The Horror of Shakespeare #24 - What light through yonder window breaks

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Good morrow my dear friends, with a quote like this one, of course I went with vampires :)

What light through yonder window breaks

"While the chase has been delightful, my dear, I tire of it. Surrender, you will enjoy it."

Paul backed off, but thudded into the wall. When Hector had come for him, he had run, but now there was nowhere to go. It was ironic that a vampire claimed to love the son of a vampire hunter.

Paul was sure Hector had no idea what love really was.

He closed his eyes as the monster stepped in closer. He expected a bite, what he got was a scream as daylight crept over the windowsill.

Maybe his plan had worked after all.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #23 - The course of true love never did run smooth

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Hello again, I have a ghostly tale for you this evening.

The course of true love never did run smooth

Benjamin watched Melanie take bite into her cream cake and sighed.

"Seriously, do you have to do that?" Leo complained.

"But I love her."

"She's alive, you're dead, get over it."

Even as Leo spoke Melanie began to go a funny colour, making odd croaking sounds.

"Well maybe not," Leo said, "she's choking."

If Benjamin had had a heart it would have been pounding. Maybe there was a chance? If Melanie died… but no, he could not let that happen. Reaching out a spark jumped from his finger to Melanie and a piece of unchewed choux flew across the room.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #20 #21 & #22

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

My apologies for not posting over the weekend, I have been really busy proof reading and designing a new cover that I have barely been online. I did write the drabbles though, and here are all three :)

Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be

Ashley knew Katie had exactly the necklace she needed to set off her outfit. Problem was, Katie was out for the day. Then again, Ashley was sure Katie wouldn't mind, they borrowed each other's stuff all the time.

So she snuck into Katie's room, mentally apologising as she went.

The necklace was right there on the dresser. She picked it up and placed it round her neck.

"Oh yes, you'll do."

She turned to try and find the owner of the voice.

"I'm going to enjoy you."

The metal of the necklace pieced her skin and her mind was invaded.

We are Such Stuff as Dreams are Made On

"Bill stop!"

All he could do was stare as Mary grabbed the hat pin he had been using to repeatedly stab his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Have to stay awake," he said, already feeling the edges of darkness in his mind. "Mustn't sleep."

"I'm calling an ambulance."

"No," but she was already turning away.

The hospital would make him sleep. The monsters would be there, waiting for him in his dreams. They were supposed to be make believe, but he had played the game, he had opened the door. The monsters would come and make him one of them.

A Horse! A Horse!

Scotland was such a wonderful place, Nancy was enjoying her holiday immensely. The locals were friendly enough, but also a little odd. They had warned her not to go near the loch during the full moon, but she was a naturalist at heart and she wanted to see the nightlife.

She was being rewarded with the sight of something huge. At first she thought stag, then she saw horse features. It was magnificent, even if, given its size, it had to be domesticated.

Only when she saw red eyes and fangs up close, did she realise how wrong she was.

The Horror of Shakespeare #19 - The Better Part of Valour is Discretion

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Good evening, running late again today, sorry. Today we have vampires again :D

The better part of valour is discretion

The crossbow pointed at her heart made Henrietta think her night was not going to go well.

"Prepare to die, spawn of Satan," the vampire hunter said.

She just about manage not to roll her eyes. These fanatics were all the same.

"I have never had anything to do with Satan in my life," she said, "and that's a very long time."

Just as she was about to move there was a 'schtck' sound and the hunter fell over, looking comically startled. She couldn't really miss the small dart sticking out of his neck.

"You're welcome," said a disembodied voice

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The Horror of Shakespeare #18 - If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Good afternoon - this one had no gore or monsters, just horror *evil grin*. I do hope you enjoy it.

If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On

It was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the music festival in the park was amazing, and you were there. It was the best day of my life.

We danced, we sang, we ate the best food. Truly love was in the air.

Then one careless driver took it all away, and He came.

As you died he asked me what I wanted. I said I wanted the day over again so I could change it.

He laughed and granted my wish.

The day is always beautiful, the music always sweet, but you have died 107 different ways.

If anyone would like to join in, please do!

P.S. I am so sorry if you are waiting for replies from me - I will get to them.

