Monday already?! Indeed it is, which means we are showcasing the sixth entry in CHROMOPHOBIA‘s table of contents. We’ve previously looked at five other short stories, and you can grab links to those articles at the bottom of this article! We thank each and every one of you who take the time to share this information. Support like that means everything to indie horror!
This week’s story:
“Achromatica”
by Pippa Bailey
An excerpt:
Lucas fanned himself with a magazine. “I’m going to catch it.”
Tiff tutted and signaled Iris for more water. “That’s a stupid idea.”
Iris sprayed. “She’s right.”
“We can’t stay like this. If I catch it, maybe we can find out what’s happening.”
“How do you plan to do that?”
“I don’t know, maybe the old box and stick method? It’s worked for hundreds of years.”
“Truly, you’re the next Bear Grylls.”
Lucas sniffed an armpit of his orange t-shirt. “I don’t see you doing anything but complaining.”
Tiff looked at Iris. Iris shrugged and resprayed her. “You know, you are being a bit—”
“I’m being a lot; I’m aware of that,” said Tiff. “Ok, say you catch this thing? What do you expect to do with it, huh?”
“I’d get it looked at by someone. You know, a vet or a scientist.”
Tiff laughed. “Do you know any scientists?”
“No, but that’s how it always works on tv. Someone stumbles onto a new creature or invention and contacts a scientist online, and they become a millionaire. I might not share my money with you if you’re going to be an ass. What if it’s like the missing link or Bigfoot?”
Tiff shook with laughter. “Pfft, you think it’s Bigfoot?”
“I think he means Cryptozoological,” said Iris.
“Yes, that, that’s what I meant. A cryptid.”
Iris tutted. “Me correcting you was in no way support for you trying to catch whatever it is.”
“Aren’t you curious?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe to go out there.”
“I don’t care what it is. I want my garden back,” Tiff whined.
Lucas rolled his eyes. “Realistically, what is it going to do to me?”
“The thing, or the bleaching?” asked Iris.
“Either, both, I don’t know. I mean, if I don’t touch whatever it is, and I don’t touch any white patches on the floor, I should be fine, right?”
“I guess if you don’t touch anything. I mean, I can’t guarantee anything. We don’t know what it is.”
Tiff grabbed the spray bottle from Iris and spritzed herself. “How come you trust him to go outside, but not me?”
Iris mocked Tiff. “I’ll stand outside, maybe I’ll sit in the chairs, let’s use the pool, oops, I fell on the grass.”
“Since you made such a good point for me being an idiot anyway, what if I do go out and get in the pool.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously!”
Iris screwed her eyes and clenched her fists. “Stop being such an arsehole!”
Ooft, this was pretty new; not often, Iris lost her temper.
“Right, ok, both of you aren’t helping. I’m going to use my canvas shoes.” Lucas pointed to the entirely white sneaker by the door, its twin with a similar shade of nothing. “Since my new sneakers are fucked.”
“What if you do get it on you?” asked Iris.
“I won’t.”
“Yeah, but what if—”
“I won’t.”
Pippa Bailey delivers a very interesting take on the theme of CHROMOPHOBIA, and delivers a visual twist to that old Horror chestnut: the end of the world. Apocalypse fiction, some cryptozoological mystery, and a dash of Weird all combine to really set “Achromatica” apart. Pippa Bailey is very active in the indie horror scene, and you can learn more about her and her work HERE.
You can pre-order the special hardcover edition of CHROMOPHOBIA from Rooster Republic Press HERE.
And if you’ve missed any of our previous CHROMOPHOBIA showcases, catch up at the following links:
“Hei Xian (The Black Thread)” by Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito
“Eat Your Colors” by Sonora Taylor
“Toxic Shock” by Chelsea Pumpkins
Thanks for stopping in and thanks for your interest!
In the meantime, did you know that CHROMOPHOBIA editor, Sara Tantlinger, has begun a roundtable series, featuring authors showcased in the upcoming anthology? Check out part one over at Sara Tantlinger’s website, HERE.
And remember…
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