It is August 1943 in Benghazi, Libya. Ed Mayfield, part of a B-24 Liberator bomber crew, is awakened from a nightmare, and assigned to a major air campaign that is no less terrifying. Frank is a lonely, almost desperate man, due to an unexpected new-found freedom. In an old bookstore, he finds finds an unlikely companion-a parrot-a curious creature that takes Frank under its wing(s). It is 2048 and a spacecraft speeds toward Mars. Inside is Specialist J. Murphy Cameron, preparing to live out his life-long dream of excavating an ancient civilization on another planet. He digs up more than expected. Ken, his brother, and their wives think they're off on a voyage to spread the ashes of the Ken's father but instead have set sail into the steamy and turbulent waters of stormy relations and dark secrets. David is ready to put an end to it all and check out-for good. Unfortunately, he has no idea who is waiting for him on the other side. In Short Stories and Assorted Nightmares, Mark A. Snyder leads others on a journey from the everyday to the extraordinary. This collection of nine deliciously wicked tales and curiosities piques the imagination, conjures stirrings in the darkest corners of the mind and will appeal to fans of horror and science fiction alike.