53 Comments
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Shane Bzdok's avatar

Hell yes! Sooooooo good. You brilliantly balanced it all - charm, desire, magic, and death. An exquisite story, my friend.

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Garen Marie's avatar

🥹 thank you so much!! And thank you for your feedback - it really helped improve the story and make it ready for the event. Much appreciated!

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Shane Bzdok's avatar

My pleasure and an honor to be a part of your process.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Nailed the vibe! Great job, Garen!

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Garen Marie's avatar

Thanks, Sean! Really appreciate the feedback on this one!

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

It’s my pleasure. Always a good time reading your work and discussing stories with you!

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Edward.Marlo.Ruiz's avatar

What a climactic ending. Soo well done. Killed it. I will be examining any clothes pin sharpness from now on

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Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you so much! 😊

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A.D. Powers's avatar

This is so, so good!!!!! I loved every bit of this story, so visceral and grotesque and almost sensual? Wow!!! You’ve earned a new subscriber :)) this reminded me a bit of A24’s film The Witch!

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Garen Marie's avatar

Wow! Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words. I haven’t seen The Witch but to even be in the same ballpark as an A24 film makes my dark little heart very happy. Happy to have you at this witch’s table. 🖤

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holl's avatar

seconding this!! big a24/the witch vibes. i really enjoyed reading this! haunting and sensual. feels like standing on the edge of the woods at dawn, wondering what’s in there. brilliant.

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Garen Marie's avatar

Your kind words have Monday morning looking better. Thank you so much!

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Saint-Lazare's avatar

It starts gentle, then get subtly more intense, then sexy, and it ends gloriously and darkly. Wow, wow and wow.

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Garen Marie's avatar

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!

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Ashley T.K.'s avatar

This was delightfully creepy. You're an expert at sculpting a predator/prey relationship

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Garen Marie's avatar

🖤🖤🖤 So glad you enjoyed it!

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William Pauley III's avatar

Lush, vivid descriptions! Like most in the comments have said, you nailed that classic fairy tale feel.

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Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you so much!! 🖤

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EJ Trask's avatar

so riveting Garen!

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Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you, EJ! Glad you enjoyed it. 🖤

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Liz Zimmers's avatar

Fantastic, Garen! I couldn’t wait to see what you did with clothespins, and Holdfast turned them to dark fairytale gold.

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Garen Marie's avatar

🖤🖤🖤 Thanks, Liz!

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Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Wonderful, Garen! A fairytale, dark as they used to be. Your words made it lively and real.

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Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you, Lyndsey! 🖤

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

Perfect. Hypnotic storytelling, all senses engaged. So many beautiful lines. Such a satisfying payoff. Small objects, great big writing.

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Garen Marie's avatar

🖤🖤🖤 Appreciate you, Ken!!

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A. C. Sanders's avatar

Masterful storytelling!!! ✨ I love how you incorporated the theme!

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Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you so much❣️

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Nick Winney's avatar

beautiful beautiful writing....like a timeless folk tale. mesmerising and some perfect lines!

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Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you so much for your kind words!!

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Katharine Kapodistria's avatar

Wonderful writing as always - and a perfect fit for the theme. Now I know why those clothespins looked so sinister ...

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Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you, Katharine! Sinister clothespins indeed! 😆😬🧺

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Carrie M-O's avatar

Loved this story, Garen! You are so great with words; you write darkness well (and I love darkness). Is this your way of saying you shouldn't have to ever do laundry?

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Garen Marie's avatar

🤣🤣🤣 yes, this was my inspiration all along and yet Igor didn’t read this story. Foiled again! Thanks for your kind words!!

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Benjamin McCoy's avatar

Excellent! Absolutely brilliant

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Garen Marie's avatar

Thank you so much! 😊

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