Bitters

The giant metal man has stood for hundreds of years, head tilted back, mouth open. All the dead of the town are disposed of this way, carried up the long, staircase that winds around him and tipped in. At his toe emerges the Bitters, the lifeblood of the town, keeping them healthy and prosperous as the sick and needy come to buy and drink.

McNubbin is a happy man with all he wants in life. He's carried the bodies up since he was 14, a worthwhile, respected job. But when he notices broken girl after broken girl, he can't stay quiet, and speaking up will change his perfect life.

Shirley Jackson award-winner Kaaron Warren has lived in Melbourne, Sydney, Fiji and Canberra. She has five novels in print, including the The Grief Hole, Slights and Tide of Stone, and seven short story collections, including Cemetery Dance Selects, an eBook. She is a past Guest of Honor at Stokercon and the World Fantasy Convention.