[yasr_overall_rating]
Three short stories ranging from weird to morbid telling about a serial killer, a satanic cat, and a man determined to exact revenge on his former lover.
No chickens were introduced (or harmed) in this collection of short stories titled “The Chicken (Or 3 Weird Tales).” While the choice of names eludes me, the appeal to the writing and depraved plots do not. The warped dark alleys these stories galavant down fulfills a dark and twisted desire to be entertained by licentious means. While the stylistic nature of the author, Hildred Rex, is easily spotted in the gaited composition, this does little to affect the desire to follow each story to its sordid finish. Another beta reading or second edit would have well served these tales and applied full justice to otherwise deliciously wicked narrations.
Based loosely on a true story, “A Slinking Agent of the Devil (at 3 AM)” tells of the Axeman who haunted New Orleans in 1919. Rex takes this already dark story to a new level as he follows around Anglo-Saxon Stillman and his Mulatto wife, Marie. Why the need to bring race into issue is necessary is beyond me, but it did intrigue me enough to induce some research on whether the marriage would have been legal in the 1910s (and it was, sort of under the table). The scene is well staged with several starting paragraphs laying the foundation for the time-frame and location; the staging was close to being overboard. Other issues specific to this tale alone are a tendency towards run-on and list sentences which can be quite tedious to read.
Stillman and Marie worry about the phantom killer along with everyone else in the city. With a specific day set in stone for the next round of murders, everyone is on the watch and wracked with fear. This particular killer is considerate enough not just to give a day by note, but also a means of being washed over, like the Passover. Anyone who filled their home with the sound of jazz was assured of safety. Stillman soon learns that even the security promised by the virtuoso villain will protect him from death but not from other fears that go bump in the night.
The second short story is my favorite. With the title “But the Cat Came Back,” trouble is eagerly anticipated, and this short story delivers. Rex’s eloquent style is a feast for the reader’s tongue, but there are limitations. While a beta-reader or editor would have been a wonderful attribute to the compelling prose, the story can be easily seen through the plethora of unnecessary colons, semi-colons, and dashes. The shift between two main characters should have been performed with more grace. Also, the two characters read very similarly; a change of style or personality would have been helpful in maintaining who was speaking. Finally, while the sentences were amusing to read, the sheer volume of details overwhelms the reader and sways too far away from the path of the plot; additionally, the number of remote references can be quite daunting.
On to the show, this morbid little tale introduces us to Morgan who is about to dine with a loose acquaintance, Julien. Their annual dinner includes small talk, grandiose tales of travel, and vintage wine. Julien decides to regale his unsuspecting visitor with a tale of how his once beloved cat had turned into a monster of demonic proportions. While dining on homemade Asian food and sipping spirits, Julien tells his chaotic story. The cat, Klaus, found dead in the street is buried…temporarily. His return is joyously celebrated until his demonic persuasions come to light leading down a creepy path for everyone involved. The ending is remarkably enjoyable, even if you feel an inkling of the direction early on.
“Schisma” is the final fable. The eloquence of the first two stories is dismissed for more informal linguistics which is necessary for drunken tirades. Will and Nick share the spotlight as first person protagonists in this love triangle. Left to his own devices and his hoarder house, Will wallows in self-pity and alcohol when Mary abandons him after a fight. She quickly runs into the arms of her co-worker Nick. When a drunken note prompts Nick to defend Mary’s honor, his gallant behavior ends up leading him to a mental hospital. Editors notes come two-fold in this short story, which feels like a cheat, depriving the audience of more entertaining details.
Overall, this anthology is satisfying in a morbid fascination you may not want to share with your friends. The dialogue and grammar deserved another read through by a professional before publication, but despite the discrepancies, this series is absorbing and worthwhile. One issue that should be immediately corrected, however, is not introducing the protagonist by name until late into each story. I want to know who I am reading about so I can make an emotional connection. Hildred Rex is quite talented, and I would be quite pleased to see his work go through professional publication upon some more editing.
Now available to read on Amazon
