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Articles by Evan Purcell
An Unsafe Part of Town
FICTION I walked barefoot on the asphalt, my red heels hanging from my hand. If I was going to walk all the way home, I was not going to deal with foot pain on top of all the anger thumping through me. God, I should have driven myself. George was probably still at the bar, replaying all the things he should have said. Two years! I wasted two years with that guy. I passed over plenty of other men - hotter men, more exciting men - just because I thought I wanted someone stable and safe.
Evan's Short Stories
That's the end of my short fiction, but I have a couple novellas that I've published on Medium. First, here's Demons Are Coming Out! It's a YA adventure story about two gay teens saving the world and falling in love. It's pretty fun: Then there's Teach Me to Love, a contemporary romance about two American teachers living in China: I also published Rotten House, a YA horror novel about two brothers who move into a zombie-infested haunted house.
The Spider Cabin
FICTION When I first saw the cabin, I wanted to throw up, but I held it inside. I was pretty good at fake-smiling. I had a lot of practice. The cabin was Nick's idea, of course. He chose it off a rental website, but judging by his expression, he didn't expect it to be this rundown and crumbling. I couldn't be sure, but I think he cussed under his breath. "What do you think?" he asked. I don't remember what I said, but I do know that I lied through my teeth.
My Sister’s Damn Speech
I’m not like you. I don’t deserve to be here. Yeah, I was a little jealous of my sister sometimes, but I never hurt anybody. I’m not like a murderer or a criminal. I made one mistake, and now look at me! It’s Tanya’s fault that I’m here. That’s my sister. Little Miss Perfect. All my life, she’s been everybody’s favorite. She’s prettier than me. More popular. A lot smarter. And everyone thinks she’s so damn nice because of all the charity work she does with homeless people or whatever.
My Missing Foot
Kevin was already there. Another freshman. He didn’t ask me directly about my missing foot. That was tactful. “So? What’s your story?” “Yeah?” He glanced awkwardly at my bandaged stump. Might as well tell him. “Over the summer, I backpacked through Europe. Hooked up with this British guy. Brady. Here’s a picture.” I handed him my phone. Kevin saw the selfie of me and Brady in front of some castle. We were both smiling. I still had all my limbs. “We traveled all over. Really romantic.
And Finally… Fireworks
SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 23 Image via Canva and Copilot Welcome back! In Chapter 22, Richter finds Lucy on the top of the city wall, the place where they had their first date. Kylie wasn’t just surprised to see him; she was completely shocked. She ran full speed out of his life, and she thought she’d never face him again. No more job. No more confused semi-dates. He was gone. And in a country of 1.4 billion, what were the odds that she’d see him again? Pretty high, apparently.
Racing to Find Her
SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 22 Welcome back! In Chapter 21, Kylie plans to leave Xi’an forever, but she decides to make one last stop first. Richter gripped his steering wheel so tightly, his knuckles whitened and his veins bulged. He weaved in and out of traffic like a crazy person. I have to find her, he told himself. Right away. He would find her, wrap his arms around her, and apologize for yelling at her and accusing her of sabotage.
Saying Her Goodbyes
SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 21 Welcome back! In Chapter 20, Kylie quits her job after Richter discovers a mistake that caused a lot of damage to the school. Richter charged back into the building. Anger oozed from his pores. He marched up to the attic — a place that should’ve been filled with good memories — and he knew he had to get out of there as soon as possible. He collected his still-slightly-wet jacket and hat from the corner where he and Kylie had shared the night.
The Clean-up Drama
SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 20 Welcome back! In Chapter 19, Kylie survived the storm, and Richter makes a dark discovery in the flooded school courtyard. Kylie screamed in excitement. There was Wanda, walking through the school’s front gate! She had a smile on her face to match Kylie’s. The sky was bright and happy. Everything glowed brighter — the trees, the water, the slight curl in Wanda’s hair. “Lovely day, isn’t it?” Kylie asked. “I was so worried about you,” Wanda said. “Sorry.
Kylie and Richter’s Stormy Night Together
SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 18 Welcome back! In Chapter 17, Kylie watches in horror as Richter and one of her students disappears under the churning water filling their courtyard. Kylie couldn’t breathe. Her eyes couldn’t focus on anything at all. The world looked blurry and faded. Even the steady rain around her seemed fuzzy and wrong. “Richter,” she whispered under her breath. “God, Richter.” He wasn’t coming up. He had overestimated his own strength. And now he was lost.
