<b> Plague Review 29: Swamp Foetus by Poppy Z.

Brite </b>

Poppy Z. Brite (Now living as Billy Martin) was one of the authors in the much-touted Dell Abyss Line.
The following elements characterize his writing: 90s nihilistic angst, graphic sexuality and violence,
quirky and damaged characters, and the haunting presence of his native New Orleans. I can say that I
enjoy his writing style; it is artful in its descriptions while still finding a way to move the story forward.
There might be some disappointing tales in this collection, but the ones that work are absolute
masterpieces. (see "His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood," "The Sixth Sentinel," "Calcutta, Lord of
Nerves," "The Elder," and "The Ash of Memory, The Dust of Desire")

Not bad for a first collection!

1. <b> Angels </b>

Ghost and Steve are looking for someone to fix their car. They eventually come across a house and a
possible troubleshooter. Their prolonged stay, however, means that they have to deal with the twins,
two deformed brothers with a penchant for biting people. Ghost knows they want something, but can
he offer that, and what is the prize for such generosity?

For the appetizer, Brite presents this tale of empathy and shared pain. Brite posits that sometimes
monsters are created by primal needs that can't be understood and therefore remain unfulfilled. (Ghost,
in the story, is the bridge to that need) Is this successful? Maybe not as a creepy horror story but one
where horror elements accentuate a fact of life. And that ending is poignant and bleak.

2. <b> A Georgia Story </b>

While driving to Georgia, Unnamed Narrator (#1) reminisces about his tragic and sordid past as part of a
subversive New Orleans band. They spent their days hiding in a church and their nights playing music in
"decaying little clubs with runes and cryptic names spray-painted on the walls." Unfortunately, Gene,
their lead singer, is prone to irrational behavior and eventually does a permanent act that breaks the
band apart. Back to the present, UN(#1) stops by a carnival show for a quick ice cream fix, and he
discovers the newest addition to the freak show, somebody he might know.
This story is depressing and includes a gruesome twist. There might be little concerning supernatural
occurrences, but this story still haunts with its message: being different won't save you from the scorn of
your fellow man. It might not be as memorable as the other tales, but it is compelling.

Appears in: Sex Macabre

3. <b> His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood </b>

Unnamed Narrator (#2) and his friend/occasional lover Louis are looking for the ultimate thrill. Jaded by
the pleasures of sex, music, and drink, they eventually turn to a more morbid hobby; grave robbing.
Their latest conquest is a trinket from a voodoo sorcerer's. Later, their enjoyment is complete as they
attract the attention of a thin and dark-haired boy. And he has a more than passing interest in the
amulet they stole.

An absolute masterpiece. Brite recreates Lovecraft's "The Hound" in his own New Orleans, giving the old
story vibrant and dangerous life. The narration captures the decadence and danger of the underworld
culture of New Orleans, depicted as a place where all the weird and disaffected act out their rabid
fantasies. I also love the inclusion of voodoo elements; it feels right and appropriate considering the lack
of (for me) credible real-life mythology in the original Lovecraft tale. This tale is truly immortal.

Appears in: Borderlands 1

4. <b> Optional Music for Voice and Piano </b>

A surprise attack on a deserted alleyway gives our unnamed character a unique trait: his voice is capable
of bringing out profound emotions from the listener. Those who hear his voice are overcome with
strange emotions, bringing out hidden feelings and (mostly negative) reactions. He joins a band when he
grows up, and he sees for himself the effects of his voice: deaths, suicides, etc. But what can he do to
stop this?

The end should not be a surprise to anyone. This story is your standard music/signal-drives-people-
bonkers, albeit with an unspecified reason behind the phenomenon. At least the writing moves forward,
and we get a few moments of unease and fear.
Appears in: The Definitive Best of The Horror Show

5. <b> Xenophobia </b>

Unnamed Narrator (#3) and his xenophobic friend Robert are touring New Orleans' (?) Chinatown for a
night of unplanned revelry. After stopping for some Ice Cream in a sweet shop, they are made an offer
by a man who was listening to their ramblings: watch over his funeral parlor for the night while he goes
drinking with his other undertaker friend. Robert and UN(#3) agree in exchange for a bottle of Cognac.
The dead body they look after turns out to be a woman, and Robert is particularly curious about a racist
sexual tidbit he heard once. What surprise is in store for our drunk "protagonists"?

This story is fun, freaky, and unpredictable. The strength of this tale is you don't have any idea where
Brite is heading to: is it a ghost tale, or is it-like its source anthology indicates- a blood-soaked affair? I
think it is neither, as this story has elements of both while not fully committing to either subgenre. The
ending nevertheless delivers on the promise of delivering weird imagery. And you even a valuable lesson
in cultural sensitivity.

Appears in: Splatterpunks II: Over the Edge

6. <b> The Sixth Sentinel </b>

Jean is in love with stripper Rosalie Smith. The catch is Jean is a 200-year old ghost haunting the grounds
of New Orleans. Jean, because of their special friendship, wants to free her from her unsavory and
degrading lifestyle. He plans on making her dig his riches in a bayou somewhere. But Rosalie has an
unnatural fear of graves and of digging them out. Curious, Jean visits her mind and learns of her
disturbing and tragic past; he also learns of the disgusting event that cemented that fear in her heart.

