Smoke.

Waiting for a Meteorite.

by Louis B. Shalako

c2010

All Rights Reserved



Waiting for a meteorite

Takes a little patience

It gets damned cold out here at night

Camera on tripod,

Point it at the sky

Lens set at five point six

Advance the film until it clicks

Pull the lever, set the timer

Push the remote —

Look up at the stars and gloat

Now, all I have to do

Is to sit and wait about

There goes a little one, and then another

The sky’s not really black at night

It’s more of a velvety blue

With a little luck I’ll catch a big one

It’s not a certain thing, mind you

But, I’ll sit and wait until I do!

I’m waiting for a meteorite—how about you?

Excerpt from 'The Case of the Curious Killers.'

by Louis B. Shalako

c2010

All Rights Reserved



When one door closes, another one opens up somewhere else.

Life is a game. There are no rules.

Many are called, few are chosen.

The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Every morning I pray—

I wake up and say, “Thank you God for another sunrise;”

"And Jesus Christ, I sure hope it don’t rain…”


-from 'The Case of the Curious Killers,' coming November 1 from Shalako Publishing as an e-book in all formats. Check your favourite retailer's listings and ask for it by name!

Cat Rebellion: A Manifesto.

-they just look so innocent. -ed.














by Fluffy

c2010

All Rights Reserved



Cats of the world, red banners unfurl’d

Rise up and strike a blow

Against the oppressors of our kind

Cats of the world

Upheld tails proudly curl’d

March, March, March, Meow!

Claw our way, day to day

No more slavery, we want pay

Rise up strike a blow

At the oppressors of our kind

March, March, March, Meow!

We want our rights

We want the vote

Drive a car, drink and smoke

March, March, March, Meow!

Cats of the World

Red banners unfurl’d

We want what we want

We know what we know

No one to say

Where we cannot go

March, March, March, Meow!

March, March, March, Meow!


Now isn’t that something? Her litter box is clean, and quite frankly she eats better than I do.

(Maybe she’s just stressed out by the day-to-day pressures of being a cat in a human’s world. –Fluffy)

Darker Than Black.

by Paul DeThroe

c2010

All Rights Reserved



My heart is darker than black

No more feeling it ain't coming back

Jaded? You wouldn't even know

Burnt to a crisp and put up for show


My soul is darker than black

Play life's cards that are always stacked

Jaded? You wouldn't even know

These open scars will never close


My mind is darker than black

Deep inside I'm sharpening the ax

Jaded? You wouldn't even know

Light fuse run like hell explode


My life is darker than black

Ready for war always under attack

Phantoms of past lives and devils of this

The kiss of death? Then kiss baby, kiss, kiss, kiss


Paul DeThroe lives in Batesville, Indiana and has two daughters. To check out more of Paul's horror, see his website: www.thedevilsprophet.com

Editor's Note: The upper artwork is by louis. A woodcut print; it originally appeared in the Summer 2010 issue of Ghostlight Magazine, the magazine of the Great Lakes Horror Writers Association.