IntroductionWhat you are about to read is a brief extract from the horror short story "His Body, Her Choice" by fiction writer and Friend of The Bitter Wolf, Huckleberry Watts. The story features graphic depictions of extreme violence. Proceed with caution! If you like what you read, please consider purchasing the entire story here: huckleberrywatts.itch.io/hisbody It only costs $3, and all proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood. The story is only available until January 20th, 2025, and then, it will be gone forever! So, grab your copy today and donate to an important cause. Excerpt from "His Body, Her Choice"“Oh, must you be so dramatic?” Daisy said haughtily, “And look on the bright side, it might be hurting you, but Chat are loving it, aren’t you Chat?” At her question, the comments flooded in again. Cries of affirmation from women who wanted to see the hurt that his rhetoric had inflicted on them returned to him sevenfold. Daisy skimmed through the comments and her eyes lit up. “Oh Nicholas, my audience seems divided. I know how much you like division. You love it, don’t you? Well, my audience is divided on whether they want me to do exactly the same thing to your left leg or whether they want me to remove your right leg altogether.” “MMMMNNNNNNGH MMMMNNNNGHH!!” Nicholas bellowed. “I’ll drop a poll in the chat, let the people decide.” Daisy said snidely, dropping a multiple-choice poll into the chat. “Okay Chat, while you’re voting on that, I’m going to step out for just a moment. Who would have thought that torturing incels would be such sweaty work?” She removed the action camera and set it down next to her laptop, removed her surgical mask and gloves, and slipped out the door through which she had entered. She leant against the wall and slid slowly down until she was sat on the floor hugging her legs close to her chest. She was breathing heavily and shakily. She reached into her lab coat, pulled out her inhaler and took two deep puffs and worked to get her breathing back under control. She flexed her fingers – clench into a fist, unfurl, clench back into a fist, unfurl. “You can do it Daisy, you got this, you have got this.” She said to herself, repeating self-affirming mantras was one of her many coping mechanisms. Twenty-seven, asthmatic, riddled with anxiety – life was fucking hard. She stood up and put her brave face back on. “C’mon Daisy, let’s go!” She opened the door and stepped back in the room. New gloves. On. New mask. On. Action camera. On. “Let’s take a look at that poll.” Daisy said. She looked at the results and could barely contain a shrill giggle. “Oh wow, well the results are in, near unanimous results from a free and fair vote.” “Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnngh.” Nicholas moaned; the fighting spirit having seemingly fled his body. “Oh Nicholas, I’m so happy. I get to show you another one of my toys.” Daisy reached back into the black box and pulled out a new power tool. “As you can probably guess, the good people have voted for me to simply remove your leg. And this,” she said, wiggling the power tool in front of her captive, “is an angle grinder.” Upon seeing it Nicholas summoned enough energy to struggle against the straps once more. Daisy admired the determination, but she knew his efforts were futile. “Remember how much the drill hurt? Well, that was nothing compared to how much this will hurt! You see, this disk, it ain’t a saw. It’s got flat edges, see? So, this won’t so much slice through skin and cut through bone as it will slowly use friction to burn away your skin and slowly erode at the bone. I can promise you; you’ve never felt pain like this before.” She switched on the angle grinder and the loud whirring filled the room, Daisy renewed her grip, her knuckles whitening as she maintained her efforts to hold the tool steady. She lowered the grinder and disc met flesh. *** Huckleberry Wattswrites about monsters, murders and mayhem. He spends his time being a perpetual disappointment to everyone who knows him and dreaming up horror stories. If you want good horror… read Stephen King. If you want the written equivalent of an obscure low-budget horror flick available only on Tubi, then read more Huckleberry Watts here!
