The perfect escape...The perfect place to hide... Hocking Hills in Ohio is an oasis for campers, hikers, nature lovers, and those who just want to get away and lose themselves in the wilderness.
And if you follow your guide's advice and stay within permitted areas, you can expect to survive the night.
Because deep in the dark woods, something insidious waits, something few have ever seen, something ancient, unknown, and insatiable.
If you descend into these woods today, you won't live to see the sunrise...
A great novella, the first one I read in the new year of 2023. The author of Sour Candy convinced me that he's great at short stories.
Once again a beautifully dense and eerie atmosphere. At the beginning I had solid goosebumps, after the introduction I got to know the other characters and waited to see what would happen.
For me, original; the author doesn't mess around and knows how to nicely simmer you in oppressive scenes.
A couple sets off camping with their son to Hocking Hills, but the beautiful nature immediately gives them a hard time. The couple, who are trying to find their way back to each other, are subjected to the force of nature, where the husband's first mistake was inexperience with camping and buying a cheap tent, which proved to be unfortunate. A proper downpour started, the tent collapsed, and the family was forced to set out in the bad weather to look for some shelter. Even though the adults don't want to argue in front of their son, great tension is noticeable, the husband loses his direction and they're basically lost in the woods. When he finally manages to find a passable path, both of them realize their son is gone. In a desperate attempt to find the child, they both go back, followed by a strong argument with reproaches. In the end, they both agree that the only solution is to go back and wait at the spot to see if the boy just stepped away and would come looking for them. So they return, but the child is still nowhere to be found. Suddenly they spot a flickering light and head toward it. They reach a clearing where a lone tent stands with a light on inside. Is their son in there? Did they find salvation? And is that tent really just an ordinary tent? I won't reveal that, but I'll tell you, when I go for a walk in the woods and happen to come across a tent standing alone in some clearing, I'll be running so fast that dust will be flying behind my heels.
Rating: 4.5*/ 5
1 📚 / 2023
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