Hi, I'm Lovar Burton and this is Lovar Burton Reads.

In every episode I hand-pick a different piece of short fiction and I read it to you.

The only thing these stories have in common is that I love them and I hope you will too.

And today I have got a spooky story to share with you by the author Samuel Marzioli.

Samuel is an Italian Filipino writer of mostly dark fiction whose work you can find in a

bunch of different places including the best of Apex magazine, Shock Totem and Tales from

the Lake Volume 5.

And today's story draws on those elements of the supernatural that kind of live in the

shadows of everyday life.

And how a lot of times as adults we feel we can ignore them.

So if you're ready let's take a deep breath.

And let's begin.

Muto by Samuel Marzioli.

My dad like to say,

or rather the past is never gone, only forgotten.

Whether a Salah wikai'in of the Philippines or something he made up, it seemed to fit.

When I'd come across no better example than when I received an unexpected friend request

online.

It came with a message,

Adhan, we need to talk.

There's something you need to know.

And then remember the Muto.

...