From Out of the Dark Read online



  From Out of the Dark

  Edited by

  Robert N Stephenson

  FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2015 (OUT OF THE DARK) THIS EDITION PUBLISHED IN 2015 BY ALTAIR AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ISBN: 978-1506166414 (PAPERBACK) COPYRIGHT © CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS 2015 COPYRIGHT COVER ART © BOB EGGLETON 2012 THE RIGHTS OF THE COLLECTED AUTHORS TO BE IDENTIFIED AS THE AUTHORS OF THIS WORK HAS BEEN ASSERTED BY THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT(MORAL RIGHTS) ACT 2000.THIS WORK IS COPYRIGHT. APART FROM ANY USE AS PERMITTED UNDER THE COPYRIGHTACT 1968, NO PART MAY BE REPRODUCED, COPIED, SCANNED, STORED IN A RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, RECORDED, OR TRANSMITTED, IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER AND OR THE AUTHORS

  From Out of the Editor

  The Out of the Dark project was designed to find some voices in the darkness of the void we call the science fiction and horror writing industry. While restricted by the money on offer for selected works, the task seemed impossible and at one time did feel as though it was destined for darkness itself. Many writers did get involved though and some great ideas were shown up by some very new writers, but alas the stumbling block came down to editing, or the refusal to edit. I do recommend all new writers work with editors if they have some ideas or guides; not all advice will sit well, but some will change a story from being average to being great. I have been pleased that all the writers here were open to some advice and guidance, and while some stories may fall a little short of perfection, these writers did take the efforts to oblige this editor.

  Selecting stories for anthologies is a tough business and I always take my hat and shoes off for everyone that takes on this task. The efforts of the writers to craft suitable stories is always appreciated and the wonders of new technologies appreciated; it has been a few years since I have put together a collection like this, the last being Zombies, and I must say, I am still learning and still making mistakes. But as any editor will tell you, once there is ink in your blood, it is there for life.

  Some of these stories you will like and some you will not and I know the vagaries involved in the publishing industry and the desire to meet everyone’s taste. So, no numbers means you are just going to have to search in the darkness of words and find what you might like, or read something that will leave you cold. Space is cold, and most certainly, none of it is perfect. I hope you enjoy some of the stories here and even share the book about. This whole project has been done on a ‘Not for Profit’ basis. If you have a digital version of this collection, please do copy the book in its entirety and share it – for we don’t really know what will come out of the dark.

  Robert N Stephenson, January 2015

  What has come from out of the dark?:

  4

  Gene StewartEschaton’s Fate

  34

  Tony ShillitoeHope

  56

  James O’KeefeLight in the Darkness

  71

  Alexander ZelenyjIn a Room Empty But For You

  86

  Rob BlecklyThe Grim

  109

  L.E. BodilloThe Dead Kind

  143

  Mark RookyardBetween the Worlds

  175

  Victoria DylanOut in the Dark

  202

  Jason AndrewFading Light From a Dying Star

  250

  Gregory L. NorrisFleeing into the Darkness of Disaster

  Eschaton’s Fate

  Gene Stewart