22 Comments
User's avatar
Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

SO good! What a great story, Garen.

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you, Lyndsey!!

Expand full comment
Liz Zimmers's avatar

Excellent! The demon got no more than he deserved. Your story brought to my mind some of the supernatural tales of Isaac Bashevis Singer, and now I’m off to rifle my library for a book I haven’t read in many years. And I must listen to your reading. What a treat!

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you so much, Liz! I admit I haven’t heard of that author. I’ll be looking him up! Hope you enjoy the reading!

Expand full comment
Evelyn K. Brunswick's avatar

Macabre. Macabre and gothic - in a fun Tim Burton sort of way. (That means I liked it)

Expand full comment
Evelyn K. Brunswick's avatar

Oh - and this is what should happen to all child abusers.

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

I’m glad you liked it! Beaming over here at the Tim Burton comparison. And yes, getting devoured by their own teeth is the least they deserve.

Expand full comment
Keith Long's avatar

32 lines — nice attention to detail!

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

(don’t tell anyone, but I might have needed to Google how many teeth an adult human has)😬

Expand full comment
polytropos's avatar

this feels like a grimms brothers type of folktale. love how gruesome it is!

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you for the great compliment! 🖤 Bros Grimm!

Expand full comment
Edward.Marlo.Ruiz's avatar

Even better on another reading. Also your reading was very well done! The chipper voice of the demon really makes it creepier. Like I can see his eyes gleaming with his each word, like yes “I’m so smart and hideous.” Makes it all the better.

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

I appreciate that! I wanted him to be sorta pretentious and sleazy.😝 Thanks again for reading it through and giving me your thoughts!

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

I appreciate that! I wanted him to be sorta pretentious and sleazy.😝 Thanks again for reading it through!!

Expand full comment
Nick Winney's avatar

Also

"black blood GUSHED FROM HIS GUMS"

YES excellent! haha 😉😄

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

So much better than “ran out from.” Thanks for getting me to dig a little deeper!

Expand full comment
Nick Winney's avatar

i love alliteration! and there was such a gleefully wicked tone to the story, very fairy tale, inventive word play gave a sparkle. i didn't hear you read it live.... got to catch up! Andy's performance was jarringly effective wasnt it! omg. i heard it in my car as i drove home and keiths but i missed you sadly!!

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

Yes! I love how Erica said Andy’s was like performance art. Totally got that. And Keith’s was so haunting and beautiful. He has a great reading voice.

Expand full comment
Carrie M-O's avatar

Love this story. Loved hearing you read it aloud and then reading it again. You know how to write darkness well!

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you, so much Carrie!! 🖤

Expand full comment
Nick Winney's avatar

I love the idea behind this story!...well-done especially in 1500 words! 😃

Expand full comment
Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you, Nick!!

Expand full comment