"In The Monster's Mouth" by Tim Waggoner — published in Apex Magazine, issue 131, May 2022.

Read it here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/

Tim Waggoner has published over forty novels and five collections of short stories. He writes original dark fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins, and his articles on writing have appeared in numerous publications. He’s won the Bram Stoker Award, the HWA’s Mentor of the Year Award, been a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and the Scribe Award. His fiction has received numerous Honorable Mentions in volumes of Best Horror of the Year, and he’s twice had stories selected for inclusion in volumes of Year’s Best Hardcore Horror. He’s also a full-time tenured professor who teaches creative writing and composition at Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio.

Emmie Christie is a fiction writer and narrator. She has narrated the science fiction novel “The Amaranth Chronicles: Deviant Rising”, written by Alexander Barnes and Christopher Preiman. She has written stories for Flash Fiction Online, Infinite Worlds Magazine, and Three-Lobed Burning Eye. You can find more of her work at www.emmiechristie.com or follow her on Twitter @EmmieChristie33.

This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by Alyson Grauer. Theme music by Alex White. Sounds used in this episode are licensed from Soundstripe.com. Music in this episode includes “What You Do Not Know” by Joshua Spacht and “Shadow Passage” by Cody Martin, licensed from Soundstripe.com.

Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications.

Apex Magazine is a bimonthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.