horror &mdash; updraft https://updraft.writeas.com/tag:horror a small selection of personal writings Tue, 08 Sep 2026 16:24:00 +0000 updraft https://updraft.writeas.com/updraft?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[About updraft and its author Just what the world needs: another blog, right? #about Thanks #about Poetry Freedom #poem #freeverse #humor #truestory Delivery #poem #rhyme #humor Dance #poem #freeverse #transform Misteaks #poem #freeverse #political Old Glory #poem #freeverse End #poem #freeverse Dreams #poem #freeverse #horror Balance #poem #rhyme #humor Reunion #poem #freeverse Seen from Space #poem #rhyme Who is she? #poem #rhyme #horror After midnight #poem #freeverse #shape Dolls #poem #freeverse #horror Rejects #poem #freeverse #political Salt #poem #freeverse #horror West #poem #freeverse The Ballad of Za #poem #longpoem #rhyme Prose What New Direction? #prose #story #longstory Rain #prose #story Tunnels #prose #horror Dusk #prose Space Pilot #prose #story #humor #horror Eclipse #prose #story #humor Bones #prose ON AIR #prose #story #transform Escape #prose #story #horror #transform Donkey #prose #story #zen Pet #prose #story #humor Representative #prose #story First meeting #prose #story Hashtags Note that clicking a hashtag will return only the 10 most recent relevant posts. about #poem #freeverse #rhyme #longpoem #shape #prose #story #longstory #humor #horror #zen #political #transform #truestory Cook roasting chestnuts outdoors with steam rising. updraft logo. Blog and author description.]]> About updraft and its author

Just what the world needs: another blog, right? #about Thanks #about

Poetry

Freedom #poem #freeverse #humor #truestory Delivery #poem #rhyme #humor Dance #poem #freeverse #transform Misteaks #poem #freeverse #political Old Glory #poem #freeverse End #poem #freeverse Dreams #poem #freeverse #horror Balance #poem #rhyme #humor Reunion #poem #freeverse Seen from Space #poem #rhyme Who is she? #poem #rhyme #horror After midnight #poem #freeverse #shape Dolls #poem #freeverse #horror Rejects #poem #freeverse #political Salt #poem #freeverse #horror West #poem #freeverse The Ballad of Za #poem #longpoem #rhyme

Prose

What New Direction? #prose #story #longstory Rain #prose #story Tunnels #prose #horror Dusk #prose Space Pilot #prose #story #humor #horror Eclipse #prose #story #humor Bones #prose ON AIR #prose #story #transform Escape #prose #story #horror #transform Donkey #prose #story #zen Pet #prose #story #humor Representative #prose #story First meeting #prose #story

Hashtags

Note that clicking a hashtag will return only the 10 most recent relevant posts. #about #poem #freeverse #rhyme #longpoem #shape #prose #story #longstory #humor #horror #zen #political #transform #truestory

Cook roasting chestnuts outdoors with steam rising. updraft logo. Blog and author description.

]]> https://updraft.writeas.com/updraft Wed, 24 Oct 2018 00:29:33 +0000 Tunnels https://updraft.writeas.com/tunnels?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[It’s safe in the tunnels. No one wants to go down here.!--more-- Just stay out of the way of the trains. And the live rail. You get used to the noise. You welcome it. It’s the silence you fear. When the air grows stale and chokes. I wonder what it’s like outside. It can’t be safe. No one comes back. Not sane anyway. I’ll raise my kids down here. And watch the humans walk. And rot, and decay. Time to grind my teeth a little. #prose #horror 2018-08-22]]> It’s safe in the tunnels. No one wants to go down here. Just stay out of the way of the trains. And the live rail.

You get used to the noise. You welcome it. It’s the silence you fear. When the air grows stale and chokes.

I wonder what it’s like outside. It can’t be safe. No one comes back. Not sane anyway.

I’ll raise my kids down here. And watch the humans walk. And rot, and decay. Time to grind my teeth a little.

#prose #horror 2018-08-22

]]> https://updraft.writeas.com/tunnels Wed, 22 Aug 2018 16:04:06 +0000 Space Pilot https://updraft.writeas.com/space-pilot?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[“Join the Space Force, see the galaxy,” they said. “It’s glamorous,” they said. Yeah, well that may have been true once!--more--, 300 years ago, before the Singularity. But now? I do get to see the galaxy, from the observation deck, but the wonder wears off. The bots are kind, but I’m not needed as crew. I’m cargo, a life sample, a bibelot and bargaining chip, in case we meet life and the AI space pilot needs to negotiate. #prose #story #humor #horror 2018-07-29]]> “Join the Space Force, see the galaxy,” they said. “It’s glamorous,” they said. Yeah, well that may have been true once, 300 years ago, before the Singularity. But now?

I do get to see the galaxy, from the observation deck, but the wonder wears off.

The bots are kind, but I’m not needed as crew. I’m cargo, a life sample, a bibelot and bargaining chip, in case we meet life and the AI space pilot needs to negotiate.

