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Latest Stories

July 03, 2025
Poetry Markus J

The Days Of Future Dreams

the days of future dreams the flames once rose high thinking our lives would end up supreme thinking our future seemed a far of dream but in the end nothing is what it seems many times the winds of changed has blown this way one minute we`re lapping the cream…
July 03, 2025
General Stories L Christopher Hennessy

Bad Girl

Part 1I lost the entire manuscript when I assassinated my laptop with sauvignon blanc as I rubbed the lower back of a woman who dozed drunk on my bed, sweating. She was crazed, somewhere between screaming and lying about the orgasm. Bree was a miracle to me,…
July 03, 2025
Horror Stories Nelly Shulman

Black Is Our Colour

“I swear she could have been you. Look! This girl is your long-lost twin.” Fi nudged me, and I smiled. “Never had or wanted one.” I stood up. “Let’s go, or the bargain hunters will clear the shelves before us.” We dived into the vintage emporium across the…
July 03, 2025
Poetry Markus J

The Transformation

"I need a brake" words that twisted my heart- shattering the dream that we would never part. I asked myself 'what ever did I do wrong? sad, gloominess could`ve easily been my song. I wouldn't let the anger and misery grow or cultivate- uprising feelings I…
July 03, 2025
Flash Fiction Benoit

Jae

It was Jae’s birthday today. She turned eight. What a beautiful sunny girl! Hyo planned a surprise or two; Li, his wife, did too. Birthday cake, a puppy and … Don’t forget, they grinned just before he drove off. Traffic was intense. A long call came from…
July 03, 2025
General Stories Matias Travieso-Diaz

Fear

Leandro stood outside the Kroger, leaning forward as he shivered in the early March dawn. He hated this moment: the cold, the fatigue, the feeling of helplessness, the anticipation of another day ahead at his degrading job picking collard leaves under the…
July 03, 2025
Horror Stories Mihko Askiweno

Found You

Panic gripped her as she staggered up the steep, rocky incline, breath coming in jagged, shallow gasps. Sweat streamed down her face in torrents, her hair clinging to her forehead and cheeks in disheveled clumps. Her legs trembled with exhaustion, molten fire…
July 03, 2025
Poetry Markus J

Lost On The Path

But alas; sometimes I think we've lost our way- too many strayed opinions...one too many a survey. Walking on the road ahead, just following the herd of sheep- with a hypnotised mind, wide awake yet very fast asleep. While yelling...join the team of the…
July 03, 2025
Flash Fiction Benoit

The Brothers

Juan and Pascal were shipped to distant relatives on Delvina’s periodic hospitalisations. For smoking and breathing difficulties. She had been warned but could not stop. They did not understand the illness or the connection. Pascal stayed with cousins who…
June 04, 2025
General Stories Dylan James Harper

The Bylaws Of The Revolutionary Council

A loud clang rang through the bunker as the door slammed shut. “I really think we have a chance to win this thing!” Greg’s voice echoed throughout the cold walls. The three other inhabitants of the bunker, Jeff, Ben, and Malcolm, all sat around a table…
June 04, 2025
General Stories Michael Barlett

Resurrection

The man lay there in extremis, no longer thinking of cool abstracts like ‘catching the last train for the coast.’ He gulped great rasping breaths – holding them impossibly long – before finally exhaling in a shuttering burst of putrid air. He had been…
June 04, 2025
Flash Fiction Benoit

Time Warp

Nothing was in order, nothing optimal. Germany was awash with refugees and adventurers. Only Angie could hold it together; but then she opened the gates! Who knows why? Other politicians were dinosaurs in the museum. Integration was the solution, was it? That…

In 1950, Carl Bower, a thirty five year-old wildcatter, stopped drilling for oil at noon and he and his helpers took a lunch break. Before he drove his old truck home, Mr. Smithers, the banker drove up. “So, Carl, any luck?” Mr. Smithers said smirking.

“You can see I haven’t struck oil, Smithers. What do you want?”

“I just want to remind you that your note comes due on Friday. Will you have the money?”

“No, I won’t have the money. Of course, you could give me an extension.”

“An extension? You’re joking aren’t you?  What banker would give you an extension on your loan? You’re never going to strike oil, and you know it. An extension? Hah. That’s very funny. You’re a funny man. Well, I’m looking forward to tomorrow. My engineer says there’s oil here. Too bad you’re not going to see any of it,” he said, laughed out loud, got in his car and drove away.

Carl got in his truck and drove home. He went in his house and was greeted by Mrs. Morse, his house keeper. “Lunch is ready, Carl. Wash your hands and sit down and I’ll give you a bowl of hot soup.” his house keeper said as she put a bowl of soup on the table. “Any luck today?”

