by Peter Straub
First published 2015
Young Freddie Prothero sits at his desk, recording encounters with something inhuman that seems to know when he will die. An aging horror writer receives what appears to be a harmless invitation to speak at a local science fiction group meeting. At Renfield High School, a new student befriends Nancy Wilhoit, who insists supernatural forces torment her, though the truth proves more complex than either girl expects. Charlie Pearson watches Stacey Wheeler from afar, planning to make her understand his love for her, even if violence becomes necessary to secure her devotion. When Marni arrives as the new neighbor, married couple Tara and Aidan find their stagnant relationship suddenly charged with new energy and dangerous possibilities. These five stories explore the thin boundaries between reality and delusion, between protection and predation, where ordinary people discover that their deepest fears and desires can manifest in terrifying ways.
Genres: mystery, horror, supernatural, dark
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: ordinary-people, predation, protection
94 pages · Kindle Edition · Hydra
Content warnings: violence