Lore : The Bogs were never the picture-perfect family; instead, they were marred by dysfunction and tragedy. Towel, the matriarch of the family, struggled with substance abuse, which clouded her judgment and impacted her ability to care for her children. Despite her struggles, she still decided to start a family with an unstable husband, creating an environment fraught with danger and uncertainty.
Notey, the eldest child, bore witness to unimaginable horrors at a young age. Seeing his own father brutally murdered by his mother must have been a traumatic experience that left deep psychological wounds. The physical damage he sustained during the ordeal serves as a constant reminder of the violence that once tore his family apart.
His sister, Envelope, faced her own challenges growing up. Born to a mother who neglected and mistreated her, Envelope found solace in her artistic talents. However, her mother's disdain for her, fueled by resentment over her unplanned pregnancy, only added to Envelope's emotional turmoil. The revelation of her mixed heritage further complicated her identity and sense of belonging.
The sudden loss of both parents, albeit through different circumstances, left Notey and Envelope orphaned and vulnerable. Their aunt and uncle, along with their spouses, stepped in to provide care and stability in the wake of such tragedy. While their new guardians may offer a semblance of normalcy, the scars of their past continue to haunt Notey and Envelope, shaping their perceptions of family and love.
The Bog family saga serves as a sobering reminder of the devastating consequences of addiction, neglect, and violence within the home. Despite the darkness that surrounds their story, there is hope for healing and redemption as Notey and Envelope navigate the complexities of their shattered family legacy.
After escaping a stalled elevator into a zombie apocalypse, Emily must learn how to trust people again or risk losing everything in this terrifying world.
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For Emily, every day of the last two years have been a blur. She keeps her head down, takes her college courses online, and only goes out to work at her mandatory internship. But all that changes on the day the office elevator breaks down, leaving her trapped when the screams begin. And when the doors finally open, revealing a dystopian world ruined by bloody teeth and disease, Emily is launched into a terrifying run for her life, caught between the strangers she's not sure she can trust and the man-eating monsters that hunger for her flesh. Now she must learn not only how to survive in this new and dangerous world, but also how to overcome her own inner demons before they cost her something more precious than her life.
[[Wattys' Shortlist]]
[[Promoted by AMC]]
Content and/or Trigger Warning: The story contains some gore, violence, strong language, and dark themes.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]