Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
Ebook70 pages1 hour
The Dark Issue 23: The Dark, #23
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
()
About this ebook
Each month The Dark brings you the best in dark fantasy and horror! Edited by award winning editors Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Sean Wallace and brought to you by Prime Books, this issue includes two all-new stories and two reprints:
“The Name, Blurry and Incomplete in His Mind” by Erica Mosley
“The Witch Moth” by Bruce McAllister (reprint)
“The Language of Endings” by Kristi DeMeester
“In Syllables of Elder Seas” by Lisa L. Hannett (reprint)
Related to The Dark Issue 23
Titles in the series (100)
The Dark Issue 5: The Dark, #5 The Dark Issue 13: The Dark, #13 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 22: The Dark, #22 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 23: The Dark, #23 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 6: The Dark, #6 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 3: The Dark, #3 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Dark Issue 36: The Dark, #36 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 9: The Dark, #9 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 1: The Dark, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dark Issue 8: The Dark, #8 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 62: The Dark, #62 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 7: The Dark, #7 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 2: The Dark, #2 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dark Issue 45: The Dark, #45 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 30: The Dark, #30 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 4: The Dark, #4 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dark Issue 10: The Dark, #10 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 19: The Dark, #19 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 21: The Dark, #21 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Dark Issue 24: The Dark, #24 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 37: The Dark, #37 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dark Issue 14: The Dark, #14 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 11: The Dark, #11 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 25: The Dark, #25 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 20: The Dark, #20 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 39: The Dark, #39 Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Dark Issue 18: The Dark, #18 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 16: The Dark, #16 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 33: The Dark, #33 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dark Issue 32: The Dark, #32 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related ebooks
The Diary and the Green Dress Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAwkward Advent Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe If Game Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnd Two Makes Four Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Moon Pinnace Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Shadow Dragon Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesse's Star Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsToo Cold to Chase Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Magic Room: The Explorers of Lost Lane, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSuper Crime Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPiano Man Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Magic Trap Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnonymouse: The Secret Wish Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlmost Magic: #minithology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUrban Tales Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFancy Nancy: Nancy Clancy, Late-Breaking News! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Earth Breaks In Colors Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBits And Pieces Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeclutterers, Inc. Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMagic From the Heart Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSongweaver Lost Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNewly Wed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Signed by Zelda Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The House on Infinity Loop: The Dimensional Alliance 2nd edition, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHanakin's House Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSugar Time Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bandit Cat Investigation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Skeleton Paints a Picture Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summer in the Elevator Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lost Places: Stories Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Fantasy For You
