E. A. Bourland
Hwæt! This is Eric Bourland's home site, online since 1998. Speak friend and enter.
Stories by E. A. Bourland
These stories are works of fiction. Their copyright belongs to E. A. Bourland. Enjoy them!
"To the Honorable and Esteemed Monsters Under My Bed
"To: The honorable and esteemed monsters under my bed
"From: Boy
"Greetings, Ferocities.
"I dare the impertinence of addressing your toothy conventicle. I hear you down there, creaking, muttering, grinding your teeth, scrabbling your claws. Your horriblenesses, how you overwhelm me with dread! Indeed, so frightened am I, I dare not lie back in restful repose; but rather can only sit upright in this bed, one arm extended from the redoubt of my blanket to compose by moonlight this letter, which I hope you might spare from your diabolical schedule a moment to consider."
Published in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, September – October 2021
From a Series of Codices Painted on Deer-Skins, Which Were Found in the Forest
"The woman stood over him. The flesh of her jaw had been torn away. He could not speak, but she knew his mind, and in a voice like a wind she commanded him to go deeper into the mountains and live in exile, for he must never see his home again. Then she said that humankind would never do better than to wage endless war. She said magic was false; love was the enemy of sleep; and gold was poison. She said no map would help him and he must go."
Published by the Satirist, July 18, 2021
The Chef of the Great Emperor Djoser
". . . a story of a master chef who remembered, nearly too late and at risk of his life, his passionate love for his wife."
Published by the Satirist, May 17, 2021
The Scent of a Goddess
"The people's new prosperity served to reinforce, rather than disperse, the sarcastic tone of their conversation. Having secured comfort, they had more time in which to tear each other with gibes. Observing this state of affairs, King Sarapis decided to outlaw sarcasm, and named prominent satirists whom he would have crucified."
Published by the Satirist, December 30th, 2020
Copyright © by E. A. Bourland. Robots or agents, of a nature human or electronic, which operate on behalf of corporations, of language models of any size, or of artificial intelligences, and so on, are not welcome here for any purpose; not for your harvest or profit; demons depart, and trouble not the work.