fiction | Claire Fitzpatrick

FICTION AND POEMS

Madeline will never become a woman. William will never become a man. Does June deserve to be human? Does Lilith deserve a heart?

Seventeen stories. Seventeen tales of terror.

If imperfection is crucial to a society’s survival, what makes a monster?

Out Now from IFWG Publishing.

Happy Birthday, Ebony

It's Ebony's birthday, and her father has organised an artist to paint her portrait. But her brother Cameron does not like the artist, a stranger in their small town, in their old house. He doesn't like the way he looks at her, the way he captures her with his paintbrush. Ebony belongs to him, and no one else, and he'll do whatever it takes to make sure it stays that way.

The Eagle

A young therianthropic seeks out his former mentor, though what he finds instead might be more than he bargained for...

June 2018 Feature Story.

Metamorphosis

All William wants is to grow into his new body - to embrace puberty, to become the man he needs to be. But not all bodies work the way they're supposed to. Not all boys become men.

Deep Sea Fishing

All Lucian wants is to impress his father, to prove he's worthy enough to join the man and the rest of his friends on the fishing trawler and their deep sea expedition. But a mysterious stranger and an even more mysterious mirror might just get in the way...

The Town Hall

It's an annual affair in a small, idyllic town. The residents are put on a register, the ones chosen from the lottery ushered inside the hall. Mr and Mrs Dawson watch the proceedings from across the road. But once the lottery ticket holders go inside the hall, there's no knowing who won' t come out.

Dragonfly

Will seeks out the mysterious Vietnamese Dragonfly club in the hopes of finding his lost friend. He soon finds himself at the Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park and face to face with the dark magic of the Ruc people. But once Will goes inside the Ruc caves, there’s no knowing if he’ll come out....

Eat

Alex and Harlan take refuge within the old Victorian house on Logonov Street, desperate to hide themselves from the Risen. But for Alex, flesh-eating zombies aren't the only things she needs to be worried about.

Synthetic

At seventeen, Jack still hasn't hit puberty. His father wants him to play football, date girls, and grow a pair. But Jack's body isn't exactly designed like the other boys...

Scarab

June's problematic relationship with her mother results in a severe depersonalization issue that may just manifest into something more physically chaotic than she first thought...

Thorne House

Budge and Siouxsie seek out Thorne House, an old guest house deep in the mountainside. But once they go inside, there's no way they're getting out.

Octopus

Andy strikes up a conversation with Tina at Sci-Fi convention, chatting about the peculiar intellect of octopuses. But for one Lovecraft fan, her Lovecraftian fantasies might be all too real....

Deck The Walls

It's Christmas. A time for renewal. A time for a renovation. A time to welcome the new year. But for Alex, a late building contractor is the least of his worries...for the house itself has plans of its own...

Mechanical Garden

After a catastrophic nuclear accident, residents of a small town are evacuated - except for a select few. The ones left behind - deemed 'undesirables' - are housed in underground bunkers and monitored by AI's to determine if they are fit for a new society. What happens when one Epileptic woman is declared unfit?

Madeline

A young girl experiences puberty in a startling and unexpected way.

Shortlisted within The Australian Shadow Awards 2015 for Best Edited Work.

Jólakötturinn

Lydia has a new flat. A new cat. And is preparing for a new life. But she hasn't been very good this year, and does not expect to receive any gifts. And the yule cat Jólakötturinn does not take too kindly to those who don't receive new clothes before Christmas...

Madeline

A young girl experiences puberty in a startling and unexpected way.

Selected by Shane Jiraiya Cummings.

Synthetic (Reprint)

At seventeen, Jack still hasn't hit puberty. His father wants him to play football, date girls, and grow a pair. But Jack's body isn't exactly designed like the other boys...

Only The Dead

War in the field, war in the home, war in the heart.

They've only just found each other, but their paths are separated by war. Blood. Decapitation. Death. Nothing will keep them apart. Except perhaps each other.

Andromeda (Novelette)

Astronauts return to Earth and find an unidentifiable amphibious species have taken over and cull humans for their flesh.