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by Jimmy O'Hara 1. Submit to self at the mercy of an army of cannibalistic teeth. 2. Worship at the altar of a cheesy marinara god. 3. Battle demons from the passenger seat of a predatory automobile. 4. Join a fair/competitively priced pyramid scheme headed by THE Barbara Crampton! (And THE Ax Man!) 5. Stream ETHERIA FILM NIGHT 2024, a short film festival dedicated to championing female identifying genre filmmakers, on Shudder NOW! A delightfully dreadful and diverse showing of genre filmmaking promoting independent Women filmmakers within the industry, both on and off screen! From body snatching folklore to edible eldritch horror to a satirical, social media induced slasher, these nine short selections from Women writers, directors, producers, and stars entertain a wide variety of chills, thrills, and overall good genre entertainment (and all under 120-minutes)! Kicking things off with the equal parts cheeky and GORY “creature” feature, Tooth, writer Katie Gault and director Jillian Corsie bring a new meaning to “body horror”. Janine Peck stars in a near silent but sensational performance as an elderly woman attacked by her own…teeth!?! Stylish, funny, and BLOODY from start to finish! These teeth have literal teeth and…well, let’s just say that these cannibalistic canines bite back! Faye Jackson’s Ten of Swords brings its own unique hunger. Theo Solomon stars as a zombie with not only a constant craving, but ALSO a conscience as the latest victim of a late-stage capitalistic venture seeking to monetize…the afterlife?!? And these zombies don’t moan and groan all day! Instead, they hold blue collar jobs, perform musical numbers, and form undead unions of likeminded, reanimated proletaries. This gritty allegorical critique offers a chillingly close glimpse into a not-so-distant future society SUFFERING (both living AND dead) under capitalism. A sleek display of postmodern science fiction and jam packed with brutally symbolic imagery, touchingly nuanced performances, and visually dynamic direction. Jackson’s story makes the strongest case for feature-length adaptation with vast potential for lore expansion within her meticulously crafted universe. Sofie Somoroff’s Ride Baby Ride, an antithesis to John Carpenter’s Christine (1983), matches the colorfully whimsical atmospheres established in both aforementioned outings brilliantly, but subtextual exploration of gender roles and female sexual assault dissolves far less comfortably than themes addressed in preceding festival romps. The short runtime is intentional, choosing to abandon the audience as quickly as possible in an effort to disarm their sensibilities throughout the violent action sequence. A non-stop heart racer of (wo)man vs. beast. A young, female mechanic in the middle of nowhere fighting for much more than just her life. The audience can’t help but be affected until after the credits roll. So fast paced, so action packed, so thrilling that it is only capable of being fully digested in the aftermath. A rather disarming and confounding viewing experience that is eerily emblematic of what survivors experience in the wake of an assault.. Subversive, stifling, surreal! And yet, it is Grace Rex’s alluringly unnerving The Shadow Wrangler that steals the show with a provocative probe into the (increasingly) blurry psyche of a smut novelist as she is haunted by metaphysical ruminations of grief. The heavily stylized worlds, of both the writer’s reality and her fiction, clash violently in melodramatic juxtaposition. All seamlessly produced with refreshing polish by writer/director Rex and held together by Mitzki Akaha’s star-making performance in the leading role; equal parts tenacious and grounded, Akaha navigates comedy, drama, and horror with sultry magnetism and cool, veteran-like ease. No matte backdrops, painted with fields of bright flowers hidden between puffy pink clouds, nor romantic sunsets, washing out debonair highwaymen from the dirtiest, wettest dream, can color the dark shadows that creep within this lonely writer’s apartment. A visual FEAST, Rex is the real deal and Akaha has serious chops to match! A duo made in Hollywood heaven (which probably is nowhere near as stunning as that opening sequence)! The festival closes out on the high note with the most hilariously absurd (complimentary) piece for last, Brea Grant’s MLM. Horror legend Barbara Crampton is at the center of a horrific scam aimed at utilizing social media to victimize wealthy, and lonely, suburban housewives. Comedic tour de force’s Jessika Van and Courtney Pauroso succumb to the negative consequences of their “feminist” subscription as the final act, fully allowing the leading duo to show off their range as actors in a meta comedic display of slapstick, satire, and slasher HORROR. The subscription may be terminal, but shipping is free!