The Horror of Shakespeare #17 - The Lady Doth Protest Too Much

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

I forgot to post this yesterday! I am so sorry. I'm in the middle of reading through final proof of paperbacks and it's breaking my brain!

I went for something a little different for this one - the old serial killer in a limited setting trope :)

The Lady Doth Protest Too Much...

"One of you did it," Nancy said, waving the gun between the two girls.

"It wasn't me," Emma protested, "you know I could never hurt anyone."

"Neither could I," Mary said, face full of hurt.

"You've always been the evil twin," Emma insisted, stepping away from her sister.

Nancy had to swing the gun further to cover them both.

"I'm not," Mary wailed and began to cry.

"We're the only three left it has to be one of you."

"Or…"

The gun dropped from suddenly lifeless fingers.

"…we're both the evil twin," Mary finished as her sister wiped her knife.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #16 - The Evil That Men Do Lives After Them

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Greetings :) Today we have zombies. Brains!

The Evil That Men Do Lives After Them

Horror was all Gemima could feel at the sight that greeted her in her father's lab. Pure, unadulterated horror.

The three shambling creatures standing over her father's bloody corpse turned at the sound of her entrance.

"No," was all she could whisper.

The faces, once so familiar, were saggy and grey, with eyes empty of life. When her school friends had vanished, she'd thought they'd run off on a road trip like they had always said they would. But they had been reduced to nothing more than experiments.

Her father was dead, but they were something else, something terribly dangerous.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #15 - Cry “havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war.

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Hello on this rainy Monday, I hope everyone is well. Today I mixed it up a bit, with vamps and werewolves :)

Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the Dogs of War

It wasn't that Justin had anything against werewolves personally, it was just they made such a mess. Yes, pointing them at a target and telling them they could indulge their basest instincts made a definite point.

But there was no way the blood was ever coming out of his lovely cream carpet.

He looked away as his minions did their work.

Sometimes acting as the law in the supernatural community was so tiresome. Being the eldest vampire in the city, however, it was a responsibility he could not shirk.

He was going to have to redecorate the whole office now.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #14 - To Thine Own Self Be True

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Good evening again - today has been so busy, but I got to my drabble eventually :D. The moral of this story, is don't treat your staff with disrespect.

To Thine Own Self Be True

Marion took a deep breath.

"Please don't shout at me," she said, in as pleasant a tone as she could manage.

"Why? You worthless idiot. One thing, I asked you to do one thing and you screwed it up."

"Sir," she tried again, "that was not what…"

"Are you trying to say I'm lying?"

"Mistaken…"

"You're fired!"

"Fired?"

"Yes, get out."

Marion felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

"Gladly," she said as the chains of loyalty in her head snapped.

The beast within her rose, no longer fettered. Fur erupted from her body, long fangs descended, and she attacked.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #13 - Some Cupid kills with arrows

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Good evening all - I'm a bit late today because I've been proof reading my final draft for one of my new paperbacks, but I got here in the end :). More ghostly goings on today - I hope you enjoy it. 

Some Cupid Kills with Arrows

The Ouija board flipped, throwing the pointer across the room.

"You said you loved me."

Dan twisted as icy breath ghosted over his ear.

"Who's there?"

"Who do you think, Lover?"

"Which one of you did that?" he demanded, looking at his friend.

It was just a stupid game, none of it had been real, but they stared back at him. There was terror in every gaze.

"Come with me, my love," the voice said.

An icy hand seemed to reach into his chest.

"You promised me your heart."

"You're not real," he screamed, even as that hand slowly squeezed.

If anyone would like to join in, please do!

The Horror of Shakespeare #12 - The Is Nothing Either Good or Bad

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Ghosts! Ghosts I say... yep, today it a haunted little tale. I hope you enjoy it.

The Is Nothing Either Good or Bad

I wish I could say the good go to heaven and the bad are punished, or rehabilitated, or something, but I'm stuck haunting my old office, so I have no idea. A filing box fell on me from a top shelf. Ridiculous I know.

There was a bright light and everything, but I was too confused to go. By the time I realised what was happening the light was gone.

Haunting can be fun though. I have Ralph from purchasing convinced I'm a demon come for his soul. That'll teach him to sexually harass his co-workers. Take that Mr Handsy.

If anyone would like to join in, please do!

