The Speed of Dark

The Speed of Dark

by Clayton Bye (Goodreads Author) (Editor), PDR Lindsay (Editor), Leigh M. Lane (Goodreads Author), Eduard Garcon, Marion Webb-De Sisto (Goodreads Author), Tonya Moore, Tim Fleming, Casey Wolf , James Secor, Tony Richards, Mary Firmin (Goodreads Author), Minna van der Pfaltz, Megan Johns (Goodreads Author), Gerald Rice (Goodreads Author), E.J. Ruek, Cynthia A. Ainsworth, John B. Rosenman (Goodreads Author), Kenneth Weene (Goodreads Author), Micki Peluso, Lyn McConchie

Simple situations are often the most complex as you will learn. How difficult can it be to create a novel typing on your old Royal typewriter? What about simple but beautiful houseplants? How deadly or dangerous can they be? What about having dinner with your grandfather or even a daughter taking care of her mother? What about a retrovirus that overtakes your body or just purchasing your own business? How deadly or horrific can these simple situations be? If you are a main character in the FIVE GOLDEN FEAR ANTHOLOGY titled THE SPEED OF DARK you will learn the true meaning of fear, horror, hate, deceit, lies and the macabre. The Speed of Dark: make sure you read it with all of the lights on, your doors and windows opened in case you too need to find your way into the light.

Let’s begin with a simple situation in the story by author E.J. Ruck titled: What About Mom? How dangerous can it be for a young child to spend time with his grandparents or in this case his grandfather? A young boy apparently abused by his mother and custody given to his grandparents. So, why he is so concerned with his mother? James, his grandfather is supposedly going to a business meeting but his young grandson does not seem to want to leave his side. The author describes the emotional upheaval and fear to be away from someone who might be his security blanket as he joins his grandfather for his meeting, follows his rules but interjects at times with that one question that prays on his mind: What About Mom? What about her? Just what happened to mom and the rest of this child’s family and how smart is this five-year-old boy? Find out when you learn what happens when this young child does not give up until he gets the answer to his question: What About Mom? Next, sometimes children take care of their parents and at other times they would rather not. One woman named Suzette seems possessed and refuses to acknowledge all that her daughter does for her. “When Midnight Comes, by Cynthia B. Ainsworthe will bring to light what happens when one daughter named Edna prepares something special for her mother’s company and the end result will not be what Suzette expected. A special drink that one man would hopefully enjoy would turn the tables on not only him but someone else too. Payment Due By Midnight! Read this scary account of what happens when one parent is really vain, a daughter that wants to be beautiful and revenge that some might say is really quite sweet.

Quince Humphrey just wants to complete his novel in time for it to be published. Using his old Royal typewriter, enlisting the aid of a dear friend, he manages to find a hotel that would be off the mainland and quiet. Hansom Dove by author Kenneth Weene just might make you think twice before you stay at an off the main road hotel, not book your own room, research the hotel and listen to the little voice in your head saying : Do not enter! Tim Mugget handled all of the arrangements for Quince. He paid for his stay at this hotel. As the author takes the reader on the journey with Quince, the awful feeling he had on the ferry, the hope of finding the hotel you wonder what else could possibly go wrong. Imagine arriving at your destination to be told you are there on the wrong day. Imagine asking for something you want to drink and told it would be ready the next day. Imagine and picture what happens when he is finally settled so to speak. Climbing the stairs to his room he sees a portrait of a beautiful woman who is the daughter of the owner of the hotel. Finding his room, the number alone should have alerted him that something was off, unlocked and then going back down for some tea, Quince would find that his new surroundings would be anything but restful. What happens next during the night would make some people wonder if Quince imagined it or really enjoyed the company of a beautiful woman named Starben Dove. But, there’s more. How would you react if you were told once you have entered the hotel you couldn’t leave? What would happen if you tried to leave your room at night and could not? What would happen if this woman arrived nightly? Just what did she want and what was the final fate of this writer? What did she leave behind in his room that makes not only the reader but also Quince wonder if he imagined it or not? Hansom Dove: Enter at your own risk! Better Yet! You might want to think twice. Author Kenneth Weene takes readers inside the minds of two people who will do anything to keep their visitors from leaving. One of the best and scariest stories in this collection.

Clayton Bye soars to the top with his story Retrovirus. Imagine what would happen if something came out your computer and took over your life? What if this entity decided that you would become one of them? What if you became of that entity? Would you want to plug yourself into a computer and access the web and be able to change your appearance at will? What happens to Jim will terrify you and make you wonder what dangers lurk within the inner workings of a simple computer. This is one story that gives new meaning to the word VIRUS.

Each of the stories focuses on a simple incident beginning in a normal fashion and heading each main character into destructive situation. Back to Lopez Island was supposed allow Theresa to come to grips with something that happened a long time ago. Dealing with this situation should have brought her and Robert closer. Rape is not something that any woman can easily forget and trying to face her fears head on she convinced Robert to take her back to Lopez Island. But, what happens will mystify the reader as she is brutally murdered while in the tub as Robert leaves the room to get some ice. So, why is he arrested for the murder? What evidence does he find that he feels will convince everyone of his innocence? Why won’t his lawyer use it? What research did they find that might find him innocent? Who killed Theresa? You have to read it to find out that sometimes the past will haunt you in the present. This is a definite must read.

Some of the other stories that I read that were great were A Gift For Eternity, Mary Firmin’s The Entrepreneur. What happens when a young woman decides to purchase a business called Emma’s Emporium? Why does she allow her to remain living there? What happens when she hears strange noises in the middle of the night? What happens when the police question her about the past owners? Just who is Emma and what happens to Susan will definitely instill more than just fear in your heart and definitely make you leery about opening a business in a small town without researching the owner and the store’s history. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not spotlight the book’s title : The Speed of Dark by author Clayton Clifford Bye. As Richard and his siblings sat in the basement of their home they heard their mother’s voice command that someone must be gone by the time she returns. The darkness would envelope them, there was no escape and the end result would be a definite meal for their mother but just what it was or who you will have to read this story for yourself. Timmy and Richard: What is their fate? What thoughts went through Richard’s mind in order to survive? The Speed of Dark: Watch out: The darkness will come fast and so will mother!

Other stories are Nine Vials of Blood, Out of Nothing, Taking Care of Mother and Tangled in the Net of Ruin, The Little Door and finally Plastic People by Lisa Lane. Each story is unique in its characters, plot, and story line and fear factor. There are 19 authors that contributed to this anthology and they are all quite talented with stories that are well written, vividly described incidents and definitely enticed this reviewer to try her hand at writing  a fear factor story.

The Speed of Dark: Watch Out: It gets dark real fast and the light goes! This is one must read anthology.

Fran Lewis: reviewer