The Beheld

by Paul G. Bens Jr.

He watches... that is what he does...it is what he has always done... Black Quill Award-winning author Paul G. Bens takes us on a journey into a macabre, voyeuristic world with a short story that David Agranoff of Postcards from a Dying World calls "an unnerving tale that slowly worms its way into your head."

Genres: Horror, M M Romance

27 pages, ebook

First published June 1, 2010

About the author

Born in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, far too many years ago to be honest about, Paul G. Bens, Jr., has spent the majority of his adult life in the entertainment industry. His first foray into Hollywoodland was as a casting assistant on the feature films Trip to Spirit Island and Martians Go Home. He then graduated to Casting Associate and worked for three years on the NBC hit series Night Court as well as the short-lived series Walter & Emily, Good & Evil and The Linda Lavin Show. As a film and television Casting Director he was responsible for the principal casting of such fine (ahem!) feature films as Death Ring, Evil Obsession and Flipping, as well as the television series Ned & Stacey, Malcolm & Eddie, Likely Suspects, Murder in Small Town X and a string of unsold pilots. Outside of casting, Bens has been many things: a film producer, a file clerk, an altar boy, a bartender (still makes killer martinis), a boy scout and, for a second-and-a-half, an actor.

As an author, Bens' short fiction has appeared in Cemetery Dance, Dark Discoveries, The Egg Box, Outsider Ink, Scared Naked, HeavyGlow, Bleeding Quill, Twisted Tongue, Velvet Mafia: Dangerous Queer Fiction and Chick Flicks. His debut novel "Kelland" was awarded the 2009 Dark Quill Award for Best Small Press Chill.

Currently, Bens marks time working for an historic Hollywood film studio as a paralegal in the new media division. He lives in the Los Angeles area with his ever-patient husband. When not writing, he can generally be found driving around smoggy Los Angeles, singing along with the radio to Van Halen, Def Leppard or The Smashing Pumpkins, and day-dreaming about living full time in Hawai‘i.

Learn more about Paul at www.paulbens.com

Reviews

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul G. Bens, Jr.'s vivid prose brings to life a world that is at once strangely familiar yet alien and the macabre ending had me cringing a bit yet also feeling a bit sad for Karl, the Beholder.

I really enjoyed this one despite the fact that I couldn't understand some of the dialogue. It was a bit frustrating at times yet I think it added to the dark feeling of the story. Recommended.

The Beheld is available as a free downloadat Smashwords.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story really needs two readings, the first to elicit a dawning awareness amid the growing horror, and the second to see the whole picture and how skilfully the author brought it along. The lack of editing was initially aggravating but the story soon overcame those distractions.

[Paul Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Beheld is not out of print. Thanks to all who read and commented.

[Karin Wollina · Rating 4 out of 5]

That is a disturbing tale, Great writing though

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this short story and I have to say I really have no idea what it was about. The narrative was in english but the rest was in some other language, no clue what language and I wasn't about to go looking online to translate it. The only reason I actually finished it, thank goodness it was really short, was to see if I could figure out what it was about. I didn't.