There’s something off about Cinder Hollow, but that’s what happens when a town gets left to rot in its own little corner of nowhere. It sits at the foot of the mountains, tucked right up against the kind of woods that’d make you think twice before heading in after dark. And if you do? Well, you’d best bring your gun and make darn sure you know how to use it.
The whole place feels like it’s been left out in the sun too long — buildings peeling, folks looking more worn down than a three-legged mule at a horse race. The town’s motto might as well be "If it ain't broke, don't fix it — unless you can patch it with duct tape and a prayer."
But that’s just the surface. The real trouble? It’s in the air. It clings to your skin like the humidity in July, makes your spine itch in a way that’s hard to shake. The locals might not talk much about it — at least, not with outsiders — but you can bet your last jar of moonshine they’ve seen things. They just don’t like to admit it. Easier to keep your head down, mind your own business, say your prayers, and pretend you didn’t see that shadow slipping between the trees at sundown.
Cinder Hollow is quiet. But not the good kind of quiet. No, it’s the kind you get just before a storm rolls in — the sky still, air heavy, and you know deep down that whatever’s coming… it’s gonna blow the doors off your front porch.
Problem is, that storm’s already here. Something’s been prowling the woods, something hungry. And, god help us, it’s just found its way to town.
Detective Ray Vickers and Officer Emily Ross don’t know it yet, but they’re about to become Cinder Hollow’s last line of defense against whatever’s crawled out from the shadows. Now, Vickers might’ve seen his fair share of strange things in his time, but even he knows when it’s time to stop drinking from that hip flask and start paying attention. And Ross? Well, she thought this little town would be a peaceful break from big-city life. Bless her heart.
They’re in for a rude awakening. Because out here, nothing stays quiet for long — and what’s coming won’t go down easy.
Next time: Meet the town’s reluctant heroes — two cops who can barely keep their own lives together, let alone stop whatever’s stalking Cinder Hollow.
You been in the lab !!👀
Whoa! I’m excited, too! Also excellent use of the phrase Bless Your Heart.