The Horror Is Over (Mostly)
FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 25 Welcome back! This is it, people! Our final chapter. In the last part, Mike and I worked together to destroy the evil of Rotten House once and for all! It took us about forty-seven seconds of talking and laughing before we realized we were still trapped down there. Mike realized it first, which explained why his eyes widened and his mouth shrank. Once I saw that expression, I realized it too. “Well crap,” I said.
A Trip to the Bathroom
⁷SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 17 Welcome back! In Chapter 16, Kylie, Richter, and Curtiss watch over a group of frightened students in the middle of an intense storm. For the next half hour, Richter checked the building’s stability. He made sure the windows were covered. He shoved loose rags into some of the bigger holes in the walls. He slid desks and other furniture around the edges of each classroom.
Trapped in the School
The Lark Publication shares fictional short stories and poetry Follow publication SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 16 Welcome back! In Chapter 15, Kylie finds herself taking care of her students in the middle of a raging storm. Keep your mind on the road, Richter told himself. Keep your mind on the road. He had trouble seeing through the thick curtains of rain. This part of Xi’an didn’t have any streetlights, and very few sections of the road were actually paved.
An Unexpected Singalong
Home for all your longer stories of three chapters and more. Find our submission guidelines on the navigation menu, as well as links to our newsletter and the FAQ with Medium tips you can also use on other publications. Serial Stories is a proud member of the Cocktail Club. Follow publication FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 24 Welcome back! In the last chapter, I used my anger to make a demon explode. (Kinda gross.) Now I had to save my brother. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The Beginning of the Storm
The Lark Publication shares fictional short stories and poetry Follow publication SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 15 Welcome back! In Chapter 14, Kylie and Richter struggle through the rainy season as they both decide to see each other as friends. On Monday morning, Kylie woke up late. Very late. Panic-inducingly late. Normally, Kylie was on time for everything. Sure, there were a couple of tardies on her high school permanent record, but they were few and far between.
The Fat Friend
Home for flash fiction. A place for excellent tiny stories that capture something much larger. Single momentous moments of a vast journey. A single frame of a moving picture. Microfiction between 300 & 1000 words, any genre. Follow publication MICROCOSM CHALLENGE / JUNE 2025 I guess I’m taking the picture again “Can you take the photo?” Jessica asked sweetly. She handed me her Polaroid. Of course she didn’t want me in their picture. God, I hated her. Whatever. I told them where to stand, and they posed.
Face-to-Face with My Dead Father
Home for all your longer stories of three chapters and more. Find our submission guidelines on the navigation menu, as well as links to our newsletter and the FAQ with Medium tips you can also use on other publications. Serial Stories is a proud member of the Cocktail Club. Follow publication FICTION Rotten House — Part 23 Welcome back! In the last chapter, while my brother Mike is unconscious, I’m trapped under the ground with a monster in my father’s skin. My dad looked 100% real.
He Shouldn’t Kiss Her - Right?
The Lark Publication shares fictional short stories and poetry Follow publication SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 12 Welcome back! In Chapter 11, Kylie and Richter ride bikes together, but it’s totally not a date. They get caught up in the moment, and now they’re racing back to return their bikes on time. As Richter fought through muscle cramps and leg pain, he couldn’t help but smile. He’d come here on a whim, not quite sure what would happen. God, he was glad he came.
Kylie and Richter Go for a Ride
SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 11 Welcome back! In Chapter 10, Richter saves Kylie and helps sober her up. Despite their differences, they both know that there’s a spark between them. The city of Xi’an is most famous for the thousands of terracotta warriors buried just below the ground. They stand as some of the most important archaeological discoveries in history. As such, they’re an extremely popular tourist attraction. But, Kylie thought to herself, you can’t ride bicycles on them.
Superman Swoops In
SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 10 Welcome back! In Chapter 9, Kylie gets abandoned by Curtiss in the middle of their date. Richter couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d met Curtiss several times in the last few years. He always seemed like a nice, normal guy. Aggressively normal. He seemed like the most normal guy in the world. He had no idea that Curtiss could leave a woman like that. Richter had no idea that this nice, normal guy could be so selfish.
Aunt Edna Attacks!
