Nightmare“See You on a Dark Night” by Ben Peek
“A Moonlit Savagery” by Millie Ho
Reviewed by Kevin P Hallett
There are two first publication short stories in the 91st issue of Nightmare.
“See You on a Dark Night” by Ben Peek
After losing his human friend, W— meets a girl, Z—, in this short fantasy horror story. To his surprise, Z— doesn’t seem to care that he’s a vampire. She even welcomes his bite, though he refrains out of a sense of breaking away from his past.
They meet several times, satisfying each other’s urges. When Z— mentions her abusive ex-boyfriend, he tells her that he won’t kill him for her. But can he keep this promise?
The author’s prose was easy to read, and the mystery pulled the reader through the tale.
“A Moonlit Savagery” by Millie Ho
In this short horror tale, Sebastian hears of a ghost that eats anyone falling asleep in her presence. A budding spray-can artist, Seb goes to the deserted hostel she’s bound to. The specter is surprised when a young man visits her hunting ground who is unafraid of her ghoulish looks or horrific eating habits.
After a month of painting her, Seb disappears. The love-struck ghost is devastated and begins to waste away. And then, in the inevitable march of progress, the city slates her hostel for demolition. Will this be the end of her existence?
This was an interesting take on a ghost story and told from an unusual perspective. Overall a good read.