Edition 8: The Stygian Lepus Magazine, #8

By Stygian Lepus

The Stygian Lepus Magazine is a thrilling foray into dark speculative fiction. In each new edition, readers explore the depths of imagination, where fear and fascination intertwine.

Offering diverse genres from horror to science fiction, each story pushes the boundaries of reality.

Talented authors craft tales that transport readers to new dimensions, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. The magazine is a vessel for exploring the human psyche, embracing darkness as a means to understand ourselves.

Join this journey into the unknown, where the bizarre and unsettling captivate, all within the pages of The Stygian Lepus Magazine.

 

FEATURING

 

Walker - Part Three by Glynn Owen Barrass

Place Your Bets by Eric Farrell

A Visit from Carl by John Grey

Night Companion by John Grey

Return of the Drummer - Part Three by Jodi Jensen

The Place Where Elation and Excitement Meet by Tim Law

Unholy Sonnet by Mark J. Mitchell

Dunmere Field by Don Money

A Man About a Dog by Jim Mountfield

Mask by John R.C. Potter

One Coin, Two Sides by Kimberly Rei

Eat the Elephant: The Dreaded Red Pen by Kimberly Rei & Dean Shawker

A Fool's Demise by Jasiah Witkofsky

• Language: English
• Publisher: Black Hare Press
• Release date: Dec 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798224924899

Book preview

The Stygian Lepus

Digital Edition 8

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The Stygian Lepus Magazine

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Jodi Christensen – Fiction Editor

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Kara Hawkers – Poetry Editor

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Dean Shawker – Fiction Editor

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The Hawkmoth – Cover Designer

Copyright © 2023 by The Stygian Lepus Magazine

First published in Australia in December 2023 by The Stygian Lepus Magazine

All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this production may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, including in any AI activity such as training, etc, without the prior permission of the publisher and copyright owner.

Contents

A Man About a Dog

Jim Mountfield

Mask

John R.C. Potter

Eat the Elephant: The Dreaded Red Pen

Kimberly Rei & Dean Shawker

A Visit from Carl

John Grey

Night Companion

John Grey

Walker - Part Three

Glynn Owen Barrass

Dunmere Field

Don Money

One Coin, Two Sides

Kimberly Rei

The Place Where Elation and Excitement Meet

Tim Law

A Fool's Demise

Jasiah Witkofsky

Place Your Bets

Eric Farrell

Unholy Sonnet

Mark J. Mitchell

Return of the Drummer - Part Three

Jodi Jensen

Fiction Editor

Jodi Christensen

Fiction Editor

Dean Shawker

Poetry Editor

Kara Hawkers

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the eighth edition of our darkly enchanting realm, The Stygian Lepus: A Dark Speculative Fiction Magazine. As we gather once more beneath the shadowed canopy of imagination, I find myself eager to guide you through another collection of tales that delve into the abyss of human wonder and terror.

In the pages of our beloved magazine, we continue to journey into the depths of the human psyche, where the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, and the mysterious beckons with an alluring, albeit perilous, charm. The world of dark speculative fiction is a playground for the curious and the brave, where we revel in the dance of the uncanny and embrace the sinister facets of existence.

This edition presents a sinister tableau of stories, handpicked to challenge your perceptions and plunge you headfirst into the abyss of the unknown. From eerie landscapes of horror to the nebulous realms of science fiction, our talented authors have once again risen to the occasion, weaving narratives that will haunt your dreams and leave you questioning the very fabric of reality.

Diversity continues to be our guiding star. We’ve summoned an array of voices, each as unique as the night itself, to ensure that every reader finds their own dark muse within these pages. Our authors have ventured into the heart of terror and returned with stories that defy categorization, blending genres and transcending boundaries in ways that will both astound and captivate.

As you immerse yourself in the words and visions contained herein, remember that darkness is not to be shunned, but rather embraced. It is through these tales that we confront the enigma of our own fears, desires, and the enigmatic unknown. Here, within the Stygian Lepus, we unlock the secrets of existence lurking just beyond the threshold of the ordinary.

This magazine is not merely an assemblage of stories; it is a conduit to the very essence of our shared humanity—a vessel that carries us through the labyrinth of our deepest desires and anxieties, a tapestry woven with the threads of our most compelling nightmares and dreams.

I extend my sincere gratitude to all of you, dear readers, for your unwavering support. It is your curiosity, your thirst for the uncanny, and your dedication to the craft of storytelling that fuel our continued journey into the Stygian depths. Please continue to share your thoughts, feedback, and reflections with us, for it is your voices that guide us in our quest to deliver the finest dark speculative fiction.

Yours in the shadows,

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The Styg

Editor-in-Chief

The Stygian Lepus Magazine

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A Man About a Dog

Jim Mountfield

Iwent to the library to see a man about a dog. Fifteen minutes later, another man, a large one in a hoodie, was stomping on my head. 

When I’d entered the building, figures were slumped around the reading tables in its foyer. They wore beanie hats bristling with frayed wool strands and coats leaking synthetic fluff from torn seams. One turned a head towards me, showing rheumy eyes and a ragged beard. The morning was brutally cold, and the library’s central heating had induced many of the city’s homeless folk to take refuge inside.

I found him