#prose #story #humor #horror 2018-07-29

]]> https://updraft.writeas.com/space-pilot Fri, 03 Aug 2018 21:09:48 +0000 Escape https://updraft.writeas.com/escape?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[It's cold out here in the wasteland, but it was colder in the city.!--more-- They thought me one of them, but I changed. And I got out before they realized, before I became sport, prey, kill, to prop up their insecurities. They don't like different. I'm a coward, please forgive me. I didn't fight. I just thought of myself and ran. But I promise I will return to help others. To escape. Or fight. What else is there? #prose #story #horror #transform 2018-07-20]]> It's cold out here in the wasteland, but it was colder in the city.

They thought me one of them, but I changed. And I got out before they realized, before I became sport, prey, kill, to prop up their insecurities. They don't like different.

I'm a coward, please forgive me. I didn't fight. I just thought of myself and ran. But I promise I will return to help others. To escape. Or fight. What else is there?

#prose #story #horror #transform 2018-07-20

]]> https://updraft.writeas.com/escape Fri, 03 Aug 2018 20:55:46 +0000 Dreams https://updraft.writeas.com/dreams?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[I saw a dream. Actually saw what it looked like.!--more-- From the outside, not the inside. Then I started seeing them everywhere. In bars. On street corners. On trains. Anywhere there were people. Not anymore. I take my net with me. Catch as many as I can. I can sell one back to you if you like. Reasonable price. Choosing what sort is extra. Unless, of course, you prefer The dreamless sleep of the dead. #poem #freeverse #horror 2018-07-04 / 2018-08-03]]> I saw a dream. Actually saw what it looked like. From the outside, not the inside.

Then I started seeing them everywhere. In bars. On street corners. On trains. Anywhere there were people.

Not anymore. I take my net with me. Catch as many as I can.

I can sell one back to you if you like. Reasonable price. Choosing what sort is extra. Unless, of course, you prefer The dreamless sleep of the dead.

#poem #freeverse #horror 2018-07-04 / 2018-08-03

]]> https://updraft.writeas.com/dreams Fri, 03 Aug 2018 20:53:52 +0000 Who is she? https://updraft.writeas.com/who-is-she?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Running over tilting flagstones, Eyes that watch my reckless pace,!--more-- Pushing hard against the darkness, Find her window edged with lace. Once inside, I hear her music Barely breathing on the air Of mystic incense. Calm creeps over. Curtains flutter. She is there! Green eyes set in moonlight pallor, La fée verte the role she plays. One by one she takes the cards And lays them, face up, on the baize. One: a meeting with a woman, Green tattoo above her eye, Red hair falling on one shoulder. She will simply say, “Goodbye.” Two: a meeting with her lover - Stranger, never met before. Three: a chase, and four: a stumble, Five: a fall, and six: … no more. Chill of fear that grips my stomach. She is gone. I start to scream... Waking now... I'm in my bedroom! Thankful it was all a dream. Heavy aching head from drinking Absinthe all the night before. Washing, dressing - must go shopping, Get provisions from the store. Walking home, I see a woman, Green tattoo above one eye. Red hair falling on one shoulder, Closer now, she says: “Goodbye.” #poem #rhyme #horror 2018-07-05]]> Running over tilting flagstones, Eyes that watch my reckless pace, Pushing hard against the darkness, Find her window edged with lace.

Once inside, I hear her music Barely breathing on the air Of mystic incense. Calm creeps over. Curtains flutter. She is there!

Green eyes set in moonlight pallor, La fée verte the role she plays. One by one she takes the cards And lays them, face up, on the baize.

One: a meeting with a woman, Green tattoo above her eye, Red hair falling on one shoulder. She will simply say, “Goodbye.” Two: a meeting with her lover - Stranger, never met before. Three: a chase, and four: a stumble, Five: a fall, and six: … no more.

Chill of fear that grips my stomach. She is gone. I start to scream... Waking now... I'm in my bedroom! Thankful it was all a dream.

Heavy aching head from drinking Absinthe all the night before. Washing, dressing – must go shopping, Get provisions from the store.

Walking home, I see a woman, Green tattoo above one eye. Red hair falling on one shoulder, Closer now, she says: “Goodbye.”

#poem #rhyme #horror 2018-07-05

]]> https://updraft.writeas.com/who-is-she Fri, 03 Aug 2018 20:44:12 +0000 Dolls https://updraft.writeas.com/dolls?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Long ago, I left the dolls behind.!--more-- Those little stuffed dolls. And the needles. So much work. This is the twenty-first century. We have computers. The Internet. Virtual Reality. And they still work. The pain is still real. #poem #freeverse #horror 2018-06-18]]> Long ago, I left the dolls behind. Those little stuffed dolls. And the needles. So much work. This is the twenty-first century. We have computers. The Internet. Virtual Reality. And they still work. The pain is still real.

#poem #freeverse #horror 2018-06-18

]]> https://updraft.writeas.com/dolls Fri, 03 Aug 2018 20:20:54 +0000 Salt https://updraft.writeas.com/salt?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[I'm safe. I put a perfect ring of salt around me. !--more-- Nothing can get past that. Unless it flies. Or jumps. Best not to think about it. It's only for slugs. #poem #freeverse #horror 2018-06-01]]> I'm safe. I put a perfect ring of salt around me. Nothing can get past that. Unless it flies. Or jumps. Best not to think about it. It's only for slugs.

#poem #freeverse #horror 2018-06-01

]]> https://updraft.writeas.com/salt Fri, 03 Aug 2018 20:00:21 +0000