Mystery and Suspense
Date Published: 05-04-2026
Publisher: Mission Point Press
A henpecked husband learns that “till death do us part” isn’t the end of the story when his dead wife returns.
A newly retired couple uncovers a pestilent secret buried beneath their dream home.
A young woman retreats to the countryside to discover herself, only to stumble upon an unsolved tragedy calling out for justice.
Voices Carry Here is a collection of short stories steeped in mystery, suspense, and the supernatural. Set against the beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, these tales will reveal secrets just beneath the surface of tranquil lakes, cries for help echoing from shadowed campgrounds, and small-town characters experiencing extraordinary circumstances.
Blending chills with warmth, author Gail Galotta’s flair for supernatural suspense is tempered with touches of humor, romance, and nostalgia.
Tim walked silently beside his brother, following him to the
edge of the campgrounds
and onto the road that led to the beach. Alex was preoccupied, occasionally
turning his head to
look behind him. As they approached the dunes, he stopped and scanned the
deserted shore.
“Nope,” he announced. “They’re not here yet.”
“Maybe we should go back,” Tim said.
Alex responded by bounding across the sand. Tim chased him to the water’s edge
where
they picked up stones and pitched them at the foam-tipped crests. When Alex
grew tired of this,
he removed his shoes and paced along the orange-pink scallops of receding
waves. Tim looked
over at his brother, the bronze and brave Indian who had hooted and chanted
over last night’s
bonfire and told warrior tales until the arrow-tips of distant pines pierced
the moon. Alex, who
heard the rumbling of imagined buffalo, the vibration of coming trains, and the
static electricity
of an approaching storm.
“They must have chickened out. But I’m gonna go in anyway.”
“I don’t think you should,” Tim said.
But Alex was already removing his shirt. “If I see those kids tomorrow, I’m
gonna tell
them. You can be my witness.”
“I want to go home,” Tim moaned.
“Don’t be a baby.” Alex kicked at the sand. He knew the answer but took a step
toward
his brother. “Are you going in or not?”
Tim looked down. “I can’t.”
Alex considered a moment. “Yeah, you’re not that good a swimmer. But,” he
offered,
“you can be my lookout—in case the guys show up.”
“I don’t know, Alex. It’s getting dark.”
“It’s no different than the day. The water’s the same. Just can’t see as far.”
Tim felt a tightening in his chest.
“Here,” Alex said as he handed Tim his shirt. With that, he rushed into the
water. But his
steps were soon hindered by a wave. Then, with elbows akimbo, he turned around.
“It’s cold!”
But Tim knew that wouldn’t deter his brother. Not the Indian warrior. And sure
enough,
the grimace became a grin and Alex dove into the water. He emerged seconds
later, hooting and
waving his arms. All the while, Alex kept drifting farther out.
It was getting harder for Tim to see as the sun was reduced to a feeble glow at
the west
end of the beach. Ahead, the lake was blending into the horizon. Alex was
merely a fading image
jutting in and out of the jagged line of waves.
Tim cupped his hands. “It’s getting dark!”
The figure extended two arms to the sky, holding the darkness like a canopy
above his
head. “What?!”
“Come in!” Tim screamed.
Alex flailed his arms and shouted something before disappearing once more. When
he
surfaced again, he seemed to be treading water, for only the outline of his
head was visible.
Then, as if lifted from below, he leapt up like a fish and then plunged into a
wave that held him
in an embrace beneath the surface.
Tim scanned the water for a glimpse of his brother’s head or arms. Then he
counted,
hoping that Alex was just holding his breath, trying to scare him, maybe. …
Eighteen
nineteen…twenty… But as the waves rolled and merged, he lost sight of where
Alex had been.
Panic seized his throat. “Alex!” He thought he heard a voice, but it, too, was
obscured by the
unrelenting waves. Then, the dark canopy closed upon the horizon, and the
steel-gray water
merged with the sky.
Tim edged into the water, feeling the cold slaps against his shins. He dared
not go any
farther. “Where are you?!” he repeated until the question became a whimper.
When Tim
understood that Alex was gone, he backed up onto the shore and collapsed. He
remained there
until the darkness enclosed him. Finally, spent and shivering, he rose to face
the solitary journey
back.
Tim stumbled over the sand until he reached the road. From there he sprinted,
taking
shallow breaths that were interrupted by sobs. He followed the path he and his
brother had taken
only an hour before. At last, he saw the sign that marked the entrance to the
campgrounds. What
could he tell his parents? That he didn’t run for help? That he just stood
there and watched his
brother drown?
About the Author
She’s always been drawn to the mystical pull of water, which often shapes the settings of her stories. An award-winning writer and former English teacher, she lives in Vulcan, Michigan, overlooking the same lake that inspired her earliest work. When asked what inspires her latest fiction, she offers only a cryptic smile.
https://mybook.to/VoicesCarryHere
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