Three fantastical horror stories that tear aside the veil to reveal other worlds, other realities. THE VANISHING SNAKE - In this direct sequel to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Adventure of the Speckled Band," that story's Helen Stoner returns to 221B Baker Street to relate to Sherlock Holmes that not only was the adventure not yet finished...but that occult forces may have been at work all along. DIRTY DESK - The Pearsons are a bored suburban couple who pursue ever more extreme means of satisfying their desires...but when they turn to murder, the act might just open the door to a darkness they never even dreamed of. THE MAYOR OF EPHEMERA - In a strange world not our own, the inhabitants of a strange little town have decided that they have reached the ultimate state of satisfaction: permanent sleep. But one person rebels against their philosophy. One person who refuses to stay asleep. From Jeffrey Thomas, the author of Punktown.