Comment from Eric1

Excellent

Hi Dean, are you determined to keep me awake tonight? This is a really gory but brilliantly penned story my friend, Your authors notes explain it all thankfully.

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

I'm doing my best, Eric, LOL. It's my hope I can do the same with each and every story in this collection.

Thanks again for the review. :)

~Dean

reply by Eric1 on 25-Mar-2015

My pleasure dear friend.

Comment from madhatter1977

Excellent

Very clever storytelling, Dean, and I feel sorry for Frank! To die twice in a minute, asleep and then awake is a bit of bad luck, lol! Great notes about Lamia as well - I thought the name was familiar although I'm not sure if I've read the mythology or the Keats' poem. Well done, my friend! Best wishes, Pete :)

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

Thanks, Pete. I sincerely appreciate your review, my friend. Are you familiar a movie titled, Drag Me To Hell? In it, a Lamia demon is released and torments a poor, unsuspecting bank teller with aspirations of becoming a bank manager. A poor gypsy woman comes to beg the bank where she works to allow her more time to come up with the arrearage on her home before the bank forecloses on it, but the young woman refuses. She's afraid that if her boss feels like she can't make the tough choices, he will pass the promotion along to someone else. The gypsy unleashes the Lamia on her.

If you haven't seen it, I'd highly recommend it, if you like a good scare.

Thanks so much again for the review, my friend. :}

~Dean

reply by madhatter1977 on 25-Mar-2015

Hi, Dean, I haven't seen it but have heard the title mentioned. I generally don't watch horror films unless they're funny! They scare me out of my wits! I like good dramas and comedies, and watch some violent things occasionally. It sounds like a good film, I've seen The Ring and other horrors. Drag me to Hell might be one I can watch. I don't like the torture genre mainly. Best wishes, Pete :)

reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

Oh, it is funny, Pete. There are scenes that'll have you rolling around on the floor in stitches, LOL. Just remember this one word I'm about to tell you if and when you decide to watch it...

...DENTURES

reply by madhatter1977 on 25-Mar-2015

"Is it safe?" Marathon Man, LOL!

reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

A Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier classic, Pete! ;)

reply by madhatter1977 on 26-Mar-2015

Certainly is. Hoffman is great in that film. Have a great day, Dean!

Comment from Domino 2

Exceptional

I love the alliterated and creepy, 'grinning ghoul', Deano.

Extremely vivid blood-splattering gory imagery.

Maybe, 'Frank gags...' for extra clarity, as we'd HATE the extremely cute Lamia to come to any harm. ;-)

A ghoulish 'Groundhog Day' ending. Blimey, once was enough, but YIKES - here it comes again.

Great horror shortie packed with punch.

A sixer for the shivers. :-)

Cheers, Ray

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015

Hey, thanks a million, Rayman. I appreciate your interest in these snippets of horror, your very generous rating, and, most of all, your support.

Thanks again, mate. ~Dean :}

Comment from Muffins

Excellent

I'm so glad that I read your post in the daytime where dreams and monsters are dormant. The gross out descriptions made my stomach hurt, the unknown whatever opening the door made me cover my eyes for the horror to come. Fantastic, keep making me squirm.

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015

Heh-heh, thank you very much, Muffins. I appreciate your interest in these snippets of horror, and your kind support.

Much obliged!.~Dean :}

Comment from Tomes Johnston

Excellent

This is yet another interesting and gruesome poem by the author here. This is very interesting information about Greek myths. I suppose we all have our version of the Lamia. Well done yet again.

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

Thank you for sharing your time as well as your comments with me, Thomes. I deeply appreciate it. ~Dean

reply by Tomes Johnston on 25-Mar-2015

I enjoyed it. Well done.

reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

:)

Comment from daeneam

Exceptional

What I love reading about you is the uniqueness of your style and the added information found in the author's notes. When we are envious of others, we really turn to become a monster. Read my 2-4-2 contest entry. c", Mae

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 02-Apr-2015

Thanks, c",Mae, I very much appreciate you following along with this series. I'm happy you've taken an interest in these small snippets of horror tales, and I'm extremely grateful for your continued support.

