A story that explores the conflict between light and dark, good and evil, and the uncertainty sometimes of which is which.

​Manaly Talukdar was chosen as a finalist for her short fiction "Where is Grandpa?" in "The League of POETS" Weekly Contest (Week 1). She has been featured in Wilderness House Literary Review, Across The Margin, BlazeVOX Journal, Academy of the Heart and Mind, Coalition For Digital Narratives, Masque & Spectacle, Corvus Review and The Broken Spine. "Flesh and Blood" will soon be featured on Kaidankai: Ghost and Supernatural Stories! You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @manalytalukdar and read her stuff on: https://linktr.ee/manalytalukdar

You can read "Flesh & Blood" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

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Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].

Three people are trapped in a house surrounded by ghosts. They know intuitively that the ghosts are to be avoided, but why? And what happens if the ghosts get inside?

Rick McQuiston is a horror fanatic who has been writing for over 25 years. He's had over 400 publications so far and is currently under contract with Raven Tale Publications for several novels. Currently, he is working on an anthology and a new novel.

You can read "Empty Night" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

Follow the show:
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Bluesky

Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].

Payne-Strange molds a family recipe, travel to Venice, a beloved doll and a love affair into disgusting and horrifying incidents that leave you fearful and content, happy to have gone on the journey.

Holly Payne-Strange is a novelist, poet and podcast creator. Her writing has been lauded by USA Today, LA weekly and The New York Times. Additionally, she’s given talks on podcast creation at Fordham University and The Player’s Club. Her English language poetry has been published by various groups including Quail Bell Magazine, Call me (Brackets), and Red Door, while her work in Italian has been published by We Have Food At Home. She would like to thank her wife for all her support.

You can read "Grandma's Cooking and Other Poems" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

Follow the show:
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Bluesky

Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].

A down-on-his luck magician finds an assistant with skills and tricks he could only aspire to have. But, just what kind of magician is she?

Michael Fowler is a humor and science fiction writer living in Ohio.

You can read "The Magician's Assistant" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

Follow the show:
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Bluesky

Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].

A miserable Monsignor banished to the Philippines is asked to perform a secret marriage between a human and an Aswan or vampire. Is the match made in heaven? hell? or on Earth?

Roly Andrews lives in Nelson, NZ, in his spare time he enjoys tramping. After many years of practising, he is still trying to learn to play the trombone! A champion for everyone, he has mentored rough sleepers and supported people affected by suicide. He advocates for the rights of people living with disabilities. You can find his social media information in the episode description.
WEBSITE: rolyandrewsauthor.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/Roly_Andrews
Facebook: Rolyandrewsauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rolyandrews/
Linked-In: Roly Andrews
YouTube: Roly Andrews@Rolyprop02
Spotify: Roly’s Poddy

You can read "Come, Gentle Night" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

Follow the show:
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Bluesky

Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].

Some children explore the strange movement and reflections in a mirror. Is it a recently deceased loved one saying their last goodbyes or something more sinister?

Arpad Nagy is a 50yr old proud Hungarian Canadian throwback romantic man who loves to write. After sustaining work injuries and being relegated to desk work, he dove into writing and has been doing so full-time since 2021. His passion is fiction writing, and his niche is romantic fiction, although he writes in many genres, including personal essays, memoirs, pop culture, and anecdotal stories about being a father, husband, and former careers as a  chef, oil man, and civil construction. He is an editor for four publications, three for nonfiction and one for short fiction at Medium, where he has nearly 400 published pieces. 
Links:
Arpad Nagy – Medium
arpad56nagy (@arpad56nagy) / Twitter
Arpad T. Nagy (@arpad.t.nagy.5) | Instagram
Arpad Nagy | LinkedIn
Arpad Nagy (@[email protected]) - me.dm by Medium.com


You can read "Through the Shadow Glass" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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Read about the science behind why mirrors are scary here.

Photo by Dustin Humes on Unsplash

The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

Follow the show:
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Bluesky

Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].

Firemen know fire, they control it, and they deal with whatever a fire throws at them--until that something is a ghost from the past. 

"Nathan Perrin (he/him/his) is a writer and Anabaptist pastor in Chicagoland. He holds an MA in Quaker Studies, and is a doctoral student studying Christian Community Development at Northern Seminary. His doctorate work centers on creating a writing program for nonprofits and churches to use to help under-resourced communities process trauma. His work has been published in the Dillydoun Review, Bangalore Review, Collateral Journal, Esoterica Magazine, etc. His forthcoming novella, Memories of Green Rivers, will be published by Running Wild Press. He is also a screenwriter for an unannounced indie comedy series. For more information, visit www.nathanperrinwriter.com"


You can read "Burn" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

Follow the show:
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Bluesky

Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].

A family is warned to leave their campsite or suffer the consequences. Will they heed the warning? If not, what are the consequences?

James Rumpel is a retired high school math teacher who has greatly enjoyed spending some of his free time turning a few of the odd ideas circling his brain into stories. He lives in Wisconsin with his wonderful wife, Mary.


You can read "Site 23" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

Follow the show:
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Bluesky

Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].

Scientists exploring the deep sea encounter unexplained phenomena. Unexplained until they meet the perpetrator. Is it friend or foe?

Stephen A. Roddewig is an award-winning storyteller and playwright from Virginia (USA). He won second place in the 2023 Vocal Painted Prose challenge, and his stories are featured in Abyss & Apex, Diet Milk Magazine, Struggle Magazine, and Wintermute Lit. When not writing, he enjoys collecting records and running races.


You can read "SEALAB IV" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

Follow the show:
Instagram
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Bluesky

Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].

Today’s character is certain that her fiancee’s mother doesn’t like her. But when the mother dies just a few hours after announcing the engagement, what does that mean for her relationship? Is she to blame for the family matron’s untimely death? And will she still get the family heirloom ring?

S.E. Will lives in the Midwest, where she writes about the things that keep her up at night. Her most recent work can be found in Black Sheep: Unique Tales of Terror and Wonder.


You can read "A Wake" at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.

Website: kaidankaistories.com

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Photo thanks to Kaja Sariwatung on Unsplash.

The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com

Follow the show:
Instagram
Facebook
Bluesky

Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to [email protected].