Novel Contest, for his novel Dimensions In Ego , and has published short fiction in seven Anthologies and on-line venues.
INSTINCT
SUZIE LOCKHART
Zenia woke to sunbeams cutting through cracks in the boards nailed to the windows. The brilliant rays illuminated the dust, and, just looking at them, made her sneeze. She rubbed her eyes to clear away sleep, and rolled onto her side.
An excruciating pain shot through her left arm. In order to keep from crying out, she bit down on her bottom lip until she drew blood. The coppery flavor actually tasted good on her tongue, as she licked it across the open wound.
She glanced around to be certain everyone else was asleep. They were spread out all over the wood floor, but no one else was awake. Yet.
Slowly, she rolled up her sleeve to check the scratch. Green ooze seeped from it. She grabbed a strip of cloth from her backpack and wrapped it tightly around her arm, and then slid her sleeve back down to conceal the wound.
Her survival instinct was already kicking in. She knew she should wake Carson up and ask him to shoot her, while she still could be easily killed. But she knew she wouldn’t.
She leaned against the cold brick wall, trying to think, but her ability to reason was quickly abandoning her. She looked around at the dozen or so people who had become her family during their fight for survival. What would happen to them, if she didn’t get the hell out of here?
For some, it would be the same thing that was happening to her right now.
For others . . .
Her gut clenched, the revolting, burning need already settling in the pit of her stomach. The air even smelled different, savory, evoking childhood memories of roasting hot dogs over a campfire, with her parents.
That was before the world had changed. Before the biological weapon, developed overseas, had accidentally been let loose. Before it had spread at an unbelievable rate, changing people into monsters that fed off of everyone.
And they were not easily killed once the transformation was complete.
Zenia felt saliva escape through her lips, and she coughed.
“Are you okay?” Tina, her sister, murmured.
Zenia kept her voice low. “Just go. It’s daylight now. Get to a safe place before dark.” Her emotions were quickly dissolving.
Tina–the only thing she had left.
Zenia clung desperately to her last shred of humanity.
Her sister looked into her red-rimmed eyes and let out a bloodcurdling scream. Everyone woke up, and the room exploded into mass mayhem.
Unable to fight it any longer, Zenia snatched one of the men with her newfound strength. She sank her teeth into his flesh, feeling a distant satisfaction as she watched Tina run out into the daylight.
Then, her humanity disappeared forever.
Suzie Lockhart is a 45-year-old, who aspires to write books for young adults with her 19-year-old son, Bruce. They are currently collaborating on their debut novel. She married her college sweetheart, and they reside in Pennsylvania with their four children. Her hobbies include art and jewelry design.
EVERY FIBER
PEGGY MCFARLAND
John tapped the bedroom door. After months of pursuit, Penelope had finally invited him to her chambers. He wiped his sweaty palms against his thighs before responding to her husky come in .
A gossamer sheet hinted at propriety; bare arms and legs glowed in candlelight. Lust propelled him to the bed. “I’ve waited so long.”
The perspiration sheen belied Penelope’s coquettish smile. He kissed her forehead, marveled at her translucent skin, her fluttering eyelashes, her shallow breaths.
Her nipples hardened under his gliding hand. Soft lips brushed his earlobe as her fingers unbuttoned his shirt, traced the line of hair from his chest to his navel.
“A seam,” she whispered, “holding you together.”
She scratched his sternum. He yelped, sure she drew blood, but her probing tongue distracted him. His cry shifted to a moan.
Hungry for what his fingers already
INSTINCT
SUZIE LOCKHART
Zenia woke to sunbeams cutting through cracks in the boards nailed to the windows. The brilliant rays illuminated the dust, and, just looking at them, made her sneeze. She rubbed her eyes to clear away sleep, and rolled onto her side.
An excruciating pain shot through her left arm. In order to keep from crying out, she bit down on her bottom lip until she drew blood. The coppery flavor actually tasted good on her tongue, as she licked it across the open wound.
She glanced around to be certain everyone else was asleep. They were spread out all over the wood floor, but no one else was awake. Yet.
Slowly, she rolled up her sleeve to check the scratch. Green ooze seeped from it. She grabbed a strip of cloth from her backpack and wrapped it tightly around her arm, and then slid her sleeve back down to conceal the wound.
Her survival instinct was already kicking in. She knew she should wake Carson up and ask him to shoot her, while she still could be easily killed. But she knew she wouldn’t.
She leaned against the cold brick wall, trying to think, but her ability to reason was quickly abandoning her. She looked around at the dozen or so people who had become her family during their fight for survival. What would happen to them, if she didn’t get the hell out of here?
For some, it would be the same thing that was happening to her right now.
For others . . .
Her gut clenched, the revolting, burning need already settling in the pit of her stomach. The air even smelled different, savory, evoking childhood memories of roasting hot dogs over a campfire, with her parents.
That was before the world had changed. Before the biological weapon, developed overseas, had accidentally been let loose. Before it had spread at an unbelievable rate, changing people into monsters that fed off of everyone.
And they were not easily killed once the transformation was complete.
Zenia felt saliva escape through her lips, and she coughed.
“Are you okay?” Tina, her sister, murmured.
Zenia kept her voice low. “Just go. It’s daylight now. Get to a safe place before dark.” Her emotions were quickly dissolving.
Tina–the only thing she had left.
Zenia clung desperately to her last shred of humanity.
Her sister looked into her red-rimmed eyes and let out a bloodcurdling scream. Everyone woke up, and the room exploded into mass mayhem.
Unable to fight it any longer, Zenia snatched one of the men with her newfound strength. She sank her teeth into his flesh, feeling a distant satisfaction as she watched Tina run out into the daylight.
Then, her humanity disappeared forever.
Suzie Lockhart is a 45-year-old, who aspires to write books for young adults with her 19-year-old son, Bruce. They are currently collaborating on their debut novel. She married her college sweetheart, and they reside in Pennsylvania with their four children. Her hobbies include art and jewelry design.
EVERY FIBER
PEGGY MCFARLAND
John tapped the bedroom door. After months of pursuit, Penelope had finally invited him to her chambers. He wiped his sweaty palms against his thighs before responding to her husky come in .
A gossamer sheet hinted at propriety; bare arms and legs glowed in candlelight. Lust propelled him to the bed. “I’ve waited so long.”
The perspiration sheen belied Penelope’s coquettish smile. He kissed her forehead, marveled at her translucent skin, her fluttering eyelashes, her shallow breaths.
Her nipples hardened under his gliding hand. Soft lips brushed his earlobe as her fingers unbuttoned his shirt, traced the line of hair from his chest to his navel.
“A seam,” she whispered, “holding you together.”
She scratched his sternum. He yelped, sure she drew blood, but her probing tongue distracted him. His cry shifted to a moan.
Hungry for what his fingers already
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