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Distance to Empty
Joe and Susie Maxwell are heading across the moors to collect their daughter. Unfortunately, Joe forgot to fill up on petrol. To make matters worse, a strange cloud lies between them and their destination. Will they make it to their daughter before the petrol runs out? Or will they fall prey to the terrible things inside the cloud . . .? DISTANCE TO EMPTY is an edge-of-your-seat tale of terror from the author of LAZARUS ISLAND.
58 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2013
7 people want to read
About the author
Lee Moan
20 books9 followersLee Moan grew up in the English seaside town of Torquay, birthplace of the 'Queen of Crime', Agatha Christie. He now lives in the neighbouring town of Paignton. His stories have been published in numerous print and online magazines including Hub, Dark Recesses Press, Murky Depths, Jupiter SF, Twisted Tongue, and a forthcoming story in Realms of Fantasy. In 2009, Wolfsinger Press published his first book, 'The Hotel Galileo', the first volume in an alternate-history mystery series.
In 2005, he was a finalist in the first Aeon Award with his story 'Juju', which appears in his collection, The Midnight Men and Other Stories. More recently, he reached the finals in L Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. He recently graduated with a degree in Literature from the Open University.
In 2005, he was a finalist in the first Aeon Award with his story 'Juju', which appears in his collection, The Midnight Men and Other Stories. More recently, he reached the finals in L Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. He recently graduated with a degree in Literature from the Open University.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 3, 2024
This could have been a promising horror novella if it had a conclusion. It just abruptly ends.
February 3, 2014
It only took me about 20 minutes to read this. That’s what I love about short stories. That and how well written some of them are. How the author can grab you and keep you totally enthralled.
The dilemma. The gas gauge says 10 miles to empty. Their destination, Barrington Ford, is 11 miles.
Joe sits in the car, his wife Susie asleep beside him, mentally kicking himself for not having the gauge fixed.
It’s been twitchy for a while now and can’t be trusted. So does it have enough gas or not? Should he keep going, hoping the gauge is wrong, or should he head back to the nearest gas station, hoping the gauge is wrong? Knowing his wife will let him have it, he hopes for the best and presses on.
They are close to their destination when Joe wakes up Susie. They both stare out the windshield at the eerie grey mist between them and town. It’s odd that behind and above them the sky is clear and blue. Whatever it is, they’re going to have to drive through it.
Yeah, there have been plenty of books and movies with something in the mist as the story line. The Bremuda Triangle, Stephen King’s The Mist and The Fog come to mind quickly. But Lee was able to make this his own version.
The couples disintegrating relationship, the grotesque things in the mist, the mysterious passenger they pick up. All of this makes for a surprisingly full plot in such a short story.
It never felt confusing, slow, or lacking. The stage is set, things start happening, and then even stranger things happen.
I really liked the huge surprise waiting in the mist. That is where the author owned this story.
The title has more than one meaning. My mind was left to wander, to wonder.
I sure hope there will be more added to this story. I need to know what happens.
Until then, I’m going to read more books by Lee Moan.
The dilemma. The gas gauge says 10 miles to empty. Their destination, Barrington Ford, is 11 miles.
Joe sits in the car, his wife Susie asleep beside him, mentally kicking himself for not having the gauge fixed.
It’s been twitchy for a while now and can’t be trusted. So does it have enough gas or not? Should he keep going, hoping the gauge is wrong, or should he head back to the nearest gas station, hoping the gauge is wrong? Knowing his wife will let him have it, he hopes for the best and presses on.
They are close to their destination when Joe wakes up Susie. They both stare out the windshield at the eerie grey mist between them and town. It’s odd that behind and above them the sky is clear and blue. Whatever it is, they’re going to have to drive through it.
Yeah, there have been plenty of books and movies with something in the mist as the story line. The Bremuda Triangle, Stephen King’s The Mist and The Fog come to mind quickly. But Lee was able to make this his own version.
The couples disintegrating relationship, the grotesque things in the mist, the mysterious passenger they pick up. All of this makes for a surprisingly full plot in such a short story.
It never felt confusing, slow, or lacking. The stage is set, things start happening, and then even stranger things happen.
I really liked the huge surprise waiting in the mist. That is where the author owned this story.
The title has more than one meaning. My mind was left to wander, to wonder.
I sure hope there will be more added to this story. I need to know what happens.
Until then, I’m going to read more books by Lee Moan.
April 21, 2014
A couple needs to pick up their daughter in a few minutes. The only problem is that the fuel gauge is saying they will run out of gas before they get there. But the gauge isn't working right though, so they might be able to make it and not be late. As yet another argument starts to brew, they see a strange mist blocking their way to their goal. The strange cloud and what it contains quickly drives out any thoughts of arguing though.
This story reminds me of the old Twilight Zone TV show. Ordinary people are placed into a strange situation. The situation is never fully explained, either what it is or why it is happening. The drama comes from how the people react to the situation. Finally, like a lot of those episodes, this story is open-ended. If you liked watching the Twilight Zone, definitely give this story a try.
This story reminds me of the old Twilight Zone TV show. Ordinary people are placed into a strange situation. The situation is never fully explained, either what it is or why it is happening. The drama comes from how the people react to the situation. Finally, like a lot of those episodes, this story is open-ended. If you liked watching the Twilight Zone, definitely give this story a try.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews