Retribution: And Other Short Fiction

About the Book

Retribution: and Other Short Fiction; is a collection of six stories of various genres.  Retribution is a novella of sexual intrigue and murder; retribution and redemption.  Anniversary is a short-short tragedy which tells of two days in the life of a building.  The Marked is a short tale of a mob killer who has been “marked” for execution, and his efforts to escape his fate.  Red Duck is the fanciful story of a youth in the 1700’s who has a dream, and the mysterious stranger who enters his life.  The Hanging is a short morality tale of a young cowboy, two homesteaders, and a vicious vigilante group.  Sprightly Spirits is the humorous story of an old cemetery caretaker, a few active “ghosts”, two shady morticians, and a devious town manager.  Midnight is the poignant brief story of a young minister, an older doctor, and the deadly destructive force which covers a dying world.  Elisabeth: A Narrative of Love, is the dramatic and episodic story of a bittersweet relationship between a university professor and a young student.

About the Author

At age twelve, Charles W. Byrd began his quest for adventurous knowledge by bicycling twenty-five miles across two mountains to a distant town, enduring a severe thunderstorm while huddling under an abandoned coal truck on a lonely country road; washing the coal dust off in a snake-infested swamp, then emerging with his body covered with loathsome, thick black leeches; and finally, excitedly exploring the busy streets of a strange city. Writing about this escapade in a five-cent Blue Horse notebook ignited a writing career which now includes hundreds of articles; four non-fiction books; and three novels, one of which was adapted for a popular television series and movie. Educated at Berea College, Wake Forest University, The University of North Carolina, and Duke University Divinity School, he and his wife, Mary Nell, have four children; Wanda Jean, Mary Angela, Charla Deni, and Charles Danny.