Home for all your longer stories of three chapters and more. Find our submission guidelines on the navigation menu, as well as links to our newsletter and the FAQ with Medium tips you can also use on other publications. Serial Stories is a proud member of the Cocktail Club. Follow publication FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 21 Welcome back! In the last chapter, Aunt Edna finally reveals her true colors. She grabs me and drags me away from the house.
Kylie’s Date Goes Very Wrong
SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 9 Welcome back! In Chapter 8, Kylie gets ready for her date with Curtiss while Richter’s self-confidence is demolished by his terrible ex. The moon was full and bright. In Xi’an, a full moon was always a time of celebration, a time when strange forces acted upon the Earth, and the pull of fate was at its strongest. Screw that, Richter thought as he drank another mouthful of Scotch. He didn’t earn his first million believing in moon magic and fate.
Pre-Date Jitters
The Lark Publication shares fictional short stories and poetry Follow publication SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 8 Welcome back! In Chapter 7, Kylie (still angry at Richter) agrees to go on a date with her coworker Curtiss. Kylie threw her lipstick at the mirror because she was upset with her reflection. It didn’t break the glass or anything, thank God. Kylie was having enough bad luck as it was. “What’s wrong?” Wanda asked.
Will the Police Help Me?
Home for all your longer stories of three chapters and more. Find our submission guidelines on the navigation menu, as well as links to our newsletter and the FAQ with Medium tips you can also use on other publications. Serial Stories is a proud member of the Cocktail Club. Follow publication FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 20 Welcome back! In our last chapter, I finally decide to call the police. Do you think they’ll help? “Hello? Hello? 911?” “This is 911.
Kylie Sees Curtiss in a New Light
The Lark Publication shares fictional short stories and poetry Follow publication SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 7 Welcome back. In Chapter 6, Kylie thought she impressed Richter with her teaching skills during his first classroom observation. Kylie threw a Snickers wrapper at Wanda’s head. Wanda dodged at the last minute, so it only hit her shoulder. “You’re in a weird mood,” she said. Kylie shrugged. Groundskeeping duty was never fun.
Screams Outside a Funeral
Home for flash fiction. A place for excellent tiny stories that capture something much larger. Single momentous moments of a vast journey. A single frame of a moving picture. Microfiction between 300 & 1000 words, any genre. Follow publication FICTION Our church protests one last time “Hear, hear!” my brothers and sisters shouted as Father railed against blasphemers and homosexuals again. By this point in his speech, they couldn’t understand his slurred words, but that didn’t matter.
Cold Fingers: A Superhero Story
Submit transgressive fiction & find Redemption! The last resort for the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. I lift my pen beside the golden door! Follow publication FICTION I have to stop him from hurting that poor girl… I knew there was trouble when I saw the smoke billowing out of downtown Honolulu.
The Poor Woman in the Attic
Home for all your longer stories of three chapters and more. Find our submission guidelines on the navigation menu, as well as links to our newsletter and the FAQ with Medium tips you can also use on other publications. Serial Stories is a proud member of the Cocktail Club. Follow publication FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 17 Welcome back! In the last chapter, I go back into the spooky attic to find out what happened to my real brother. There’s something up there, and it just said “hey!” to me.
Kylie and Her Random Alter-Ego
The Lark Publication shares fictional short stories and poetry Follow publication SERIAL FICTION Teach Me to Love — Chapter 1 If Kylie Harking had a superpower — besides the ability to get carded for alcohol for the next thirty-plus years — it was probably her near-perfect taste in men. That is, she had the supernatural ability to find the nearly perfect man. His last boyfriend was a carpenter with piercing blue eyes and abs like a small mountain chain.
Everyone in Town Forgot My Gay Boyfriend, Erased by ‘Therapy’
FICTION Did he ever really exist? It had been years since I’d gone back to my hometown. My husband Ray kept asking me when I would finally take him, but I always said no. Too painful. This October, we finally went. My parents were getting older, and it had gotten unfair to expect them to drive all the way to Chicago every time they wanted to see me. Besides, I owed it to Ray. He deserved to know everything about me, including the parts that I’d rather forget. We got there in the early afternoon.
Movie Review: Gridiron Gorilla
21ST CENTURY FLICKS A 90s comedy about a football-playing primate The mid-90s was a very strange time for primate-themed family films. There was Ed, Dunston Checks In, Born to Be Wild, Buddy, and Mighty Joe Young. (I’m probably forgetting a couple.) These movies were not good, but none of them have achieved the trainwreck notoriety of 1996’s Gridiron Gorilla, a film so famously terrible that Roger Ebert took a three-month sabbatical from movie theaters so he could recover.
