Tales of Revenge & Deception

Eight short stories with the common thread of revenge and deception …

Signatures for Sale; Sonora/Los Angeles, 1943 – 1970
The introduction is written like a train slowly leaving the station, mimicked in the rhythm of the text. After some hard years in Los Angeles it finally gathers speed, and to talented Rita, who has boarded the train, its increasing velocity promises a future away from the poverty she was born into. Her lack of control mechanisms, however, leaves her a prisoner onboard her own device – a runaway train. The second part shows how those close to her fight over the control she has lost, and how low they stoop to satisfy their greed.

The Curse; Corsica: 1769
After an old woman has invoked the evil eye, a series of apparently accidental events leads to the demise of the man she has cursed. His death comes twenty years too late, however, and in generations to come many more will die in compliance with the old woman’s curse.

The Final Pageant by the Hogan Bros.; USA, 1924 – 1933
Greed and extravagant entertainment have long been two key factors in American show business. The point is – how far are you prepared to go to satisfy these needs?

Face Value; An unspecified execution room in USA, 1999
A dying man, who finds himself officially already dead, comes to terms with his fate. During these last minutes his thoughts are constantly chopped into smaller pieces. His conclusions show that hypocrisy, vanity and vengefulness are very forceful factors in the denial of truth.

The Eyewash Experience; Santa Fe in the Caribbean – New Orleans, USA; 1978 - 1981
A dictator wants to improve his own fortune and his tiny island’s income by promoting tourism. To his surprise it turns out more successful for his subjects than himself, which leads to a serious hangover for the marketing man behind the success.

Deceptions on a Canvas of Thin Air; Rome, 1956
The impressions of six persons written with a painter's brush. Deceiving and deceived they all register loss. The setting – or canvas – is a picturesque café where the strokes of fortune and the scheming minds of the participants turn out to be just like the spring air – false impressions.

A Final Note in D-Sharp Minor ;New York City, in the 1980s
This story is meant to rattle with sounds. What matters is the right mood for music, even though in the orchestra revenge plays a deadly blues.

Evil on the Prowl; London; 2035
The unexpected side effect of a cloning experiment carries out its own multiplied revenge.