Sims - Ha Ha (Introduced by Hugh Lamb).
Paul Finch - Cry Havoc
Andrew Roberts - At The Mercy Of The Metal Dragonfly
Jeremy C Shipp - Just Another Carnival Story
Justin Stanchfield - Whisky On The Grave
Robert Swartwood - Unrequited Love
Stuart Young - Playing The Odds
Kevin L Donihe - Subterranean Voices
William P Simmons - Davy
Mark R Kehl - Take It Off, Take It All Off
Pierre Louys - A Landing From The Roadstead of Nemours
G Durant Haire - Harris House
Charlie Williams - Alternative Night
Spencer Allen - Hunger
Kurt Newton - The Tree Farm
Jason Brannon - The Tongues Of Men, The Voices Of Angels
Michael Kaufman & Mark McLaughlin - Those Who Scheme Throughout the Night
Paul Edwards - A Place That The Night Can't Touch
Darren Speegle - Eyes Of Hazel, Kiss The Earth
Christian Westerlund - Rag Dolls
Paul Kane - The Procession
David Robertson - Lord Of Hosts
J. Newman - Tonight I Sing My Blues For You
Geza Csath - Father, Son

G. R. Sims - Ha Ha: (The Ring 'o Bells, 1894). Charley Peyton, popular young comedian, is tormented to insanity and self-destruction by a phantom heckler. Introduced by Hugh Lamb, who'd set the story aside for an anthology that never happened.

Paul Edwards - A Place That the Night Can’t Touch: Extracts from the diary of Louise Naughton, Gravesham, East Sussex, post-Zombie Apocalypse. In between repairing breached defences, Louise has successfully trained 'Marvin' to eat only from containers marked with round red stickers (he's big on dogfood just now). She has a good chance of survival until a panicked stranger arrives, pounding on the door, begging admittance. Gillian has been hiding out in the old tyre factory, but the Creeps eventually caught on. A narrow escape. Still, she'll be safe here!

Spencer Allen - Hunger: Anika — born with facial paralysis, dead at seventeen, raped and murdered in the long grass behind a shopping mall. Now returned from the grave – albeit only her father can see her – Anika can at last enjoy the pleasure of solid food vicariously. She's developed an insatiable appetite as a result. To dad's tearful delight, whenever he eats, his little girl's frozen lips miraculously form a smile.

Dad is gross and dangerously overweight these days.

Stuart Young - Playing The Odds: A greedy employee is forced to participate in a game of Russian roulette versus Casino owner and psychotic mobster, Frank Dawson. There can be only one winner, etc.

Justin Stanchfield - Whisky On The Grave: Eerie three-page account of an evening burial in a cemetery. The four gravediggers pay customary tribute with a bottle. Liked this and the Paul Edwards a lot. Hunger is a difficult read. All good so far.

[dem bones]

Paul Finch - Cry Havoc: Prolific author Christopher Penrose visits Towton Moor, which, on 29 March 1461, saw what is believed to be the biggest and bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil. Penrose is researching material for his next opus, working title Tides of Steel; Twenty Classic British of the English Feudal Host, a guaranteed winner with his patriotic fanbase. Driving between tiny hamlets, the author stops at a ludicrously remote bookshop specialising in first and, often, only editions relating to his specialist subject. Not a single title is familiar! The proprietor assures him that Battle Books has branches all over the country, but decides against mentioning that they are time traps. Stranded on the moor, Penrose gets a taste of the "romance," "chivalry," and "honour" of a massacre first hand.

Andrew Roberts - At The Mercy Of The Metal Dragonfly: Johnny Dane, lead vocalist and guitarist in a multiple million-selling band, en route to a radio interview. The helicopter is piloted by a joker who claims to be the Patron Saint of Rock 'n Roll stars. It's his job to see they die young and beautiful. Not getting around to Elvis before the cabaret 'n cheeseburger years is his biggest regret.

Charlie Williams - Alternative Night: Narrator is doomed to re-live the knife murders of his ex, Carly, and once-friend, Roger, after a night at Bentley's, Mumbles.

Kevin L Donihe - Subterranean Voices: Karen taking a tomb-marker rubbing in the cemetery. A woman's mournful voice from beneath the soil: "Help me! Let me out!"[/i] Initially too frightened and cowardly to help, Karen returns, armed with shovel, after nightfall ... and so wishes she hadn't.

[dem bones]

Liked these.