This story is one of Brite's most famous tales, and there is a good reason for that: it is one of the best
horror short stories of the 90s. Once again, we are back in the phantasmagoric side of New Orleans, a
place Brite depicts as filled with death-obsessed youth and the literal ghosts of its past. The progression
of the tale from a goth romance to a lurid and gruesome southern gothic/horror tale is well-done and
commendable; who had the aptitude and vision to combine these two but Brite?

Appears in: Borderlands 3

Andrew and Lucian are lifelong friends (lovers?) who are inseparable: they play music, hang out, and
complement each other's weirdness. But now they both can't get rid of a nasty smell, a foul odor that
doesn't seem to have a source. It can't be the preserved skeleton of the landlady's child. By morning
both of them (or maybe just one) will know the answer.

Just like 'Optional Music", this tale feels predictable and is a bit underwhelming. Perhaps it is successful
when viewed as a "mood piece," evoking the unbearable sadness one goes through when someone is
"missing" from your life. At least the story doesn't overstay its welcome.

8. <b> Footsteps in the Water </b>

Dru Frixton is a gifted human being: he can move objects and manipulate matter at will. As he grows
older, his power grows, too. He is also more aware of the brutality he can inflict on other living beings.
Enter Nineveh, still mourning the death/drowning of his twin brother Dylan. Nineveh believes that Dru
can bring Dylan back to life. Dru agrees, but can he face the consequences of his actions?

This story has a shocking end, but it still feels like it needed more "oomph." But the writing is compelling
and, again, it doesn't overstay its welcome, so no harm!

Appears in: 100 Tiny Tales of Terror

9. <b> How to Get Ahead in New York </b>

Steve and Ghost (same characters from "Angels" and Brite's "Lost Souls") have a scheduled performance
in New York's East Village. The problem is in going there, as they encounter a series of increasingly
bizarre and dangerous groups of people on their way. From violent hobos to peddlers selling human
heads, Steve and Ghost meet and greet the best New York has to offer. All of this to play some tunes!

I initially decried the inclusion of this story in the BEST NEW HORROR anthology because I felt this was
more of a surreal and Lynchian journey to wherever rather than something to rattle the bones. But after
a re-read, I realized that the cumulative effect of all the encounters and experiences must have been
one of horror for the main characters. This story made me think of all the journeys we take in unknown
urban environments; if one element (say muggers) had you anxious during your travel, how much more
three or four after that?

Appears in: Best New Horror 4

10. <b> Calcutta, Lord of Nerves </b>

<i> "Calcutta, you will say. What a place to have been when the dead began to walk.

And I reply what better place to be? What better place than a city where five million people look as if
they are already dead - might as well be dead - and another five million wish they were?" </i>

An Indian-American man (Unnamed Narrator #4) returns to his birthplace of Calcutta, which is slowly
turning into a hellhole of the living dead. But as our UN(#4) is keen to tell us, there seems to be little to
no difference at all, as the squalor and misery of Calcutta are at par with the zombie epidemic. But can
there be far worse things not seen yet?

This story is a gruesome, shocking, and unforgettable account of a man, his city, and their connection
with Death. The Calcutta descriptions remind me of Simmons's "Song of Kali," but with the added
juxtaposition to the zombie apocalypse at hand. Compelling writing and vivid and visceral descriptions of
carnage writing elevate this zombie piece to horror-heaven. Again, who has the imagination to combine
the real-life squalor of Calcutta with a zombie apocalypse that would make Romero proud? Only Brite.

Appears in: The Century's Best Horror Fiction 1951-2000

11. <b> The Elder </b>

Paul and Jen's are celebrating their new life with their baby, Bobby. This bliss seems short-lived as
problems arise: Jen is suddenly disinterested in the baby, and Paul is left to care for Bobby alone. But
this is just the start of the hell to come.
This story grows more disturbing as the pages turn. Brite, when he wants to disturb, is unstoppable as
he is merciless; he shows the gradual progression of events from blissful to hellish. And that ending will
tear you apart.

Appears in: The Definitive Best of The Horror Show

12. <b> The Ash of Memory, The Dust of Desire </b>

Jonny, a head chef for an elite restaurant, is so in love with his girlfriend Leah; he is even willing to
accompany her to get an abortion borne out her affair with Jonny's best friend (!) Cleve. Once they get
the address (ominously named Payne street), they traverse the run-down neighborhood filled with dirty
and empty buildings. Amidst all the miserable background, Jonny loses sight of Leah. He looks for her
and eventually discovers the location of the supposed clinic amidst all the urban decay. But what is
waiting for both of them?

A great combination of a sexually-charged love story with a unique and frightening idea: what if
something was feeding off our universal hopelessness (and other negative emotions) to survive? To tell
more would spoil the tale, but I recommend a "double-bill" read: Gary A. Braunbeck's "Union Dues"
from Borderlands 4.

Appears in: The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Fifth Annual Collection