Etheria Film Night 2024 is also free to view on their website AND Shudder! Horror fans, be sure to support these works (and more!) from up-and-coming Women filmmakers…or else face the wrath of the Ax Man! Nathan sat in the cold booth, clinging on to the scalding hot cup of coffee so tight that his knuckles had turned white. His fingers weren’t the only part of his body that craved heat, but his situation wasn’t so dire that he was ready to fling hot coffee at his own face. As he sat, he looked up at the old, barely functioning television positioned above the counter. “Now we turn our attention back to The Moose – a killer, as violent as he is enigmatic, that has been prowling the otherwise peaceful streets of Canada. The latest is he has claimed another victim. Maple Creek local man Jason Jones was found in what is thought to be a disused meth lab hanging upside down with all of his blood drained into steel drums.” Nathan grimaced and took a sip of the burning liquid, smiling as it washed over his numb lips. Nathan tried to shut the newscast about The Moose’s rampage out of his mind – after all, he thought, if anything was going to kill him that night, it would be ice on the roads. That’s what Nathan thought. But Nathan, of course, thought wrong. After Nathan had suitably warmed himself and got some food and coffee into his stomach, he ventured back out into the cold. The wind had settled somewhat, and the snow had lifted; if he made good time, he could still get to his destination before nightfall. As the sun sank below the horizon and darkness overtook the night, Nathan was thankful for the coffee he’d drank back at the rest stop. He flicked his lights on full, and just a few yards ahead, the beams illuminated a sight he never thought he’d see… A hitchhiker! He slowed his car down and pulled into the layby a few yards ahead of the woman, who excitedly picked up her weatherbeaten backpack and ran over. “Hey!” she said breathlessly. "Thanks for stopping.” “No worries.” “Where are you heading?” “Maple Creek. Where are you hitchhiking to?” he asked. The woman laughed, a relieved smile forming. “Maple Creek," she said, beaming. Nathan unlocked the car doors. “Well, if you want to hitch a ride, you’re welcome to.” “Yes please.” The woman said enthusiastically. She opened the passenger door and got in, stuffing the backpack in the footwell. Nathan pulled out of the layby and back onto the road – the road which was far less populated than it had been earlier in the day. Not that Nathan minded that – he was a man who enjoyed the romanticised idea of one man in a vehicle on the open highways of Canada. “So, why Maple Creek?” “I was born there, I have family there. Just visiting, got to keep up my Good Daughter Score," she said with a laugh. “Oh shit, how rude am I? I’m Megan. Thank you for stopping.” “I’m Nathan. It was a pleasure to stop," he said with a dopey grin. The drive passed pleasantly with the two of them exchanging stories about growing up in Maple Creek and offering opinions on the stories that were making the news. Of course, the discussion got more serious and somber in tone when the story of The Moose’s reign of terror was inevitably brought up on the news. “That’s scary shit.” Megan mumbled flatly, her posture changing. She shrank back in her seat and began to fidget nervously, her eyes darting around as if she were looking for an escape route. Nathan noticed her movements out of the corner of his eye. “Hey, are you okay?” “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine," she said, a little too quick… quick enough for Nathan to realise that she was lying. “I can change the station?” he offered. Megan shifted nervously. “You can let me out here.” “What?” “Here. Let me out. Please.” “But…” “Now. Please.” She snapped, now looking visibly distressed. Nathan relented and parked up in a layby and unlocked the door. Megan grabbed her backpack and got out of the car. She reached into her backpack and pulled out an expensive-looking flashlight, switched it on, and began to walk quickly. Nathan killed the engine and got out of the car. “Megan.” He called. She turned around. He was bathed in torchlight. “What?” “Why are you leaving? Is it because of the news? Are you scared?” “Of course I’m fucking scared.” “And you don’t trust me?” “You’re a man.” “Megan, we’re going to the same place. You can trust me. I’m not The Moose," he said softly in a measured tone. Megan stared at him, unblinking for a few moments before exhaling heavily. She trudged slowly back over to him. When she was closer, she looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry.” “It’s okay, it’s okay to be scared. But you don’t have to worry about me. Like I said: I’m not The Moose," he said with a friendly smile. Megan returned the smile. “I know," she said before slamming the head of the flashlight into Nathan’s temple. He yelled out in pain and went down. His head slammed into the bonnet of his car as he fell. Megan rushed to his side and