Review: Timeless horror technique with a contemporary twist
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 24, 2013
Sometimes, the most terrifying monsters are those lurking within us.Morgan is a fairly ordinary guy, with a regular job and a devoted girlfriend, who enjoys frequenting the local bar afterhours.  However, Morgan is carrying a secret.  A secret so great, it's overwhelming him...As with his previous short story, "Hollow: Be Careful What You Wish For" (collected in the APOCALYPSE 13 anthology), Matt Schiariti proves he has a knack for creating sympathetic characters rooted in a real-life setting, with supernatural elements nicely integrated.  Morgan isn't inherently a bad person, so much as someone who was driven to make bad decisions by guilt and fear.  If he was a man totally without conscience, the story would have turned out very differently.One of the author's greatest strengths is dialogue, and his characters converse in a way that's realistic and believable.  The scenes in the bar could be happening in practically any bar down the street.  And the inclusion of the popular "Words with Friends" game as the catalyst is very effective and further highlights this modern environment.  The title's play on words is an amusing touch.A fun, well-paced, suspenseful read.  I hope to see more stories from Matt Schiariti.