Title: Hollow
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Dark Gritty
Story Description:
In a decaying city stripped of hope and life, rumors speak of a nameless figure-a creature of darkness known only as V. No one knows where he came from or what drives him, but his presence is unmistakable: a towering, masked figure who moves through the city like a silent plague, leaving only death in his wake. V is not human; he is bloodlust given form, an unfeeling specter whose sole purpose is to kill. No weapon, no words-just his hands and his relentless, insatiable hunger for blood.
The people of the city live in constant fear, knowing that their streets have become his hunting ground. Those who encounter him have no chance to plead, escape, or survive. V has no remorse, no mercy, and no reason for the slaughter. He moves without hesitation, his face concealed behind a smooth, featureless mask, devoid of emotion. He kills not for satisfaction, revenge, or purpose-he kills simply because that is his nature.
Hollow explores the lives of those trapped in V's path. Each chapter unfolds from the perspective of individuals who cross his way, detailing their descent into terror as they come face to face with an unstoppable force. Survivors whisper of his approach, but there is no safe haven; V's bloodlust is boundless, his pursuit relentless. As the body count rises, the citizens realize that V isn't just a killer-he is the very embodiment of the city's suffering, a hollow darkness that consumes all in its path.
In a world where survival means living in constant terror, the residents of the city begin to understand a horrifying truth: V will not stop. He cannot stop. And in the end, everyone is destined to be nothing more than a mark in his endless trail of death.
Hollow is a bleak, atmospheric horror story, a relentless descent into fear, and a chilling reminder that some evils cannot be reasoned with.
Open Novella Contest 2025!
This is my interpretation of prompt 50. A supervillain has a midlife crisis and decides to become a superhero. But redemption might be harder than they imagined.
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Cassius Vale has spent his life in the shadows, a man forged by necessity-no questions asked, no hesitation. A fixer, a ghost, a necessary evil in a city that thrives on corruption and despair. He's become an instrument of violence, a blade wielded by unseen hands, but when a job leaves an innocent girl staring at him with pure terror in her eyes, something deep within him stirs.
For the first time, he questions whether he can be anything more than a weapon for hire. Can the blood on his hands ever be washed away, or is he forever stained by the choices he's made?
As crime tightens its vice grip on the city and a new wave of chaos surges, Cassius stands at a crossroads: remain the villain in this twisted narrative or fight for something greater than himself. But redemption comes with a heavy toll, and the path to heroism is littered with foes who won't let him slip away so easily.
In a world where justice is nothing more than a fading memory and second chances are rare as gold, can a man molded by violence ever transform into a hero? Or will the darkness that has shaped his existence finally consume him, dragging him back into the abyss from which he emerged?