Géza Csáth (József Brenner) - Father, Son: On arriving home from America, Paul Getvas heads straight for the Institute of Anatomy. Paul's father recently died, and, although the clinic promised his pauper mother that they would make the necessary arrangements, Paul has since learnt that the corpse was delivered here for dissection by medical students. The young man requests that he be allowed to buy the cadaver and give it dignified burial. Hungarian author, 1887-1919, whose short stories were collected as Mesék, amelyek rosszul végződnek ("Tales which end unhappy").

Mark R Kehl - Take It Off, Take It All Off: Eddie, TJ and Oscar the ladies' man break into Zack's Shack, a derelict strip joint behind Donutland on Route 20. The trio are initially delighted when Lila, exotic dancer, slips from behind the curtain to run through her routine. Anyone care for a dance?

Christian Westerlund - Rag Dolls: "Look at you," whispered the witch. "so beautiful. Pale as death himself, all dressed in black. And your eyes too, why they almost look real. Hard to believe they were only buttons a couple of days ago, ripped from an old farmer's shirt. Heck girl, you almost look human."

Sad tale of Amber, briefly bestowed the cruel gift of life by the old gypsy woman. The goth doll briefly befriends a band of homeless kids. Existentialist despair via Enkoping. Sweden.

[dem bones]

Michael Kaufman & Mark McLaughlin - Those Who Scheme Throughout the Night: Each morning Cameron, a survivalist living rough, stops by at Tony's trailer for the free breakfast. Problem is, he's beginning to wonder about Tony. Guy seems a straight Good Samaritan, but how comes Cam's never seen his bare shoulders? Is he, too, in with the Schemers? Might have to kill him, dump his body at the arboretum with the rest.

Robert Swartwood - Unrequited Love: James loves Catherine, but his passion is not reciprocated. "What a freak," she laughs along with her friends. In despair, James approaches a witch for help in winning over the girl of his every thought. She and her two accomplices have vast experience in these matters.

Paul Kane - The Procession: Abe Fention, amiable (sack him!) landlord of The Traveller's Rest strongly advises an amateur photographer against malingering in the Derbyshire hills after sundown. Bob Greenan ignores him as a superstitious yokel, with inevitable dire consequences.

David Robertson - Lord Of Hosts: An army chaplain rediscovers his faith when faced with a seemingly indestructible unmanned Panzer in France.

[dem bones]

Pierre Louys - A Landing From The Roadstead of Nemours: Mahmoud skewers wife, Djouhera, and latest lover to the floor with a single cutlass blow. She dies ecstatic, thanks him over and over for ensuring she dies at her happiest — which he, assuredly, will not.

G Durant Haire - Harris House: Luke falls under the evil spell of the long derelict mad house atop Harrisville Hill. Whiny wife Heather is suddenly very killable.

Kurt Newton - The Tree Farm: Craig, wife Janey, and two daughters visit the farm to select this year's festive tree. Why do they delight so in rejecting his choices as too thin/ fat/ tall/ short/ ugly/ green/ not green enough? Why, as a special Christmas present, can't he be the centre of attention just for once?

J. Newman - Tonight I Sing My Blues For You: Blues great Blind Dawg Melton returns from the grave to perform midnight gigs. His audience; the recently bereaved, whose loved ones have joined him in the soil of Sleepy Meadows.

[dem bones]

Last four. Very entertaining selection. Particularly impressed that the editors can throw in three vintage horrors and they fit in just fine with the rest. Good to see that Hugh Lamb was an admirer.

Jeremy C. Shipp - Just Another Carnival Story: The bereaved parents of children killed in a bus tragedy are reunited when the Carnival returns to town, each in turn manipulated aboard the Haunted Cart. The clowns, rejected by the afterlife as the Impure ones, systematically deprive them of their souls.

Jason Brannon - The Tongues Of Men, The Voices Of Angels: University students Ellen and Trace test Professor Engalls breakthrough software, designed to translate what the angels have to say when they communicate through a human receptacle. Their guinea pig is Sister Lisa, who has taken to "speaking in tongues" during mass, though it is unclear whether she is possessed, schizophrenic or nymphomaniac. To complicate matters, Brother Hawkins believes the church to be under attack from a powerfully evil something beneath the catacombs.

Darren Speegle - Eyes Of Hazel, Kiss The Earth: A professional baby farmer learns to care for his merchandise when both are abducted by cowled cultists.

William P. Simmons - Davy: The neighbours shun Paul and Mary on account of their little boy, a sadistic psych in Smurfs pyjamas. Now Davy's dead, and things are a whole lot worse.