Alternate Lives, 
by Paul Bradshaw; Illustrated by Gerald Gaubert; 
Enigmatic Press (UK), 1999; 60 pgs.; US $10.00
 

Part of the Enigmatic Novellas series, this nicely designed chapbook contains two short stories by Bradshaw, who appears enrolled in and a wholehearted subscriber of the school of "quiet" horror, and that's not a bad thing. Quiet horror seems to be making a comeback, with all the 
ghost novels and ghost-related movies out in the last several years. While these tales aren't at all flashy, there's a comfortable English calmness about them, making them pleasant to read despite the dread they slowly build.

In "The Vanishers," Brian is one of five department store employees made "redundant" in the new economy. Each Monday, the five meet in a café and support each others' efforts to find jobs (though it's hinted that such success would lead to jealousy). But then they begin to 
disappear, one by one. Brian investigates and eventually discovers where the missing have gone, though not how or why, all the while realizing that he is ready for imminent vanishing himself. Predictably, he's the last to go.

While adequately written and somewhat atmospheric, the story goes exactly where you expect it will, and itself feels "redundant"  in that other sense. Indeed, each disappearance brings little or no discovery, making the story seem bloated and slow, thereby dulling its message.

"The Lonely Ones" is more promising (and reminds me of one of my stories). The narrator becomes obsessed by a woman on his daily bus ride, a recognizable situation worsened by the recriminations he faces every day from his wife, who desperately wants a child and who blames his "dead sperm" for the failure. Again Bradshaw explores the drab lives of hopeless, unhappy people, but this time squarely hits the mark. Contact Firebird Distributing, 2030 First Street Unit 5, Eureka, CA 95501 sales@firebirddistributing.com.