Short Fiction
A collection of published short stories by Taylor Scott, ranging from contemporary fiction to horror and the strange spaces in between.
The Handler
A first-day athletic trainer gets assigned to handle a minor-league baseball mascot on the most important night of his career. Between runaway dogs and a golf-cart disaster, the night becomes one increasingly ridiculous meet-cute where nothing goes according to plan.
The House on the Hill
Seeking refuge from a scandal at his church, a pastor retreats to a secluded countryside Airbnb to clear his head and find peace. But his tranquil sabbatical quickly unravels into a waking nightmare when he realizes a mysterious, abandoned house in the distance is creeping closer to his doorstep each day.
A Mac and Cheese Meet-Cute
Cynical waitress Alex relies on heavy sarcasm and bowls of macaroni and cheese to survive her soul-crushing summer job at a kitschy Midwestern tourist trap. However, when a charming cross-country traveler sits in her section, his genuine interest might just give her the courage she needs to face her biggest fears.
The Hickory County Fair Calf Scramble
Twelve-year-old Lily Parsons defies expectations and the worries of her parents by entering the Hickory County Fair Calf Scramble, a rough competition historically dominated by older, stronger teenagers. Although no one her age has ever succeeded in catching a calf, Lily enters the arena confident in a secret, unconventional plan she believes will help her outsmart the competition.
Thompson's Field
Featured in Issue 7 of Suburban Witchcraft Magazine, Thompson's Field is the story of a young boy who, after seeing a mysterious man emerge from his neighbor's cornfield, investigates and finds a shallow grave. He alerts his mother, who works to shield her son from the grim realities of death and evil, only to discover how some evils are inescapable.
This horror short story was Taylor's debut published feature.
Earlier stories were originally published under the byline T. S. Parnell