Erik Bilicki's Short Stories, Novelettes, and Novellas

Glove Connection   Phillip lay in bed, swiping through the dating app, discouraged by all the "must haves" almost every woman had on their profile. The heart icon announced the few he saved that intrigued him. One he preferred – Emily – didn't live far from him and had many of the same interests. He focused on his own visage reflected on the phone screen. His chubby face mocked him, discouraging contact with anyone from the app. He got up and walked into his bathroom to shower. Phillip stared down the man in the mirror, daring him to say something. Studying his reflection, his hand gripped the folds of fat around his waist. Every flaw he studied, intent on finding new ones he'd missed. He took inventory of each in his mind. Overweight. Complexion marred by childhood acne. Red hair that was starting to thin at the top. Tilting his head to the side, he evaluated his jawline. Weak, he thought to himself in disgust. The names echoed in his head again. Fat Phil is the favo...

Locked Screen By Erik Bilicki   Chapter 1: An Eerie Bargain   The dull luminescence of Tom's laptop screen barely illuminated the dim room. Dust motes danced in the weak glow, giving the atmosphere an almost ethereal quality. The steady hum of the laptop fan filled the silence of his apartment. He scrolled through the online listings for phones, his fingers pausing occasionally to tap on intriguing offers. Brand-new models with sleek designs and hefty price tags beckoned, but he pushed past them. He was looking for something other than the latest model, reliable and, most importantly, affordable. A particular listing caught his eye—an almost mint condition phone at a surprisingly low price. The attached photos showed a shiny device without a scratch. It was a model that was just a year old. Why would someone sell it for such a low price? Curiosity piqued, Tom clicked on the listing. The description was sparse: "Barely used. Selling due to upgrade. Perfect conditi...