In the velvet shroud of twilight, where the moon casts its pale glow upon the world and the whispers of forgotten souls dance on the breeze, there exists a realm of exquisite terror-a realm where nightmares are not mere figments of imagination, but living, breathing entities. Welcome, esteemed reader, to the bewitching tapestry of Refracted Nightmares: The Mirror's Secret Realm.
Prepare yourself, for within these pages lies an odyssey into the macabre-a journey through the dimly lit corridors of the mind, where reality is but a fragile veil and the boundaries between dreams and nightmares blur into obscurity. Here, mirrors are not mere reflective surfaces but conduits to an otherworldly dimension where the shadows writhe with malevolent intent.
With each elegant turn of phrase, you will find yourself ensnared by tales of Gothic horror and phantasmagoric wonder. You will traverse landscapes of sublime terror, encountering specters of despair, phantasms of dread, and entities born from the deepest recesses of the human psyche.
Yet fear not, esteemed reader, for within the darkness lies the allure of enlightenment. Through these elegantly crafted narratives, you will glean insight into the intricate tapestry of the human condition and come to appreciate the delicate dance between fear and fascination.
So, if you possess the audacity to delve into the abyss, if you harbor the courage to confront the shadows that lurk within, then allow us to be your guides on this beguiling journey into Refracted Nightmares: The Mirror's Secret Realm. But heed this caution, dear reader, for once you embark upon this enigmatic voyage, there may be no turning back.
Antique store owner Liz brings home a Victorian taxidermy hound from auction, unwittingly unleashing dark forces on her wife and son.
*****
Nat Loman has finally married the love of her life, Liz, and is getting used to her role as stepmother to Liz's 5-year-old son, Liam. The Loman family runs a bustling antique business so they attend a sale where a striking, black taxidermied hound is up for auction. Liz picks it up for the business, but it ends up being stored in their home, where Nat notices strange things occurring. She quickly discovers the past residents had died violently. Then she hears from a friend about the myth of "the devil's dog", a hound that perches in the shadows, tearing families apart from the inside. Soon, people around the Lomans are dying, and Liz is changing, darkening. It's up to Nat to save the woman she loves from the darkness closing in, and to save Liam from danger no matter what she has to sacrifice.
[[Winner of the 2018 Wattys "Hidden Gems" category]]
[[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]