First published 2005
Marya discovers she has inherited more than just her grandmother's house. The old woman's death passes down an ancient burden: the ability to eat sins. When Marya performs the ritual consumption, she takes on the moral weight of others' transgressions. The sins manifest physically within her body, creating grotesque transformations. Each act of consumption saves another soul but corrupts her further. The townspeople begin to depend on her services, bringing their guilt and shame to her door. Marya struggles between her desire to help others find redemption and her need to preserve what remains of her humanity. The weight of accumulated sins threatens to destroy her completely. She must decide whether to continue the family tradition or break the cycle that has claimed generations of women before her.
Genres: fantasy, horror, supernatural, dark-fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-legacy, moral-ambiguity
Setting: Marya
116 pages · Paperback · Cyber Pulp Pr
Content warnings: body-horror, gore