What’s Wrong with Mom?
FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 14 Welcome back! In the last chapter, I agree to play hide and seek with my scared brother (mostly so I can explore all the parts of the house I haven’t seen.) Mom left for the day, so we’re all alone. “Alby?” Mike’s voice crackled on the walkie-talkie. “Where are you?” I answered, “You know that’s not how you play hide and seek, right?” We’d been at this for hours, and I’d seen pretty much every part of Rotten House except one. I pushed open the attic’s trap door.
You Could Write a National Anthem
Member-only story TRAVEL The coolest songwriting contest ever! Evan Purcell · Follow 2 min read · -- Picture Created via Canva / Image Credit G Adventures “The Star-Spangled Banner.” “O Canada.” “God Save the King.” National anthems are some of the most famous songs in the world, and guess what? You could write one! The government of Kyrgyzstan has just announced that it is looking for a new anthem, and anyone in the world can apply.
I Want You to Leave Me Alone
FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 10 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Serial Stories · 7 min read · -- Image Created via Canva and Copilot Welcome back! In the last chapter, a weird conversation with my aunt made me realize that maybe Mike’s wild stories are real. I sat on the cliff with a handful of dead flowers. I picked them for Neighbor Girl. That way, she wouldn’t get upset and try to kill me when I told her to stay away forever.
Aunt Edna Teaches Me a Lesson
FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 9 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Serial Stories · 6 min read · -- Image Created via Canva and Copilot Welcome back! In the last chapter, my brother tried to warn me, but I didn’t believe him. I went back to dreaming. This one took me back to our vacation in Scottsdale. We were lounging by the pool, getting ready for lunch. Mom, me, Mike… And Dad was there, too. It was warm and friendly. I didn’t have any shoes on, and I buried my feet in some rocks.
It’s the Last Chapter, People!
FICTION Demons Are Coming Out! — Part 39 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Prism & Pen · 6 min read · -- Art created by Canva and Copilot Hi, again! My name is Nick and this is (finally) the last chapter of Demons Are Coming Out! When we first started, I was an insecure, closeted high schooler who got outed by my friend and thought the world had ended. At a pretty low point in my life, I accidentally opened a gate to hell and unleashed a bunch of demons onto our tiny town.
The View from Mike’s Window
FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 8 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Serial Stories · 7 min read · -- Image Created Via Canva and Copilot Welcome back! In Chapter 7, the zombies creeped us out in the backyard and then Mom got mad at me for yelling at Mike. Mom’s face was totally blank. I hated when she looked like that. “Mike, please let me talk to your brother alone.” He scurried off somewhere to play with his cars or something. That way, Mom could scold me in private. Which is exactly what she did.
Tentacles Are Tearing Your Flesh - Part 7
The ranger finally takes charge Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Fictions · 5 min read · -- Image Created via Canva and Copilot Read Part 6 here. The sheriff’s office was quiet. Dead. All of the other officers should’ve been working, but Mikey was late and Jeremiah was making out with his girlfriend in the parking lot and Janice was sick with the flu. And the sheriff was dead. Of course, Brock didn’t know this when he ran into the building.
The Demon’s Final Fight
FICTION Demons Are Coming Out! — Part 37 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Prism & Pen · 6 min read · -- Art created by Canva and Copilot Welcome back to Demons Are Coming Out! My name is Nick and I just gave a big, dramatic speech in front of my whole town. The last chapter ended with me standing onstage while my demon-possessed sister Marnie slowly approached. Has anyone ever walked toward you while slow-clapping?
Eddy’s Birthday Wish
Member-only story FICTION A gay short story Evan Purcell · Follow Published in The Lark · 9 min read · -- Image via Canva and Copilot My mom put up blue balloons and streamers all over the house for my sixteenth birthday. She invited all our closest relatives (thirteen in total), and once everyone arrived, she started playing country music from my laptop. If you’ve never met me before, here are a few things that you should know: 1. I don’t like it when people touch my laptop. 2. I despise blue.
Cooking Lessons with Alby!
FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 7 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Serial Stories · 8 min read · -- Image Created via Canva and Copilot Welcome back! In Chapter 6, I ditched my brother to hang out with the strange/beautiful neighbor girl. But of course, he came over and scared her away. Mike glared like he’d just caught me robbing a bank. Sure, I was hanging out with the neighbor when I should’ve been playing hide-and-seek with him.
The Festivities Begin. (Gulp.)
FICTION Demons Are Coming Out! — Part 35 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Prism & Pen · 6 min read · -- Art created by Canva and Copilot Welcome back toDemons Are Coming Out! My name is Nick, and I’m waiting for my demon-possessed sister to open the gates to hell. In thelast chapter, my boyfriend Todd convinced my parents to stay far away from the upcoming bloodshed. Todd held my hand as we watched my parents drive away from the park.
So Todd Just Saved My Parents
FICTION Demons Are Coming Out! — Part 34 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Prism & Pen · 6 min read · -- Art created by Canva and Copilot Welcome back toDemons Are Coming Out!My name is Nick, and today is the end of the world. In the last chapter, our town fair got interrupted by the ground shaking and dark clouds filling the sky. Uh oh. The tent behind the two recruiters trembled. It was about to topple right on top of them, its wooden posts splintering apart.
You’re a Pillar of the Community
FICTION Demons Are Coming Out! — Part 33 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Prism & Pen · 6 min read · -- Art created by Canva and Copilot Welcome back to Demons Are Coming Out! My name is Nick, and today is the end of the world. Todd and I are at the park, surrounded by people who came here for Farber City’s centennial celebration. My possessed sister just ran off, but we still have some time to stop her before the ground opens up and the demons attack.
I Should Be Hanging Out with My Brother
FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 6 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Serial Stories · 7 min read · -- Image Created via Canva and Copilot Welcome back! In Chapter 5, I was acting like a pretty terrible big brother. I’m still trying to adjust to this terrible place. 10:30. The day was still bright and buttery. Mike popped into the living room and started pulling on my shirt. I hated that. It had been hours since Mom left for town. I hadn’t seen Mike all that time.
The Port-o-Potty of Doom!
FICTION Demons Are Coming Out! — Part 32 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Prism & Pen · 6 min read · -- Art created by Canva and Copilot Welcome back to Demons Are Coming Out! My name is Nick, and we’ve finally reached the day of the apocalypse. My sister is possessed by a demon and the only way I can save the world is to stop her before the gates of hell open up. Fun stuff. The morning of the apocalypse was surprisingly sunny. Birds chirped outside my window.
I Dreamed of a Castle
FICTION A vampire story I went to bed alone. I’d slept alone for three weeks now. Twenty-three nights, actually. Before my boyfriend left, I had no trouble sleeping. I felt warm and comfortable by his side. Now, no matter how many blankets I used, I never felt warm. And worst of all, I didn’t dream. I couldn’t. I’d lie awake, with my eyes closed, replaying the events of our last day together. The dinner conversation when he told me he was going to leave.
Side Effects Include Sloth Head
WEIRD FICTION Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Short and Weird · 2 min read · -- Image via Canva and Copilot I understand your concerns. Seasonal allergies can place a real strain on your ability to lead a normal life. While most doctors would recommend an over-the-counter treatment like Benadryl, there’s a brand-new drug that I think will be much more effective at combatting your headaches and runny nose. It’s called Deoxypan. You take one pill a week and all your symptoms will disappear.
Something Happened to My Sister
FICTION Demons Are Coming Out! — Part 30 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Prism & Pen · 5 min read · -- Image created in Canva / AI images via Copilot Welcome back to Demons Are Coming Out! It’s the eve of the (potential) apocalypse and I’d just spent my last day at school enjoying my time on Earth. But when I got home, I saw demon footprints outside my house. And my sister was acting pretty strange… I stared in Marnie’s eyes, really studying her. Her expression was devious. Evil. Demonic.
My Little Brother Doesn’t Understand Anything
FICTION Rotten House — Chapter 5 Evan Purcell · Follow Published in Serial Stories · 6 min read · -- Image Created via Canva and Copilot I sat in my bed, not quite ready for sleep yet, when Mom knocked on my door. I knew it wasn’t Mike because he never knocked. “I’m awake! Come in!” I called. When Mom entered, I could see fresh lines on her face. She was smiling, but she looked really tired. “You have a second?” she asked. “Always,” I told her. That was the correct answer.
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