Demon Copperhead: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Priory of the Orange Tree Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Assassin and the Desert: A Throne of Glass Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Is How You Lose the Time War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fellowship Of The Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Picture of Dorian Gray (The Original 1890 Uncensored Edition + The Expanded and Revised 1891 Edition) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Assassin and the Pirate Lord: A Throne of Glass Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Silmarillion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don Quixote: [Complete & Illustrated] Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Piranesi Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lord Of The Rings: One Volume Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Measure: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tress of the Emerald Sea: Secret Projects, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The City of Dreaming Books Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dune Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Stories of Ray Bradbury Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Court of Thorns and Roses Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fairy Tale Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Assassin and the Empire: A Throne of Glass Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Assassin and the Underworld: A Throne of Glass Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Will of the Many Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Immortal Longings Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Court of Silver Flames Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nettle & Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related podcast episodes
Because I Know You’ve Always Wondered 0% found this document usefulWhen We Believe 0% found this document usefulThe Disappearing Teens: A Brave Adventure to Save the World 0% found this document useful39. About the Rats 0% found this document usefulFeeding Stray Puppies and Kittens 0% found this document usefulMildred Keith - Episode 11 - Kids Story Bedtime Stories for Children and Adults to Sleep Old Fiction 0% found this document usefulPodcast 199 Stories from our listeners (B1 level) 0% found this document usefulShe Was 22 Just Like Me That Day 0% found this document useful
Related articles
Always Someone Leaving Guernica MagazineUNLIMITED
Always Someone Leaving
Jul 6, 2023
5 min readThe Fox And CINDERELLA Woman's WeeklyUNLIMITED
The Fox And CINDERELLA
Dec 7, 2022
6 min readThe Mr Darcy MYSTERY Woman's WeeklyUNLIMITED
The Mr Darcy MYSTERY
Nov 23, 2022
6 min read'Memory Piece' Novel Follows Three Asian-American Friends From The 1980s Into 2040 NPRUNLIMITED
'Memory Piece' Novel Follows Three Asian-American Friends From The 1980s Into 2040
Mar 19, 2024
5 min readThe Goldilocks HOUSE Woman's WeeklyUNLIMITED
The Goldilocks HOUSE
Feb 3, 2021
6 min readA Wild World NEXTUNLIMITED
A Wild World
Nov 10, 2019
5 min readThe Traveler Cricket Magazine Fiction and Non-Fiction Stories for Children and Young TeensUNLIMITED
The Traveler
Oct 1, 2020
7 min readNetti Vonthethoff frankie MagazineUNLIMITED
Netti Vonthethoff
Dec 5, 2023
4 min readThe Story Tin New Zealand Woman’s WeeklyUNLIMITED
The Story Tin
Dec 22, 2019
3 min readGHOST In The HOUSE Cricket Magazine Fiction and Non-Fiction Stories for Children and Young TeensUNLIMITED
GHOST In The HOUSE
Oct 1, 2021
7 min readDouble Dare You Chat It's FateUNLIMITED
Double Dare You
Jun 8, 2021
4 min readLineal Gaps Guernica MagazineUNLIMITED
Lineal Gaps
Apr 6, 2021
15 min readWelcome! that's lifeUNLIMITED
Welcome!
Aug 11, 2021
Our gorgeous Warm Fuzzies page never fails to give me, well, the warm fuzzies. But this week (Page 74) it delivered me, and the tl! team, a bonus burst of nostalgia. We all just loved the item about the old school desk from the ’60s inscribed with Be
1 min readThe Ruins Popshot MagazineUNLIMITED
The Ruins
Aug 5, 2021
6 min readHomebodies frankie MagazineUNLIMITED
Homebodies
Oct 3, 2021
4 min readA Strange REQUEST Woman's WeeklyUNLIMITED
A Strange REQUEST
Sep 30, 2020
6 min readRabbits The Paris ReviewUNLIMITED
Rabbits
Sep 15, 2018
The place where you came from ain’t there anymore, and where you had in mind to go is canceled out. —Joyce Carol Oates, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” A guy’s looking at you.” Lexy knew better than to turn around. The swings were twisted
27 min readKeys and TREES Woman's WeeklyUNLIMITED
Keys and TREES
Mar 31, 2021
3 min readPickled Guernica MagazineUNLIMITED
Pickled
Jul 27, 2021
15 min readAn unexpected LESSON WomanUNLIMITED
An unexpected LESSON
Mar 9, 2021
6 min readLove’s Treasures Angels on Earth magazineUNLIMITED
Love’s Treasures
Dec 27, 2022
3 min readGiant In The Sky Games World of PuzzlesUNLIMITED
Giant In The Sky
Sep 26, 2024
10 min readThe Ones We Sent Away The AtlanticUNLIMITED
The Ones We Sent Away
Aug 7, 2023
47 min readA Southern Christmas The Saturday Evening PostUNLIMITED
A Southern Christmas
Nov 1, 2023
7 min readA Return Home on Mother’s Day Good Old Days MagazineUNLIMITED
A Return Home on Mother’s Day
Apr 2, 2024
3 min readGeordie Malone & Eartha Smith frankie MagazineUNLIMITED
Geordie Malone & Eartha Smith
Dec 5, 2023
5 min readThe Truth About The ‘Miracle Babies’ The Australian Women's WeeklyUNLIMITED
The Truth About The ‘Miracle Babies’
Jul 14, 2021
7 min readMake A Stand Woman's WeeklyUNLIMITED
Make A Stand
Jan 17, 2024
6 min readThe Truth About The ‘Miracle Babies’ Australian Women’s Weekly NZUNLIMITED
The Truth About The ‘Miracle Babies’
Jul 14, 2021
7 min readHappy Endings The Threepenny ReviewUNLIMITED
Happy Endings
Sep 1, 2023
5 min read
Related categories
Reviews for The Dark Issue 23
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
The Dark Issue 23 - Erica Mosley
THE DARK
Issue 23 • April 2017
The Name, Blurry and Incomplete in His Mind
by Erica Mosley
The Witch Moth
by Bruce McAllister
The Language of Endings
by Kristi DeMeester
In Syllables of Elder Seas
by Lisa L. Hannett
Cover Art: A Sinner Like Me
by Aleksandra Grahovac
ISSN 2332-4392.
