15 Comments
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Scoot's avatar

Terrifying, terrifying, mind-bending, psychological thriller action. Amazing, well done!

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Ian Dunmore's avatar

Thanks so much, Scoot! This story was a little outside my stomping ground, so I’m glad it worked out!

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Garen Marie's avatar

Just coming to this story now as I saw it in the Lunar Awards Horror entries and I’m so impressed. The unexpected turn it takes is so terrifyingly good. And those deathly faces below the ice. Wow. 🖤

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Ian Dunmore's avatar

Thank you so much Garen! It's always wonderful when someone finds an old work of mine like this and it resonates!

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Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Harrowing, Ian! Well done. The tension tightens and tightens.

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Ian Dunmore's avatar

Thank you Lyndsey! I wrote this one a few years ago, and I remember it being stylistically a stretch, so I’m glad it worked out!

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Shawn Brooks's avatar

Excellent! That first time she saw the candle go out while by the lake was chilling!

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Ian Dunmore's avatar

Thanks Shawn!

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Shawn Brooks's avatar

Of course!

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EJ Trask's avatar

this is so gripping and terrifying! the atmosphere, the tension, the way you use language to create an ominous formality. I absolutely love this. thank you for sharing!

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Ian Dunmore's avatar

Thank you, EJ! I'm so glad it was effective!

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Keith Long's avatar

Powerful images here, I love it. That mental picture toward the end of the story - what’s making the scratching - that’s going to stay with me in both a good and bad way lol

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Ian Dunmore's avatar

Awesome to hear! This story went through a number of iterations, but that was the first kind of sticking point in my imagination was that image.

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Troy Church's avatar

This is so well written. The imagery of your writing really dragged me in and wouldn’t let go until the end. I love this sad and terrifying tale.

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Ian Dunmore's avatar

Thanks so much, Troy! I wrote this one a few years ago, and it was my first time wrestling with a radically subjective viewpoint in my writing, fun but challenging. So happy to hear it turned out, and very grateful for gracious readers like you!

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