The Horror of Shakespeare #11 - Life's But a Walking Shadow

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Hello and welcome to day 11 of The Horror of Shakespeare. Today we have a little fanfic drabble based on Dracula - so yep, vampires for the third time. I make no excuses ;)

Life's But a Walking Shadow

Pain, everything was pain. Lucy threw her arms out to fend it off, but hit something flat and hard. After that it only took her a moment to realise the pain was a phantom, remembered thing, which quickly evaporated.

She was surrounded by darkness, but not afraid.

"'Arise, my beauty," the words of her count drifted into her mind.

As she listened the world outside was alive as it had never been. She could feel the lives awaiting her touch and, without a second thought, she embraced the darkness inside. Her body became incorporeal and she floated from her coffin.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #10 - Off with his head!

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Where has the week gone? Now contrary to popular belief, the quote today is not from the Queen of Hearts, it's from Richard III :)

Off With His Head!

The psychic had said they needed the eye of the peacock to destroy the ghost. They'd found the sword hidden in the statue of the bird in the garden, and the hilt was made to look like a peacock feather.

But, as Cally stabbed it through Sir John MIllingborne, the raging phantom didn't so much as slow down.

"It's not working," she yelled.

The ghost appeared every 23 years, killing one of her family. Cally refused to let it go on.

"The neck g… the neck," Bethany shouted over the maelstrom, "…hanged."

Cally pulled her arm back, prayed and swung.

If anyone would like to join in, please do!

The Horror of Shakespeare #9 Misery Acquaints a Man...

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Good morrow! I hope everyone is well. Today we have zombies!

Misery Acquaints a Man with Strange Bedfellows

Jamie pulled at the board over the door. The nails squealed as they were ripped out of the wall, but he didn't care anymore. He didn't want to go on alone.

Hope was dead.

No one was coming.

All his friends were buried in the basement with their skulls smashed in.

Wrenching the handle he threw the door open in broad daylight for the first time in months. He cocked the shotgun with the last precious amo and stepped out into the sunlight.

The shambling hoard turned at the noise. With a grin he blew the first one's head off.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #8 - Uneasy Lies the Head

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

Happy Monday to one and all - hope your week has started off well. Today I have a spooky tale for you. I don't know about the rest of the world, but in the UK we have several real life ghost stories with a similar premise.

Uneasy Lies the Head

Amanda opened the cupboard and screamed.

"What's wrong," Max, her girlfriend, dashed in from the other room. "Oh."

"Oh, that's it 'oh'? That… that…"

Inside the cupboard, between two sets of books, was a shrivelled head, compete with stringy, black hair.

"Sorry," Max apologised, "should've warned you. That's Steven."

"That is a mummified head."

"Well yes. He's an ancestor beheaded during the civil war. If his head leaves the house bad things happen."

"Like how?"

"Screams, throwing things, the works. Usually he lives downstairs, he must have wanted to meet you."

Amanda had no idea how to respond to that.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #7 - Brevity is the soul of wit

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

And we've made it to Sunday! 🎃Vampires again today.

Brevity is the soul of wit

I'll let you into a secret, immortality can be so dull. You'd think, infinite time, infinite things to learn, but the human brain really likes to screw with everyone, even vampires. We mightn't be human any more, but that's the way we started.

You know how when you have a deadline you can get huge amounts done faster than you thought possible? Imagine what it would be like to never have a deadline ever again. That's immortality.

I can procrastinate for centuries.

What I need is an injection of mortality in my life. Time to find a new mortal companion.

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The Horror of Shakespeare #6 - I am One Who Loved Not Wisely

Every day in October I will be posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespeare Quote. 

🎃Happy Saturday one and all! Hope you are having a good weekend. Today I have a ghostly horror for you.

I am One Who Loved Not Wisely

Natalie screamed. The room exploded, slamming everything against the walls. Lynn, Rick's new wife, fainted as he reared back from her, turning.

"Now you see me," Natalie yelled at Rick, enjoying his terror. "Not so gone, Darling. I won't let you do it again."

"Yo…you can't be here, you're…"

"Dead, I know," she said, as the power swirled through her soul. "And tonight, so are you."

She curled her righteous anger around his hand and the knife he'd been about to use. To the cops it would look like he'd stabbed himself in the heart in a fit of remorse.

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