Edited by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Sean Wallace.
Cover design by Garry Nurrish.
Copyright © 2017 by Prime Books.
www.thedarkmagazine.com
The Name, Blurry and Incomplete in His Mind
by Erica Mosley
When Jentri was ten her father, having run out of things to say, told her about the name he’d once found written in pencil on the wall above the basement sink, and about how he’d often wondered if it was still there.
Maybe you should look,
she said, and he did, and she followed him. The limestone wall above the stainless steel sink was cracked and stained like an old map, but they saw no name written on it.
I must have seen it somewhere else.
He ran his fingers over the limestone and Jentri took the opportunity, while he was distracted, to study her father closely. They had never stood together in the basement before; in fact they rarely ventured beyond the living room during his visits. An incandescent bulb swung from a chain and in its sweep of light Jentri noticed, for the first time, a freckle on her father’s neck.
Maybe I was thinking it was behind the furnace,
he said, and they looked there, but found nothing; only a green beetle hanging in a dusty web.
Upstairs?
he said.
Jentri bounded up, hearing her father’s footsteps behind her. Don’t step on that floorboard, it’s dangerous,
she said, and That light doesn’t work, sorry,
pointing like a guide, though she knew it wasn’t necessary; he’d lived here, too. Once.
They found it on the third floor, in a bathroom no one ever used. The bathtub had no fixtures; the toilet, no lid. But there was a name: Susie, written in childish pencil above the rust-stained porcelain sink.
Who’s Susie?
Jentri said.
I don’t know.
But that’s the name you saw, right?
Her father paused, thinking. Jentri waited patiently, but he never did answer the question, not that day or any other one. But on their way down the stairs Jentri just happened to see—now that she was looking for it—Susie’s name scratched into the metal bracket that held the banister to the wall.
Thereafter Jentri and her father spent almost the entirety of his weekly ninety-minute visits traveling the house looking for Susie’s marks. They were everywhere—on the back of a closet door, on the underside of a kitchen drawer—and Jentri wondered how she’d spent her whole life here without noticing them.
They called this game finding a Susie.
It was a welcome change. Jentri and her father did not know how to talk to each other, because they rarely practiced. He’d left when she was young, before she knew any words. Even after she learned, she did not have much to say to him.
Normally, during his visits, he asked Jentri questions about which method of long division they were teaching her at school or which flavor of pudding was her favorite, and she would have to explain that she was learning fractions this year because they were done with long division, and that she didn’t like pudding. After each answer came a long and uncomfortable pause while he thought up a new question.
He rarely spoke about himself. Jentri knew he had a dog but she did not know its name. She did not know what her father did for a living, not exactly, though he wore nice shoes and she knew he traveled often: to Jefferson City, to Cape Girardeau, to Poplar Bluff.
Ten or so minutes into every visit the questions ran out and they required an activity, something to focus on besides each other. Before the Susie game, there had been other games: simple flip-card memory games, checkers, or Shoots and Ladders when Jentri was young, graduating to more strategic games like chess, Risk, and five-card stud as she aged. Jentri and her father concentrated on the cards, the plastic pieces, eyes down.
But hunting for Susies was different. Jentri and her father became different people.
Look, Jentri.
He stood next to a stained glass window on the third floor landing. The window was missing a pane and Jentri’s mother had taped cardboard over the space, awaiting a how-to book on hold at the library because she could not afford to hire a glazier.
Jentri ran to him, and pressing her finger next to his against the wood of the window frame she felt the depressions of carved letters. She looked closer. It had been painted over several times but the name was still readable: Susie.
I bet she was just a little girl when she did this, just like you,
her father said.
Jentri pressed her fingernail into the letters, trying to chip away the paint.
What are you doing? Don’t do that.
Jentri froze. Her father had never corrected her before. He’d never had a reason.
She traced the letters instead with the soft of her finger pads. Head down, red-faced, she thought of the other places they’d found Susies: etched into a brick by the side gate; in
Enjoying the preview?
Page 1 of 1