Thursday, June 11, 2020

New story in Kzine - The Bad Ones Are Always the Best

Issue 27 of Kzine, a wonderful British genre mag featuring SF, fantasy, horror, crime, and mixtures thereof, is out now - including my homicidal-grandpa story The Bad Ones Are Always the Best. Who says sociopathy is a game for the young, right?


The Bad Ones Are Always the Best - horror - 2,500 words

Marty’s grandson takes the cup of tea he’s offered — without saying thank you, mind — and stares at it dubiously, as if he doesn’t know what it is. Marty wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t; kids all seem to be brought up on vitamin water and kale juice, these days.

 ‘Drink up,’ he says, nodding encouragingly. Marty’s cuppas are the real thing: brewed until they’re the colour of brick dust and made with full-fat milk, four sugars and a thimble of whisky. ‘It’ll put hairs on your chest.’ Gary — no, Garrett; Marty’s been corrected on that point at least twice already — doesn’t seem impressed by the thought. No doubt he’d just have to wax them off afterwards, because God forbid he should spoil any of the smooth surfaces and rounded corners. The kid looks like he’s been popped out of some kind of designer mould, all rough edges pre-sanded off. Model no. 87: Corporate Tax Consultant.

Read the rest at Kzine now!