Author's Note: This week's pieces are in response to the second of Sarah Faxon’s as always stellar prompts, Your story starts with a shooting star, and John Watson - Horror Author’s new weekly image prompt series.
The Long Awaited Sign
In a blinding blaze it swept through the vast firmament: the long awaited sign, heralded by the dervish priests of Perez from their mountain cloisters. Down in the verdant valleys the shepherds shielded their eyes. In the villages shutters and doors flew open, people sleepily spilling into the streets. At the crest of the distant citadel the newly crowned lord and his mighty men regarded it with glee.
“And with it,” read the ancient line, “comes a new Aeon.”
“Mine!” the lord proclaimed -
The meteorite shattered the keep, a train of titanic terrors ravenously bursting forth from its sulfurous innards.
“We Care”
“Tell us, Richie: were you doing the naughty thing again?”
The boy squirmed under the glare.
“You know what happens to little boys who do that, Richie. Tell us: We can help make the dirty thoughts go away.”
Richie squeezed his eyes shut, choking back tears. Why did his parents make him do this?
“Look at us Richie.”
The steely command snapped his eyes open.
“Your parents are worried, Richie. They don't want you to end up like the other nasty boys. Tell us.”
The eyes, sprouting like vines from the Doctor's head, blinked.
“You can trust us: we care.”
© Conor MacCormack, 2026. All rights reserved.
“We Care” lands especially well because it never overexplains the horror. The calm institutional tone makes the final image even more unsettling. That last line genuinely shifts the atmosphere of the whole piece.
Yes, naughty… we just want to help. Ugggh shivers. Excellent work here, my friend!