"Whispers of the Silent Island"
On a remote and eerie island, the few villagers rely on fishing for their livelihood, unaware of the dark forces at play. The island is haunted by the ghost of Elara, a lady in white who protects the land but exacts a chilling vengeance on those who threaten its sanctity. When a spirited outsider named Sarah arrives, her curiosity disrupts the fragile balance, awakening both the villagers' fears and Elara's wrath.
As strange occurrences escalate-villagers vanish, and sinister visions plague the island-Thomas, a young fisherman, must confront his growing dread and the haunting legends that surround Elara. Together with Sarah, they rally the villagers to face the dark truth of their past actions and the spirit's warnings.
In a stormy climax, the ghost reveals her dual nature: a protector turned punisher, shaped by the villagers' choices. They learn to respect the island, but as they embrace their roles as guardians, they uncover a shocking twist about Elara's true identity-one that binds her fate to their own in ways they never expected.
In the end, the villagers find peace, but the shadows of their past linger, reminding them that the balance between light and darkness is always fragile.
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]]