This was such a tense, horrific, emotional tale! I was right there with Rita, feeling her pain and desperation. The immediacy was terrifying. Excellent!
Great start with the body horror, fantastic pace, compulsively ready for reading. I loved this. Add in the details about chickens and the general ambiance (I wanted someone to get K darted goddammit, that would have been a trip.) File this under "birth is horrifying at the best of times, but at the worst of times it's worthy of being an actual horror story." Merry.... Uh.... Yeah, merry Crimbus (long story, friend group in joke)
I'm sorry I'm a day late with my comment. I'd promised myself since this wasn't as sprawling as the Substack Zone I would read, comment, and share all of them, because they're dope. This one particularly got me because I've been on a "childbirth as ultimate body horror" kick since Elle Nash pointed me towards an ARC of Deliver Me, which I was astounded they actually let me have because I'm just some guy that seems to be everywhere.
But this story was mega creepy all around. I loved the black E G G. I was imagining them putting the baby in there. Super nasty. Painted quite a lovely scene. Great chorus work with the concept of the POV narrator never winning anything and so should have known this would be fucked up too. (Story of everyone's life innit?)
Holy hens! This was incredible and terrifying! Poor Rita was in what is probably the most vulnerable position a woman can be in, but she was a fighter! Excellent story.
Oh my god - absolutely horrific - I only got a few lines in and knew it was going to be properly disturbing - flesh eating midwives...evil black eggs... it's just endlessly surprising what minds can come up with - I really liked the imagery of the lamp with the trailing cord - like an umbilical. Out of my seat and applauding.
This was such a tense, horrific, emotional tale! I was right there with Rita, feeling her pain and desperation. The immediacy was terrifying. Excellent!
Thank you so much, Garen! And thank you for putting this together!
This made me cringe in the best way. So creepy!
Thank you!!
I was on the edge with this story! So good, as usual.
Thank you so much, Tiffany!
Great start with the body horror, fantastic pace, compulsively ready for reading. I loved this. Add in the details about chickens and the general ambiance (I wanted someone to get K darted goddammit, that would have been a trip.) File this under "birth is horrifying at the best of times, but at the worst of times it's worthy of being an actual horror story." Merry.... Uh.... Yeah, merry Crimbus (long story, friend group in joke)
Thank you so much for reading, Emil!
I'm sorry I'm a day late with my comment. I'd promised myself since this wasn't as sprawling as the Substack Zone I would read, comment, and share all of them, because they're dope. This one particularly got me because I've been on a "childbirth as ultimate body horror" kick since Elle Nash pointed me towards an ARC of Deliver Me, which I was astounded they actually let me have because I'm just some guy that seems to be everywhere.
But this story was mega creepy all around. I loved the black E G G. I was imagining them putting the baby in there. Super nasty. Painted quite a lovely scene. Great chorus work with the concept of the POV narrator never winning anything and so should have known this would be fucked up too. (Story of everyone's life innit?)
Thank you! I’m still working on making my way through all the Dark Tidings and Substack Zone stories as well! So many great things to read!
That was incredible! Such vivid imagery and horrifying. Great read!
Thank you so much!
Geez I can’t breathe! What an intense ride. The details, the setting, so so good.
Thank you so much!
That was intense
Holy hens! This was incredible and terrifying! Poor Rita was in what is probably the most vulnerable position a woman can be in, but she was a fighter! Excellent story.
Thank you so much, Liz!
Well done Bridget. The stuff of nightmares. - Jim
Thank you, Jim!
Bridget! This was a nightmare. You had me at the content warning but then you delivered SO MUCH. Incredible folk horror.
Thank you, EJ! ❤️
So dark! Great, atmospheric tale.
Thank you, Lyndsey!
You know it's good when you read it all the way through before stopping.
Yep, creepy midwives, creepy black eggs, creepy solitary shack away from everyone else.
This would make a perfectly creepy, old-time crypt keeper episode.
Thank you so much!
Oh my god - absolutely horrific - I only got a few lines in and knew it was going to be properly disturbing - flesh eating midwives...evil black eggs... it's just endlessly surprising what minds can come up with - I really liked the imagery of the lamp with the trailing cord - like an umbilical. Out of my seat and applauding.
Thank you so much, Nick!
So good. So visceral and creepy. Very very well done.
Thank you, Jon!
Wow. This made me squirm. So gnarly!.