REVIEW
Welcome Home: A Short Story
by William
Hage
I was introduced to this short story by the Paranormal and Horror Lovers group on Goodreads. You can also check out the author's newest creepy release, Porcelain, available for only $0.99.
Description
John Lester is
returning to a place he never really considered home to begin with, a place
that he has not seen in years. But what he does not realize is that what went
on in this house was much less homely than he thought as he unearths something
dark about his family.
Excerpt
John Lester stood in front of the dying house, two plain bags of
groceries in his arms and the strap of his travel bag slung over his shoulder.
He had not been to this place since he was nineteen, not since his father -
Henry Philip Lester - sent him away. Henry had plans for his son and when John
abandoned those plans to become a writer, Henry apathetically rejected his son.
John always hated the house; when he was young he felt as though it was
alive, with a personality of its very own. It was a living, breathing thing and
John could swear that its cold eyes were staring at him, even at this moment. He
looked down the dirt road the house sat on. Trees reached down to the path
seeming like they were just on the verge of grabbing it and pulling it away,
but otherwise there was nothing in sight. As far as John could remember, the
closest house was at least a mile and a half away. This was perfect for his
father's business.
My Review
John visits his old
family home after it is left to him upon the death of his father. When John
discovers his father's journal, he begins to wonder what evil his father was up
to all those years. And why can't John remember what happened in that house?
Then, a friendly visit from his neighbors, Lisa and Michael, forces John to
confront the truth about his family. As his father used to say, "Sanity is
not a choice." But if you were insane, would you know?
The fantastic cover
was designed by the author's brother, Matthew Hage, and is creepily appropriate, giving a hint of what is to come. I
can't say too much without giving away the ending, but there were some
logistical inconsistencies which don't quite make sense in hindsight. There
were also some minor editing errors but, all in all, this is a good read with great
atmosphere and an unexpected ending.
About the Author
Links
