Geoffrey Girard first appeared in Writers of the Future and has since written and sold more than sixty short stories of dark fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Collected here, for the first time, are sixteen of his best, and darkest, tales.The man who collects chips of bone from his willing victims... A legendary evil is adopted by a small, and thankful, village... The doomed girl invited to take part in a deliberate tragedy... A horrific church choir assembled after the zombie apocalypse... The boy who harvests spiders for a shadowy woman of magic... A fearsome town where the children's nightmares are all real... The pain, price and beauty of blood and first loves...From the curse of ancient evils to futuristic retirement homes where the dead still rule, haunted graveyards, planets of torture where all are equal, hockey-playing demon hunters, dark sorcerers battling in Algeria, and even voodoo-cursed pirates. Explore the darkest, and most majestic, extremes of us all in sixteen unique tales that will entertain, horrify and keep you thinking long after the last page is turned.Let the communion begin...TABLE OF CONTENTSTranslatioCollecting JamesFor Restful Death I CryDark HarvestNot Fade AwayUnto the Lord a New SongRelease MePsychomachiaUniversal AdaptorMisdirectionWhat You KnowH.E. Double Hockey SticksWhere the Shadow EndedDead in the WaterCrawlFirst CommunionsStory NotesCover art by Anjo MatkoTitle design by Matt Davis"At times chilling, disturbing and even poignant, Geoffrey Girard's debut collection, first communions, is satisfying and rich. Will leave you breathless, shocked and ultimately dying to read more of his work."—Chesya Burke, author of Let's Play White and The Strange Crimes of Little Africa"A collection of stunning breadth. Girard knows just where to stick the knife, when to start digging, and when to ease back and let you catch your breath."—Jennifer Pelland, two-time Nebula-nominated author of Unwelcome Bodies and Machine"A masterful trip to the dark side of the street, and Geoffrey Girard is your experienced, spellbinding tour guide." —Matt Wallace, author of Envy of Angels and Lustlocked"Geoffrey Girard peels back the ordinary world to reveal the darkness underneath. His stories, a tour of literary voices, compel the reader to think... with images and ideas that will haunt. first communions showcases the breadth and power of Girard's work."—Maurice Broaddus, author of the Knights of Breton Court trilogy