The Fifth Passenger

Nine tales of the strange and uncomfortable. Nine stories marked by the darkness of perversity. Unusual tasks and unusual people; decisions, divisions, and nightmarish landscapes. The Fifth Passenger and Other Perversities contains a selection of never-before-published stories from the twisted depths of the mind of Scott R.S. Raphael, the author of A Little Slice and Spruce Road.

Contents:

"What Hearts Are Meant to Do": A man debates whether or not to complete his morbid assignment.

"Figures of Tomorrow": Three co-workers are invited to meet their boss's wife at his mansion. They quickly discover that she is nothing like any of them had expected.

"Changing Storefronts": Returning home after a long day, a very important man can't quite put his finger on why it feels like everything has changed.

"He May Not Rise": Afflicted by sleep paralysis and mentally drained from a stressful living situation, a man struggles to maintain his sanity.

"Storm Coming": After crashing in a field in the middle of nowhere, a pilot recovers in a strange, dreamlike landscape.

"Biting": After waking up in a dark and snowy world, not knowing how he got there, a man and his dog try to find home.

"The Red Fox": A disturbing desire and the childhood memory of a red fox drive the life of a young man as he discovers the violent, twisted thing that he never knew he was looking for.

"Why Couldn't It Have Been Yesterday?": A woman fights for her survival against mysterious figures who have watched and threatened a group of people from outside a small house. With only two left alive inside, the hunters decide to come in.

"The Fifth Passenger": Driving home late at night after a road trip to Chicago, a group of friends strike a pedestrian. With no witnesses for miles around, they struggle to decide what to do with the body.