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Attractions in Development
In six weeks, the first edition of the Backstage Pass, Volume II will be published! And with it, a whole slew of attractions will be unveiled for your displeasure:
With the Groundskeeper’s origin story coming to a close, a new narrative will begin: Bus Driver. Bus Driver takes place long after the onset of a zombie apocalypse, when most humans have established new ways of living, and public transportation is once again under consideration. This is the maiden voyage of one such attempt at creating a new normal.
Speaking of the Groundskeeper, they’re getting their own publication! If you have been keeping up with the story so far, you will recognize a new look to the title card. This is in preparation for the new Groundskeeper stories. If you loved the Groundskeeper, you can subscribe to keep up with their nonsense! A link to do so is provided at the end of the chapter.
If Bus Driver doesn’t spark your interest, perhaps vampires will? A Vampire’s Vengeance will make its debut in Volume II. You can follow along with the misadventures of the vampires Isabelle and Edgar as they work to uncover the mysterious disappearance of their kind across the face of the earth.
Do you love horror films? In each edition of Volume II, a shortlist will be released every Thursday evening consisting of two to four films grouped for your weekend enjoyment. Watch one or watch them all! And then join us on Discord to discuss them, if you so choose.
And finally, we shall be revisiting classic tales of horror from which modern horror was birthed. Stories from such terrific terror authors as Edgar Allen Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, and many others will be published. These works are in the public domain, and thus will we liberally share them for your extended enjoyment.
Furthermore, each edition of Volume II will be made available as a PDF for premium subscribers. For the moment, premium will be managed on Patreon! But more on this later. For now, bask in the excitement of what lies in store when Volume II begins.
And now, without further ado …
The Groundskeeper, Part XXIX
First time tuning in? Start here.
When last we spent time with our protagonist, they were finally wrapping up for the night. Light was rising over the horizon and all seemed like they might actually make it out alive. And then: the Trespasser. Trespassers, plural! You can catch up with Part XXVIII here. How will the Groundskeeper manage this new threat? Let’s find out.
"Oh fuck."
I didn't mean to say it out loud, but there is no stopping those two words from making their way across the road once freed. The closest creature snaps the bouquet into its mouth and turns its conical snout in my direction. I don't know if it sees me; I don't know if it has eyes. But it knows I'm there. It opens its mouth and screams--or, well, it warbles louder, and this feels like a scream. The other two snap their attention in my direction. I turn and dive back into the employee hall.
The closest creature is fast, but not fast enough, slamming into the door behind me as it closes. I expected the glass to break, but it holds. Even more so, it holds against the repeated attempts of the creature to break through. I don't stop to think about it though, as I'm hurtling toward the other exit. The only thing on my mind at the moment is getting to the mausoleum.
The hammering at the other end of the hall stops as I throw myself out the exit and sprint toward the mausoleum. So far, I'm aware of only the one creature in close pursuit, but I keep in mind that there are two others. I hope they aren't fucking smart; I hope they're incapable of setting traps. Because, as I've mentioned before, I'm not exactly the brightest. I'm just gunning for the shotgun. I'll worry about my ability to use it when I get there.
I glance back and see the pursuing creature on top of the employee hall. It takes notice of me as I pause and leaps down from the roof, slamming into the ground and rolling over to end up on its feet. I turn my attention back to the mausoleum and pick up my speed. I bought some time running through the employee hall; let's hope it's enough. All this running is taking its toll on my body, though. My legs are already beyond tired from my earlier attempts at survival. My lungs are billows, amplifying the burning and cramping in my chest. But with a monster straight out of my nightmares barreling close behind, and the fate of the entire world in the balance--I really gotta think big here to keep myself pushing through the pain--I keep moving forward, intent on reaching the elevator before I'm eaten alive by the creature.
I come around to the entrance of the mausoleum and throw open the glass doors, hurtling myself through and pulling them shut behind me. I peek back as I tumble in. From the cool marble where I land, I look around through the clear view of the glass and see nothing. As I stand, I watch as the creature drops from just above the doors and leaps straight into them, crashing to a halt, the doors holding here just as well as they did in the employee hall. But whether or not the doors hold, I scream, turn, and run toward the elevator. The slamming against the doors continues for only a short period. About halfway to the elevator I turn and find the creature is nowhere to be seen.
I slow down and try to catch my breath as I continue toward the center. If the creature is stuck outside, then I've bought myself more time to get the shotgun. The only real problem are the flowers--there's a big possibility more creatures may wander in. I try not to dwell on that thought, but it's where my mind returns when the warbling fills the mausoleum.
The warbling fills the mausoleum?! Does this mean the creature is now INSIDE? But how? And how will the Groundskeeper deal with this? Will they make it to the elevator? Or will this story come to an abrupt close? Only one way to find out! Read Part XXX here.
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What’s Published and Where You Can Find It
Tales From the Odds ‘n’ Endings Boutique
The Proprietor—a timeless individual of many faces, few scruples, and a whole lot of character—runs the Odds ‘n’ Endings Boutique, dealing in artifacts containing peculiar traits. These are the tales of the Boutique’s patrons.
Calypso
Calypso is the reimagining of Immortality, the first story ever written in the Odds ‘n’ Endings universe, and the third to be published in it. Come and brave the journey with the narrator as they realize too late the cost for an otherwise interesting acquisition. Now available:
Showdown at Sunrise
A merchant finds himself in a bind when he manages to survive a duel. A chance encounter in an odd shoppe may just be the luck he needs. The question is, will this luck hold out?
A western with a little bit of magic and a whole lotta gumption.
Vegas Rift
A woman searches for her long lost husband. This is currently the most popular Mad Alex short story.
Other Stories
The Artist’s Spell cover
Final Encounter Cover
Final Encounter
A parent searches frantically for their daughter who has disappeared in their house.
Postscript
Isn’t this fun? There’s so much new on the horizon! It’s like a miniature theme park will open up right here, backstage, purely for your enjoyment. Are you excited? We here at the Calamity are very excited. Anyway, if you are on the butterfly app, come follow! You can find the Calamity on Bluesky here.