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Short Stories
Reckoning
As a ten-year-old, Tyler struck a vengeful deal with an actual monster. The consequences still haunt his adult life. When the horror returns and the debt finally comes due, Tyler tries to stand his ground. © Bob Papp 2023
The Sand Wind
An unwelcomed visitor appears at the home of a former friend, seeking reconciliation for past betrayal. Her impossible return threatens the friend’s fragile existence, drawing him back into a world from which there may be no escape. © Bob Papp 2022
The Devil in Niyah's Eyes
Kimmie’s little sister, Niyah, lives in another world, muttering to herself and building strange shrines of sticks and stones. When she goes missing, Kimmie must bring her back, even if it means entering Niyah’s other world to face the evil that haunts her. © Bob Papp 2019
Flaherty's Wife
A grieving man comes home to a mysterious woman who claims to be his wife. He agrees to do her favors, as any good husband would. Though each errand brings him greater solace, each also pushes him one step further from reality. © Bob Papp 2018
Renaldo's Harvest Moon
In an earlier age, Frank and Renaldo haunted the world like gods of fear, stalking prey, reveling in their power. Now, it seems, the world stalks them. Nursing stolen liquor in the shadow of civilization, they share a final, defiant rite of rejuvenation. © Bob Papp 2017
White Rabbit
This was written to be told around a campfire, as mythology underlying the belief that if a person says "white rabbit" outloud, smoke will blow away from their eyes. Though it's a little rough around the edges, it was meant to be told from memory and embellished upon by the orator. So, in print, it's an example of how one storeyteller might share the tale. If you give it a try yourself at your next fire, just remember the waypoints of the story, and find your own way between them. © Bob Papp 2010