Jowls

When a killer feral hog invades Verity State Park, Officer Rylee Harding quarantines the entire area until the threat can be eliminated. She soon discovers doing the right thing isn't easy, because summer has just begun, and the livelihood of Verity's residents depends on the seasonal flood of tourist dollars. Facing opposition from town officials, her neighbors, and even members of her own family, Rylee stands firm in her decision and risks her life and the life of her unborn child to face down the remorseless monster.

This story is written for ONC2026 using prompt number 78: You begin to realize that nothing is quite what it seems.

Updates every Thursday.

Jowls, Copyright ©2026 by Dennis Royer, @dennisroyer
All Rights Reserved.
Cover art by Deviant Art / ArtVixen0520. Used by permission.