Stories by Marc Selby

Ida Holst sat on her chestnut colored warhorse and looked to the gray skies as her and her warriors left the small village they had ransacked. None looked back at the now burning village that trailed thick black smoke into the sky and towards the mountain where things that would forever haunt their memories lived. They had come to raid the village, spill some blood, and move on, but after the tragedy of the night before they were riding for home. Ida and her men rode slowly, them and their horses were weary. It had taken every ounce of her charisma to convince her tired and shaken men to still attack the village. That even in the face of horror there could be some silver lining to it all. The hardest part was telling them to burn the village and not let a single soul escape. There could be no survivors reporting that their numbers were so diminished. It would lead to an attack on them before they could get home, and she wouldn't have that, but she would also not threaten a

-Mid-town: 12:30 AM - There were two boys, probably no more than sixteen laughing and jeering as another boy about the same age held a very pretty woman in a very pretty green dress down on the ground. She whimpered and struggled but was no match for the young man’s strength as he brought her hands above her head and revealed sharp fangs. She screamed then and the two laughing boys stopped laughing and stepped back in quick shock. It was fake. “Shut the fuck up.” said the young man holding the woman down as he neared his face to her neck. This was as good as time to step in as there was I suppose. “Okay, that’s enough you guys. I’m not a meal.” They all snap their attention to me as I come within view on the dark street. Apparently I was closer than even they thought. “Help me!” the woman screams, which causes the boys to grin, the two standing beginning to make their way towards me. Apparently they hadn’t recognized me, but their scent was still familiar to me. The

-- Forest outside of town, 10:45 P.M. -- “The body was found missing most of its organs, its stomach looks like it was torn out completely, the throat was slashed, probably the initial killing move before moving onto the stomach. His face was cut a lot too and anything he had in his pockets are gone. We’re going to have a hard time with this one at the morgue I’m afraid.” reported Jimmy Smith, his face still pale from the sight of the murder scene he had responded too. “Thanks Jim, that’s enough for now. If they find anything though let me know alright?” I say before taking a drag from my cigarette and reaching into my pocket to pull out my billfold. I open it and give him a twenty. “Now go get a drink, try and forget what this place looked like, and don’t worry, one of us will catch this guy yeah?” Jimmy nods and takes the twenty, but he’s not responding anymore. I pat him on the shoulder reassuringly, he’s a good man, and helpful to a private eye like myself. Hard to