13 Comments

This is stunning. As in, I am stunned. I was mesmerised, and enamoured, and revulsed that I was enamoured and entranced by this awe-ful tale.

Fabulous work.

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Thank you so much Zivah, that's exceptionally kind of you. Thanks for subscribing, I hope you'll enjoy my upcoming work

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I’ve no doubt I will!

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This is a tremendous story and I read it with admiration, but it did not make me feel safe or content at all! You have disturbed me deeply with your wonderful frights.

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Thank you so much Liz, I'm very pleased it made an impact with you!

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you have written so many things that i’ve thought, “this is my favorite ap murphy story” and now you did it again. gruesome haunting fierce. I love it.

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Thanks so much EJ, it's very pleasing that you enjoyed it. As not-Nic Cage said on SNL all those years ago, "high praise indeed"

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A creepy and delightful piece!

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Thanks so much N! I was hoping you'd like it!

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I enjoyed this—which doesn't feel right when you write it down, but there we go. It's Friday, and I'm eating Yoghurt with a fork because the kitchen is too far away. I did have a question about Sara's reappearance—it wasn't explained and took me out of the story a little—maybe intentionally, but I was so buried in the visceral dust of it all that it made me read it twice to make sure I hadn't missed something. Really strong work.

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Thank you so much for your comment, I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. Funny you should mention the reappearance of the child Sara - my test reader S.T. McDonnell also mentioned it. It is deliberate, meant to be an uncanny effect - something ghostly, perhaps to suggest that she may not really have survived after all

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"Child-tearer." Jesus.

A tale so harrowing I felt I needed to hug my children afterwards. 😱

Nice work, A.P.! As always.

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Thank you so much WP3! Very happy to traumatize you and all other parents.

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