Offbeat, Surreal, Strange &/or Absurd
8 stories
King of the Woods, or Trivial Pursuit by ziggylong
ziggylong
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Florida Forest Service duty officer Ray Lumley is in love with a white fringetree. Not an I-read-Walden-in-high-school love; a sweaty, sappy, I-want-to-rub-against-you-'til-I-get-splinters love. It's awkward. So, he's relieved to learn that he's really hot for Trivia, the dreadlocked, radical environmentalist nymph who lives inside the tree. Better yet, she wants to share an eternity of Arcadian delights with him. But first she has to kill the man she holds responsible for a spate of forest fires--Ray's boss, a mid-level bureaucrat (and soccer dad) who she insists is the King of the Woods. -- King of the Woods, or Trivial Pursuit retells the myth of rex Nemorensis as an urban fantasy. Updates every Tuesday.
The Boy with Words for Skin by JacobSeifert
JacobSeifert
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Samuel Brandt woke up with his thoughts written all over his body. His brother woke up with his head missing. His sister woke up to find that her skin would crack open unless she stayed in water. All of the other children in the secluded Iowa town of Oak Knoll woke up having undergone strange transformations. Now, they are all forced to live at 407 West Marshall Street, the mysterious house outside of town. With the new name of The Boy with Words for Skin, Samuel wants nothing more than to hide from his new life. He painfully and unpredictably sheds his skin, there is a Voice in the entryway closet that is often cruel, and-perhaps worst of all for a naturally shy boy-the other children look to him as a leader. As his seven-year-old brother struggles with their new life, as terrifying growls start to come from the pitch black basement, and as his feelings for a girl begin to grow, The Boy with Words for Skin realizes that he wants to change. He wants to put others first, learn from his peers, and let himself hope that things will get better. The Boy with Words for Skin is the first book in the 407 West Marshall Street series. Each book will advance the story but be told from a different character. Book 2 will be The Girl without Eyes.
The Myth of Wile E by wednesdaymccool
wednesdaymccool
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Highest Ranking: #1 in Humor [FEATURED, SEPT-OCT] An idealistic poet refuses to budge from the last parcel of land a developer needs to acquire in order to build a shopping mall. (Literary satire with pop culture references and environmental themes.) synopsis: The Myth of Wile E. is a riff on the modern obsession with fame and acclaim, as well as a mediation on the artist's place in the modern world, as seen through the eyes of a naive poet who is made simultaneously pathetic and heroic by the pursuit of a singular goal. In this novel, we meet an assortment of eccentric monomaniacs, from mushroom hunters in search of a legendary truffle, to birders pursuing a possibly-extinct bird, to competitive Duck Stamp artists, to "the World's Foremost Living Statue"...and even a very stubborn spider. Meanwhile, our narrator--a terrible, yet persistent, poet--battles a ruthless land developer who's determined to acquire the poet's humble property, in an escalating battle of wills that spirals out of control when the media gets involved. With these quirky events as a backdrop, we gradually learn of the misfortunes that befell each member of the poet's family in their various misguided quests for glory. We also learn why money makes the world go flat, why talent is a white elephant, and what it means for parents to love their children "to pieces." Some of my influences are Richard Brautigan (especially), Christopher Moore, Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, and George Saunders, so if you like any of them, I hope you'll enjoy this, too.
Edgewise by krazydiamond
krazydiamond
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***Winner of the Wattys 2016 for Hidden Gems*** The Edgewise exists everywhere and nowhere. A sanctuary to all realms, should you find the door. Managed by one Macklemore Edgewise, proprietor, guardian of the between places, and barman of mystery. If the tavern accepts you, abide by the rules. 1. Leave all conflicts outside. 2. No murdering one another. Occasional maiming and righteous wounding exempt. 3. Never leave the door open. There's no telling what will sneak in. Cover art by Krazydiamond
Cogsworth by Emily_says_Rawr9
Emily_says_Rawr9
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Violet Grayson's life just took on a whole new level of odd. Ever since Violet and her family moved into a new house in Greenwood she starts hearing weird noises coming from her closet, almost like gears. Legend has it on the 4th of August children all over Greenwood dissaper with no trace other than the fact they've all heard the gears working and told stories about Cogsworth.
A Peculiar String of Bizarre Dreams by sanaa-h
sanaa-h
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A small-town girl wakes up one day to discover that she possesses peculiar abilities. This story is about Jemma, who dreams a few bizarre dreams and along the way meets many endearing beings, reminiscent to the townspeople of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls and creatures from Alice's Wonderland. But maybe, just maybe, Jemma isn't dreaming at all. Perhaps her wishful thoughts have finally come true and she is reliving a string of surreal adventures.
Work In Progress by mr-fightside
mr-fightside
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This is in a web series format that I can't exactly produce because I don't have locations or actors. All characters are not gender-specific. Feel free to approach me with comments or if you want to produce your own episodes of this thing (chronologically or not). Work In Progress is set in a post-apocalyptic version of the United States, and is generally about the new version of reality that the main characters have to face.
Bermuda East by MeganCossey
MeganCossey
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Keen to escape mounting gambling debts and a dead end public relations career in the states, an army veteran accepts a job doing communications for the Governor of Bermuda East. Things go south quickly after she realizes it doesn't appear on any map and that the job she has been hired for is definitely not the one she applied for. Meanwhile, the strangest people keep washing up on the shores of Bermuda East, and she begins to piece together the horrifying history of the tiny Atlantic island. Will she escape the island's impending doom, or stay and help its people win back the future of their home? Please note: This is a first draft, and will definitely be a bit rough, or incomplete in parts! I aim to post one chapter a week on Tuesdays ... I will probably go back and edit as I go along, though so far I have the basic narrative structure outlined. I hope you enjoy and I would love to hear any feedback readers might have!