This is a small collection of poems, poems that both bend and analyze reality, poems that aim to break open the imagination.Thor and his life long friend Balder venture into the realm of the Frost Giants. There they discover a place long hidden from the world of men. a place of mystery, intrigue, and tragedy, when secrets of the past are revealed that, unknown to Thor, will set him on the path of his destiny.

On a rainy night, a man in a desperate hurry nearly hits another. He swerves, saving the other man's life, but consequently totals his own car. Luckily, the other's car is nearby and he is happy to give the other a ride, but soon enough, strange events begin to happen, both in and out of the car, and suspicions begin to grow between the two.Scarecrows have a creepy mystique about them. They’re lifeless, yet resemble us. Despite their positive utility (I assume they do keep birds from eating crops though I haven’t observed a scarecrow long enough to really know firsthand), a person will usually stumble upon one that appears neglected, tattered and worn. They’re often spotted from afar in lonely, desolate, out-of-the-way places and their eyes seem to follow passersby. Did its head turn, too, or was it just that its head and neck have loosened from its stranglehold upon the post it was hung from? Their bodies are often discovered unnaturally twisted -- victimized by the elements, birds or other hungry, curious animals. Doesn’t it sometimes look that like they tried to wriggle free?Coming across a scarecrow can really help bring out the imagination! Imagine being lost or stranded with no sign of civilization around and coming across a scarecrow whose better days are far behind him. It almost looks desperate, hanging up there, angry, with nothing to lose. Patiently waiting to escape, life can’t get much worse than a scarecrow’s version of being nailed to a post eerily resembling a crucifix. The buzzing of insects and the brushing together of the wheat and corn in the swaying wind are the only sounds you hear for miles. You are more than aware that you are alone and as vulnerable as that poor bag of twisted, tormented, human straw staring down at you.You approach cautiously, then its sunken eyes suddenly open, and it comes alive. Anger lights up his suddenly human eyes. The expression on its face turns into a twisted smile. You step back, dumbfounded, as the scarecrow tears itself from its cross with one thing on its mind -- revenge. Halloween and Indian folklore can definitely make for an interesting combination!

A group of young trick-or-treaters are up and ready for a night of Halloween scares, but they never expected that all the real fun would take place the next day...After seventeen-year-old Russell Whitford confronts and kills a rabid dog, he seeks to prevent the news from reaching the dog's owner, whose hair-trigger temper is well-known in the small town of Riley, Alabama. Russell can count on silence from two of the three witnesses who watched him hack Hector Graham's Bloodhound to death, but the third, Michael O'Brien, isn't like the other two. His allegiance isn't as fixed as Russell would like it to be.When the Centers for Disease Control arrive in town, and dogs begin running away, and gun shots start ringing out in the dead of night, Russell's summer goes from bad to worse. All he wants to do is play his piano and guitar, maybe walk his dog every now and then, not have the weight of the universe hoisted upon his shoulders.

A woman is discovered brutally killed in her bedroom, and her brother-in-law has an idea of who did it, thanks to a blood-soaked feather found outside her window.Princess Capability was shocked when Prince Messycloak proposed marriage. After all, all of her other suitors had run away screaming, when she tried to organise them. However, there was still the problem of slaying a dragon, to deal with first. Before they could live, 'Happily Ever After'

A psychiatrist is sent to convince a young, painfully reclusive woman to leave her house, but soon comes to find that being a shut-in may be the least of her problems, as well as his.After Nathan is dumped by his girlfriend, he encounters a strange Taoist priest, and has many interesting debates throughout the night, but the next morning he finds that he has been transported fifteen years into the future. A revolutionary technology enables people to live and work in cyber space. People no longer want or need to drive cars, fly overseas, take drugs, smoke, eat junk food or worry about casual sex, because they can now do all of these things in a digital paradise. Nathan has a difficult time adjusting to the new world order. During a night out in a bar in cyber space a group of people attack a pretty girl and her mates. Nathan helps the girl fight off her attackers and discovers that he not only has super fighting skills but the girl he saved is Mary, the most wanted terrorist in the world. Now Nathan’s life is in turmoil. He has to decide whether to help the government destroy the terrorist organization that is responsible for the threat of global warming returning, or assist Mary in destroying the digital world that could ultimately lead to the end of humanity. The line between right and wrong is no longer clear and Nathan possesses the ultimate power to change the future. This story blends adventure, Kung-Fu and gun battles, and a heart-wrenching romance all mixed together in a new science fiction romance like you have never read before. Experience Nathan’s happiness, sadness, self-discovery and the struggle between life and death in this astonishing futuristic world.

The boy had to keep running, had to find a way out of the nightmarish building that had entrapped him for years now, but then he found someone, someone who could use his help in the fight for her life, and maybe, just maybe, help him in the fight for his freedom.In the midst of an invasion, Don Mourning is abducted from Amaranthine, the keep of Augusta. His abductor, the introverted assassin Sorana, takes him to her mother’s remote tower. There, Don negotiates a deal with Sorana’s mother, Mercy. In return for assistance in the rescue of his bound siren, Don agrees to track down a mass murderer and return its telepathic weapon to Mercy. Don and Sorana rescue his siren, Natalia. They join with other companions to form the Blade of Mercy. They struggle to evade the invading forces and bounty hunters, all the while searching for the mass murderer. The Blade discovers the invaders’ ultimate target is Xandria, home of the beautiful and revered race of sirens. Their path takes them through Raykez, a human city with a culture profoundly impacted by the presence of the musically inclined sirens. It is also impacted by the legend of the vilified race of banshee. In the depths of secrecy and deceit, an ancient and terrible injustice is uncovered—the legend of the Mortal Banshee.Allies are found and lost. The mission becomes ever more intricate, and ever more insidious. The stakes are raised: Augusta, Xandria, Raykez, justice, the life of Don’s sister… For the Blade of Mercy to complete its mission, they will have to challenge the most malevolent and feared creature of lore and nightmares. To do so, Don must call upon the blind faith of his closest friends in a final, multi-dimensional confrontation.

A woman with a fear of fireworks is dragged to her town's 4th of July celebration by her friend, with terrifying results.At only 14 years old, John Malcolm finds school tough taking every hit on the chin (literally). John finally retaliates and the bully ends up violently injured. This attack causes John to go on the run making life even more difficult. On the run - John barely makes it out of his home town when a friendly stranger takes him in. With no escape John endures things that are far beyond imagination and holding onto hope keeps him going, or does it? “A bone chilling short story.”About the AuthorGareth Parker - educated at a military boarding school, always telling stories and with a proved vivid imagination finally decided to put pen to paper to create thrilling short stories for eBook readers. Parker - now enjoying the Welsh life in Cardiff works for a blue-chip company, even though he's always on the go spends his spare time enduring creativity for others to enjoy.