“Yeah, all bad. A few drops of water, and a visit from Mr. Smithers from the bank. He can’t wait for Friday when my note comes due. If I can’t pay, I’ll lose everything, and then he’ll bring in his crew.  I know there’s oil there, and he knows there’s oil there and he wants it. He has up-to-date, heavy drilling equipment and an engineer, so he’s gonna find the oil.

After eating lunch, Carl drove his rickety pickup back to the well. “Okay, guys let’s keep drilling and praying. We’ve got one week. If we don’t strike oil, we’ll all be out of work,” he said, and the men started drilling and watching for a gusher with hopeful eyes.

“Boss, our drilling equipment is too old. We’re never gonna see a gusher,” Jack said.

“I know, Jack. Unfortunately, I don’t have any more money, and I can’t get another loan, so we have to make do with what we got.”

They drilled until the last day without realizing their dream. “Well, tomorrow, Smithers takes over. He’ll come in with the latest equipment and he’ll find oil, our oil. I’ll try to sell our rig, and I’ll split the money I got left with you and my house keeper, and that will be it for money.  When Mr. Smithers comes in with his engineer and equipment, they’ll need guys like you, so try to get work with them. I wish you luck,” he said, and shook hands with everybody.

“What are you gonna do, Carl?

“Well, tomorrow I’m gonna watch Smithers and his crew, and I’m gonna hope he strikes water instead of oil. That’s what I’m gonna do. I welcome company, if you have nothing to do tomorrow,” he said, and his men promised to join him.

Thanks guys,” he said, drove home and gave Mrs. Morse the bad news.

“I’m so sorry, Carl. If only Mr. Smithers would give you more time.”

“Greed never misses an opportunity to make money. Mr. Smithers doesn’t care how many people get in the way of him making money. He doesn’t care how many people he hurts.”

“Carl, I believe in Karma. I believe he will pay for his greed. He will pay for causing pain.”

“Anyway, here’s your share of the money that’s left,” he said and gave her several bills.

“What are you gonna do?”

“Well, me and the boys are gonna to go to the site tomorrow to see Smithers drill for oil and hope he gets water. After that, I don’t know. You won’t have any trouble getting a job. Someone like you is always in demand.”

That night, about midnight, the earth around Carl’s well site caved in. After the dust cleared, hairy arms pulled hairy creatures out of the hole. They moved around as though looking for something, and went back into the ground before dawn.

Carl and his men arrived at the site at 7:00 that morning and parked their trucks far enough away so they would be able to see Smithers activities but not be trespassing.  “Hey boss, look at our site. The land around the place where we drilled caved in. You could drive a car in the hole.”

“I guess we got away from there just in time. Look. Here come Smithers and his crew,” Carl said.

Smithers and his team of workers and one engineer arrived at 7:15 and set up drilling equipment.

“Mr. Smithers, we should begin drilling over there,” he said holding a chart and pointing to a spot twenty five yards from where Carl had drilled.

“Whatever you say, Hank. You’re the expert. Tell the men what to do. I’ll watch the black gold pour out of the ground from here.”

The equipment was set up and drilling began. Late that day, Hank approached Mr. Smithers. “Sir, we’re making good progress. I calculate that we’ll strike oil in two days.”

“Okay, Hank. I can wait two days. Uh, I wonder if the men would work late today, maybe ‘til 9 or 10. Ask them and tell them I’ll pay them double.”

“Okay, I’ll ask them,” he said and went to the men. A Few moments later, he returned to Mr. Smithers. “They’ll work late, Mr. Smithers.”

“Great.  I’ll stay with them,” Smithers said.

“Well boys, it’s late. Time to go home to supper,” Carl said, and he and his men left.

That night, two, hairy creatures climbed out of the hole at Carl’s site. They stood unseen, seemed to look toward Smithers, and then ran to him, grabbed his arms and dragged him screaming toward the hole. “Help me. Someone help me,” Smithers screamed, but all the workers could do was stare in horror as the creatures pulled him screaming for help into the hole where they disappeared. After several moments, only the sounds of bones crunching, tearing sounds, and Smithers screaming were heard.  As though waking from a bad dream, Smithers’ team ran to their cars and sped away.

The next morning, Carl drove to the site to see what was going on. “Jeez, where is everybody? The drilling equipment’s here, but there isn’t anybody drilling.” He drove around the area looking for Smithers, but he couldn’t find anyone. “Well, can’t let Smithers’ drilling equipment just lie around,” he said, hurried to gather his crew, and even though he couldn’t find Smithers or his crew, he did, eventually, find oil.

 

The End

 

While teaching speech and English at a community college, Mr. Greenblatt wrote short stories and plays, one of which won a reading at Smith College.  After retiring, he wrote short stories and novellas.  Several of his stories were published in on-line magazines, and others were published in print anthologies.

 

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