“I can smell the blood on your hands, I can smell your innocence dead and stinking on your breath!”
Max quickly glanced down at his clean hands. Just before he arrived he had washed them with disinfectant soap and meticulously cleaned under the nails.”
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The wicked witch business wasn’t what it used to be. It had been such a simple thing, to lure children with candy; back in the old days when candy had been hard to come by…
In this episode’s Drabble, a moth eloquently expresses her attraction to a bright light and her own subsequent destruction. The feature story, The Wicked Witch Looks at 40 (Decades), follows Winnie the witch through her (long overdue) midlife crisis. After a particularly discouraging Halloween, where not a single child is captured, she takes the advice of an article in Martha Stewart Living magazine, changing her house and her lifestyle.
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“How often does it do that?” the faun asked.
“Most of the time. The poor thing’s totally neglected. They never speak to it or interact with it– except for when the kids are throwing rocks at it…”
This episode of the Drabblecast begins with a Drabble News story about an employee finding a Brazilian wandering spider in the bananas at a Whole Foods in Oklahoma. In the Drabble, a little girl plays hide and seek with her friend, Rex. T-Rex. In the feature story, The Alchemical Automaton Blues, the good intentions of a kind-hearted couple concerned for the welfare of their ogre neighbor’s badly neglected and constantly crying guard golem have unexpected and disheartening consequences for the creature in question.
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The shadow lingered at Sarah’s window, balanced on air, certain to fly away the next step I took. Another moment and it would be gone. Another moments and I would call the police, report my daughter missing, and spend the rest of my life convincing myself I’d imagined it…
This episode of the Drabblecast opens an announcement introducing the Drabblecast Archive CDs, featuring episodes 1-79 in a 3 disc set. In the drabble, a sleep-addled God himself cannot (or will not) provide a reason for why the world ended. The feature story, Sarah’s Window, explores the familiar theme of children leaving our world for one of fantasy, with the twist of a distraught parent serving as protagonist. A single father tries to convince a trespassing, morally ambiguous shadow creature to return his apparently kidnapped daughter, Sarah, amid its assertions that it is innocent of wrongdoing since “not all lost things are stolen.” An otherworldly realm seduces with magical delights.
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Seen from a hundred feet up–if one could see any of this meeting, which they can’t – Saint Nick and his reindeer are red and brown dots standing on a potmarked gray island spanning hundreds of feet, lapped by waves…
Norm begins this Christmas episode with musical satire of the “Night Before Christmas” poem, twisting it into an explanation of the subprime derivative collapse: “We Don’t Have to Liquidate Christmas.” Jonathan C. Gillespie, a veteran of the podcast “Variant Frequencies” among others, focuses on those unsung worker heroes of Christmas, the everyday average reindeer, who pull a heavy load (and toys too) across the skies. As it turns out not even these mythic creatures are immune to office politics. The titular Dasher is given a chance to prove himself, and keep his day job, amid a desperate sky race around the world.
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“When I first met Jason he was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the studio, surrounded by burning candles. The air smelled like flowers and a sort of a fog hung in the room and I’m thinking- this dude is a little off…”
This podcast begins with a content warning, beware the “f-bomb.” Norm takes the occasion of Thanksgiving to politely thank civilization and his listeners. The feature is a faux documentary from Josh Roundtree, a contributor to “Realms of Fantasy.” Its subject is a record called “Gifting Bliss” from fantasy musician Jason Avery, whose band “Broken” has a magical healing power to listeners. The reading includes fake commercial breaks and Norm’s hysterical imitations of several sub-standard bands and clueless musicians. Lastly, Norm reads the feedback for the recent Halloween story, “The Box Born Wraith.”
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“Just one thing,” I said, nodding towards the cheesecake. “How do you do it?”
Norm Sherman gives us more of the Mega-Beast Death-Match. The Drabbles for this episode depict lawn ornament assassins and a man’s true form. The feature story describes the horrible price others pay for your health foods. Feedback from “Witchcraft in the Harem” by Aliya Whiteley (Episode 74) and episode 75’s Trifecta IV.
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“I’m in serious trouble here,” I said to the pale man. “Give me some words of wisdom.”
This episode’s Drabble details a disturbing beginning. The feature is a haunting tale of desire and eternity. Norm Sherman gives us more information on the Mega-Beach Death-Match, which contains a squid with tank treads, a giant wasp, and a robotic tanuki. Feedback is from Episode #96 “The Story-Teller” by Saki.
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“What have you got there, Dell?”
Lars twisted his hand painfully to get a look at the ring.
“Where did you find that?…”
Norm introduces all and sundry to his latest favorite, real-life monster animal: the four-inch “Giant Water Bug,” which sucks out its prey’s innards. It can fly and also play dead in order to sucker unwitting prey. The author of the feature story has been published in “Art and Prose,” among other places. A desperate sex slave’s world changes with an unexpected gift and a magical means of escape. Feedback for Episode #41, “Set Another Place at the Table, I’m Bringing My Pimple,” was mixed, and often rather disgusting, like the story itself. Norm reminds the listeners that voting for “People’s Choice” and the contest for “Nigerian Scam Spam” remain open.
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Leonard returned to his home circle garrulous about his Russian strike experiences, but oppressively reticent about certain dark mysteries, which he alluded to under the resounding title of Siberian Magic…
Norm details numerous urban legends about revolting items found in fast food as an introduction to this week’s Drabble, a terrifying story about moldy fast food, circular breathing, and ghosts. The feature story showcases the work of 19th-Century author “Saki,” the pen name for Hector Hugh Monroe, heard earlier in Episode #19, “Sredni Vashtar.” Saki describes an encounter with Siberian magic, which Norm acts out using a dazzling variety of male and female caricature voices. An unreliable travelogue inspires skeptical table turning and an elaborate drawing-room prank. Feedback for Episode #40, “Marbles,” shows the depth of discussion among the listener forums. Finally, Norm announces the year’s “People’s Choice” Drabblecast poll, soliciting votes for the listeners’ favorites. He reminds us that the First Annual Nigerian Scam Spam contest is still accepting entries.
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Ma called it the crazy. She always had. The old lady called it something else. Most of the time, before I- touched one- I used the word Ma used, or sometimes I called it the weirdness, to myself…
On this episode of the Drabblecast, the mother of a unique child must guide him towards greater knowledge of the powers he possesses.
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This is a story about how one thing leads to another, if you know what I mean. It’s about what the Chinese mean when they say: “I curse you with an interesting time”….
In this episode of the Drabblecast, a convention goer encounters a unique, magical threat. Trapped in a world of strange magic, with wits alone as his guide.
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Nikki’s looking for a Prince…
Episode 6 of the Drabblecast brings us The Frog Prince, a story exploring the transformative potential of frog smooching. Norm recommends his favorite podcast Escape Pod, and invites authors to submit their weird stories. He closes by asking the fans to spread the word about the Drabblecast.
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Angels, fallen or otherwise, weren’t known for their appreciation of human art…
