PseudoPod 531: Gleed

[Bdoomed]

PseudoPod 531: Gleed

by Jason Rush.

“Gleed” is a Pseudopod original.

JASON RUSH lives in Colorado with his wife, Shannon, and dog, Freckles. When he’s not writing, he snowboards, snowshoes, hikes and climbs mountains. He is currently working on his first novel, Mad Maddie, which took first place in the Zebulon contest at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference. He blogs here and his Twitter is @diminish7.

This week’s reader – Hollis Monroe – is an award winning radio producer, opera and jazz singer and Shakespearean. He served as executive producer and also read for Iowa Public Radio’s “The Book Club” for many years and is an active voice actor, emcee and singer.


Info on Anders Manga’s album (they do our theme music!) can be found here.


“Johnson looks around, then turns to me, face tight. “We were at work.” His voice is like a bucket of gravel. “When did we get here?”

A stab of cold pricks my gut. I’ve never seen Johnson lost before.

I shake my head. Last thing I remember is being underground with the drone of the continuous miner, blades churning, rock crumbling. The thunk of a six-foot bolt driven into the ceiling. The smell of dust and rock and coal.

(A dull, red light. Someone screaming.)

Then here. Looking at my hands. Peggy tapping her pencil.”


Listen to this week's Pseudopod.

[Scuba Man]

There's something nasty hiding in the coal seams! If coal built up around this crypt, that means it was present when the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Did the miners break into a pre-human altar of some kind, where a creature had left the the ceremonial sacrifice knife?  Questions, questions. 

[Maxilu]

There's something nasty hiding in the coal seams! If coal built up around this crypt, that means it was present when the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

I read this as environmental horror, a commentary on what fossil fuels are doing to the Earth.

Still, the question of what exactly is hidden in the coal is fascinating, and a wonderful example of the "nothing is scarier" trope.

[Ichneumon]

This was quite a nightmarish concept. We've heard stories of many of the individual components before: Parasites, mind control, awakening ancient monsters, human sacrifice, gargantuan unknown horrors... But have we heard a story that combines ALL of those?

Do you guys think the monster was somehow associated with Gleed the company?

[MJ]

WOW! This is the first Pseudopod story I can honestly say was damn good. I seriously loved this. Seemed very similar to King. The narrator for this story was absolutely perfect! What a wonderful voice. Major kudos to writer and narrator.

[TCM]

This is a story I wish I had written. I loved it! I think Gleed is probably my most favorite horror short story now.

[Marlboro]

I liked this story. Nice job by the reader as well.

One thing I found kind of funny was that the guys woke up in that bar/restaurant after being infected in the mine.

Unspeakable Elder Demon Living in the Bowels of the Earth "THIS IS THE END!..but first, before I devour you guys, would you guys mind swinging by the diner and picking me up a slice of pie? Apple, pecan, whatever. I always crave a little something sweet after THE END."