checked his pulse – he was still alive. Nathan groaned and his leg twitched, but Megan was quick and slammed the torch against his temple again. Nathan’s head slumped forward. She heaved Nathan into the passenger seat, and she got into the driver’s seat, adjusted the positioning of the seat, and drove off into the night. *** Nathan let out a loud moan as he woke up. He opened his eyes and then quickly shut them again as a stinging liquid hit his irises. He turned his head, opened his eyes slowly, and saw that his arms and legs were bolted to the ground. He couldn't move. In an erratic exercise in futility, Nathan tried to free his limbs, but alas, he was unable to. He tried to work his hands or legs free – the foul-smelling liquid had made him wet and slick – but the restraints were much too tight. He was most certainly trapped. The sprayers overhead ceased spraying and Nathan was left in silence – without the sound of the sprinklers to distract him he became acutely aware of just how sodden he was and how putrid the stench was. He heard the door open and now that he was able to he opened his eyes and looked at the figure who was approaching him. She was wearing a containment suit, but Nathan still recognised her – it was Megan. She’d hit him in the head with a torch! “What do you want? Why am I here?” he asked, struggling to keep his composure as some of the mystery liquid seeped into his mouth. “And what the fuck is this shit?” he spluttered. Megan chuckled. “Well, let’s see,” she began, “let’s start with the liquid, shall we? That is a mixture of cedar oil and beaver pheromones.” “What the…” “You’re here,” she interrupted, “because what baby wants, baby gets. And I’m baby.” She walked to the door that she had come through and turned. “Oh Nathan, as for what I want, I would have thought that would be rather obvious to you. I want you to die.” She turned to leave. “Why me? What the fuck have I ever done to you?” Nathan yelled desperately. Megan stopped and turned around. “Nathan, you’ve done nothing to me. We’ve never met before. I don’t know you, you don’t know me. Why you? Because you stopped. If you’d carried on driving, someone else would be here instead of you. You may be the main character in your own story, but in my story… you’re a footnote. This isn’t about you, this is about me. I like to kill people. I am The Moose!” She turned and left the room as Nathan yelled uselessly for help. The door closed. It locked. All around the room, small segments of the wall opened, revealing pitch-black apertures – and from within Nathan could hear a scratching sound. A scratching sound that was getting progressively louder as something, or some things, approached at speed. “What’s happening, what’s going on?” Nathan screamed, his voice cracking and leaving his mouth as a high-pitched squeal. The scratching noise reached a crescendo and a horde of beavers swarmed into the room. The beavers were in a frenzy – they could smell the pheromones and the smell of wood – they were consumed with the urge, the need to strip bark and mate. All of the beavers that had flooded into the room were male, and as the lack of wood and viable mates became ever more apparent, their confusion and fear swiftly changed to anger and frustration. At first, they snapped and swatted at each other, but animals so often work together, especially when they are up against a foreign threat. And so it was that their aggression towards one another paused and was turned upon the large pink creature on the ground. One beaver tentatively nipped at one of Nathan’s exposed toes. “Ow, you motherfucker!” he yelled. Another beaver - this one much bigger and evidently much bolder - rushed forward and sank his large teeth into one of Nathan’s love handles and tore away a small chunk of flesh. The wound wept thick tears of blood as Nathan howled at the ceiling. The beavers quickly realised that their foe was little threat to them, and so, one by one, they rushed forward to take a bite. One bite turned to a second bite and a second bite turned to a third. The hungry, aggressive beavers severed with their mighty teeth, rending flesh, stripping muscle, slicing tendons with each bite, all the while Nathan screamed incoherently and wept. A sizeable cluster of the blood-sodden beavers rushed to Nathan’s neck and began to chew, and as their hunger grew and their frenzied tearing continued, Nathan’s screams became quieter and quieter. His screams were completely and utterly silenced when one of the fatter beavers, who had worked up a monstrous appetite, tore apart Nathan’s throat and eagerly dived in. Its teeth shredded his windpipe and silenced his impotent screams, and as his body filled with spilled blood, and as the animals worked their way inwards, he looked up. And as he died, as his vision turned black, the very last thing he saw was a particularly fat beaver clambering onto his face. This beaver had a hunger… for eyes. FIN. |
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