Within: A Short Story

by Joshua Scribner

Reminiscent of Joshua Scribner's novels FEAR AND REPULSION and SEED, Within follows psychologist Dr. Caffer as he tracks unspeakable evil to the deepest recesses of the human mind.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Ebooks, Fiction

11 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 2011

About the author

Joshua Scribner is the author of the novels Mantis Nights, The Coma Lights and Nescata. His fiction won both second and fifth place in the 2008 Whispering Spirits Flash Fiction contest. Up to date information on his work can be found at joshuascribner.com. Joshua currently lives in Michigan with his wife and two daughters.

Reviews

[Peter]

Brilliant story! Beth is going to a hypnotist as she's afraid of children and her husband thinks about children. What is the reason for this resentment? Dr Caffer sends her back in time until she is a little girl and finds out terrible things. Had Beth something to do with a terrible fire that broke out in a third floor and cost the lives of many people? Who is the little girl with the bulging eyes and the killer smile upon her lips? Reading this story will run shivers down your spine. Composed in an excellent manner and quite eerie and disturbing. Highly recommended!

[Becks!]

2.5 stars

[Richard]

A patient, Doctor relationship. The delving into a trouble mind; a subconscious fear accessible through hypnosis and going under into a a trance like state.
Reassurance, platitudes. Nothing can hurt you, you are just observing, feeling but not becoming the little girl.
Another profound story from the ScareMeister, more thrills than ever to shake a stick at. Joshua Scribner the King of Horror.
Might only be a short story but it is like eating garlic the effects last a long time.
The author delights to bring the sensation of fear and an unknown but possible alternative reality.
If you delve too deeply into a psyche what will you discover within?
Cracking. Creepy and compelling reads.

[Angela]

Genuinely creepy short story, dolls have scared me since I was a child so I enjoyed this story. This would have been much better if there was more detail or explanation near the end but on terms of creepiness this definitely does the job.

[Jeanine]

Creepy!

[Dan]

“Tell me why you are waiting for your parents to go to sleep.”
“I want to see the room with the dolls.”


Dr. Caffer is in the process of putting a subject into a hypnotic state.

Beth Shoemaker, 30, is terrified of children…and what they represent. The good doctor is helping Beth to get to the root of her troubles.

They regress until Beth is back at age 7. Her father was the superintendent of an apartment building.

Very cool. The fire, the demon, the doll, Oklahoma…

And Dr. Caffer is a pretty damn awesome shrink!


“I knew you would come out. Your kind always does when recognized.”

[Elodie]

Une nouvelle très agréable à lire! J'adore la façon dont l'auteur commence avec une histoire somme toute assez banale, pour ensuite introduire des trucs bizarres dedans.

*

A highly readable short story! I love the way the author begins with some commonplace situations and then adds the weird things.

[Sarah]

This is an average short story about a doll. A lady goes to see a shrink to find out the reason why she is scared to have children and to get rid of her fear.

The story was ok, I can see more could have done with it. The characters were a little flat, and it left you with questions at the end.

Ok for a quick read, but not one I would read again.

[CATHERINE]

Alright not that original.

[Bookish Enchantment (Katherine Quirke)]

A quick read with a little twist. Quite clever really.

[Jeri]

Odd

[Mishy]

a quick and easy read

[Jack]

It was ok. He's done better though.