:}` ~Dean

Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell

Excellent

Oh, Dean! I struggled to get my breath then. And he dreamt it, but now he will be living it! Makes me cringe thinking of it! You have lots more? Oh, loads of nightmares for me coming up then!! Why is it we know something is going to scare us, yet we still read or look at them? We are a strange breed! :) Sandra. xsx

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

The hormonal reaction we humans get from responding to a threat or crisis is what motivates us to "like to be scared". This is the same "fight or flight" syndrome which guaranteed our survival in more primitive times. At the moment we are threatened, we have increased strength, power, heightened senses and intuition. This increase in mental and physical capacity is commonly referred as an "adrenaline rush." It is named after the primary hormone involved.

Basically, you can get this feeling defending yourself against a lion in the jungle or sitting in a theater while watching a horror flick. We, as humans, appear to be "hard-wired" to be drawn to this feeling. It is older than we are as a species, and is tied to our survival -- without it, we would have perished and died out long ago.

With something so compelling, is it any wonder that many people like to get this sensation within the comfort, security and complete resolution a ninety minute scary movie, a one hundred word horror story, or a two-minute thrill ride provide?

That's why we do it, Sandra. It is in our nature. Thanks so much for your review. ~Dean

reply by Sandra Stoner-Mitchell on 25-Mar-2015

That's right. We do and always will. I hadn't really thought of it like that. The human race would have perished long ago without this compelling instinct. Okay, scare me some more, Dean, I'm ready for it!! :) xx

reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

Well, I'll do my best, Sandra. You can count on that, heh-heh...;)

Comment from Ric Myworld

Excellent

I have grown very fond of flash stories; of course, I'm like most of the world these days, always wanting that instant gratification. Thanks for another entertaining read. :-)

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

Thank you for your review, Ric. It's appreciated, as always. ~Dean

Comment from Margaret Snowdon

Excellent

Ohhhhhhh - you put so much fear
into such a short piece. Dean...
this is a great idea - short, sharp
horror stories.....




Lowering it's face - its

Margaret

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

Thank you for your review, Margaret, and the correction. It's appreciated, as always. ~Dean

Comment from giraffmang

Excellent

An interesting little piece of horror flash fiction. Thanks for the notes on the Lamia as well. I take it then that Frank is a child? And what brings about this fateful dream / reality. I only ask this because without a lead-in it could be any manner of monster.

Can't fault the writing or the atmosphere created within the piece at all. This feels somewhat weaker and not as well drawn or realised as the previous entry. (imo)

G

 Comment Written 25-Mar-2015

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reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

You realise as well as anyone how difficult flash fiction is to write, G-Man. If it doesn't strike that "chord" within the reader's brain, and make a connection, it falls flat, limp and lifeless. It must be done right, and if it isn't, people quickly pick up on it. It's far different than writing a 2,000 word horror story. Flash fiction, in and of itself, is a very difficult form to write. However, when you couple that with trying to scare the pants off your readers, well...that makes it doubly more difficult.

I took on this project as a challenge to hone my prose, to get constructive feedback from intelligent readers like yourself, who care enough to offer their suggestions and opinions. It's still a work in progress, and I only hope such an exercise tightens my prose, streamlines it and makes it far more effective. Reviews just like this are exactly what I need to make me try even harder. Thanks, G-Man. I appreciate it. :) ~Dean

reply by giraffmang on 25-Mar-2015

It is always a pleasure to read your work, Spooky. I will always be objective and honest in what I write. This flash horror endeavour is quite some undertaking, but you will pull it off. I will be following it all the way too!

G

reply by the author on 25-Mar-2015

Thanks, Gareth. I appreciate that. ;}

~Spooky