Among my writing friends I have a bit of a reputation for turning out dark short stories. This is not at all unearned. For my long form fiction the ending tend to be more upbeat with the protagonists generally achieving their goal and those goals not being dastardly. (Noirs are of course an exception to that general rule.) With my short form more unsavory characters and failed endings are far more common.

I mention this because lately a new story has been creeping around in my thoughts. This new untitled tale is part of that peculiar sub-genre of fantasy/horror where a character is an agent of grand dark powers hunting down those souls that have escaped hell and damnation. Usually these hunters are working towards an atonement, to clear their own ledger and earn redemption.

The idea that won’t go away is one so dark with a topical ending so dismal and cynical that I not only fear showing it to any editor I fear writing the piece itself.

I have never been afraid of writing a story. This is novel.