Summary

"A Night of Reckoning" is a 100-word dark tale by Lori Carlson, featuring a solitary walk through a deserted town accompanied by eerie footsteps, culminating in a chilling encounter.

Abstract

The short story "A Night of Reckoning" unfolds in a small, dimly-lit town where the protagonist embarks on a lonely walk, ignoring the pleas of friends to meet at the theater. The deserted streets, closed shops, and a shuttered police station set an ominous scene. Haunting footsteps echo behind the protagonist, who is eventually immobilized and touched by an icy grip, signaling the onset of a foreboding "reckoning." The story is part of Carlson's Scary Tales series, and readers are invited to explore more of her work, including "A Stormy Feast," "Under the Bed," "Forever Changed," and "Collectively Dreaming." Lori Carlson, penning under the online persona Ravyne Hawke, is an author known for her dark and confessional poetry, as well as her contributions to various fiction genres.

Opinions

The author successfully creates a suspenseful and eerie atmosphere through the setting and sounds.
The story's brevity (a drabble of exactly 100 words) is intentional and showcases the author's ability to craft a compelling narrative in a limited word count.
The protagonist's experience is designed to evoke a sense of dread and anticipation in the reader, typical of the horror genre.
The invitation to read more of the author's work suggests that this piece is part of a larger collection that fans of dark tales might enjoy.
The author's use of the protagonist's senses, particularly hearing (church bell, footsteps) and touch (icy grip), effectively conveys the supernatural encounter.

A Night of Reckoning

A Drabble (100 word story) — Dark Tales Series

Belmont. Small town. Eerie darkness. Only a few street lights. Ghosts cling to the shadows. I walk up the street. A church bell rings. Midnight.

My friends had begged, “Meet us at the theater.”

It is closed. I walk on. Past the deli, library, and shuttered police station?

I shiver.

Footsteps follow me. Clomp clomp.

I turn. Nothingness.

“Hello?”

My words echo back at me.

I continue on. Hurry toward the park.

More footsteps. Clomp clomp.

Where is everyone?

Clomp clomp.

Suddenly, I can’t move. A hand touches my shoulder. Bone against flesh. Icy grip.

No!

The reckoning has begun.

If you enjoyed this little drabble from my Scary Tales, please consider one of these:

A Stormy Feast

Flash Fiction (from my Scary Tales series)

medium.com

Under the Bed

A bedtime story (from my Scary Tales collection)

medium.com

Or if you’d prefer something not so scary, try one of these drabbles:

Forever Changed

A Drabble that highlights inevitable change and death

medium.com

Collectively Dreaming

Drabble (100 word story)

medium.com

Lori Carlson is a poet of mostly dark and/or confessional poetry. She also writes Haiku, Senryu and Tanka. Lori writes micro-fiction, drabbles, flash fiction, short fiction, and novellas in the SciFi, mystery, and horror genres. She received her B.A. in English and MALS at Hollins University in Roanoke Virginia. Ravyne Hawke is Lori’s online persona — the dark soul, blackened heart, and melancholic muse. Lori resides in NE Oklahoma with her husband, two temperamental cats (Izzy & Shugs) and a Husky named Max.