Sevener

by Thea Hayworth

Post-Civil War and post-zombie apocalypse, a Kansas rancher is approached by an unusual drifter.
Words: 13,040 (approximate)

Genres: Zombies, M M Romance, Historical, Horror, Paranormal, Westerns, Post Apocalyptic

39 pages, ebook

First published May 12, 2013

About the author

Thea Hayworth lives surrounded by snakes, gadgetry and reference materials. She is also incurably addicted to pen names.

Reviews

[Julio Genao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remarkable.

Well, fuck.

I was invested and engaged and wondering how zombie buttfucking worked just before a creepily atmospheric denouement kinda definitively drew the curtain on the whole scene.

Everyone always says this about good short stories—whereas I, conspicuously, do not:

I wish there were more.

Thanks to Trix for the recommendation, and Emma for the gift.

[Emma Sea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, who is this author!?

The writing in this is wonderful. WONDERFUL! Fuck, I get all inarticulate when I'm squeeing.

A fresh approach to the m/m zombie genre, with nods to the classics.

Language = marvelous.
Scene setting = brilliant.
Dialogue = sucked me right in
Ending = riveting; left me desperate for more.

[Lisa Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review is three simple words: What Sea said.

The rest of this is just rambling.

The blend of historical and paranormal/horror was absolutely seamless. Most of the time when I read a paranormal it's kind of meh. But the was one was so grounded in realism that it was all I could do not to seethe in sheer jealousy at the writing skills here.

That's a lie. I totally seethed in jealousy.

Also, I am now scared of birds.

How's this for brilliant entrance for a character: "There was a dead man on a dead horse at the edge of the field..."

I'm still seething here, you guys.

Read this. Immediately. It is perfection.

[Irina Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can't call it romance, because there's sex with a dead person.
You can't call it horror, because there's consensual sex with vaguely romantic connotations.

You can call it awesome though, because it's suffocating and incredibly disquieting, masterfully written and gripping as hell.
Also, I've never loved a cliffhanger ending as much as I love this one.
Just write a full-length novel already, dude. (Or, you know, a sequel. Shocking idea, I know, but there are people in pain here.)

[Trix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What a punch this little story carried! I need more. I want to know what happens afterward. 4.5 stars definitely.

It took a while to understand the basics of the world, what had happened. And even after I finished it, I was still left with some questions. What were the Seveners? Were they just people that had died from the fever and yet still walking the earth? Would Ben wither away? Do the dead eat the flesh of the living or how do they go on?

But these were at the back of my mind. What kept my attention was Ben and John's relationship. John was your average cowboy farmer, interested in surviving the plague and taking care of his ranch. He comes across Ben, dead after a seven day fever and despite his initial scare and apprehension, treats him civilly. Even offers him a job at the ranch. They're shy and careful around each other but they grow accustomed to working together. And a strange and romantic connection forms between them. It was all the more precious amid the threat of the mobbers (infected animals suffering from the fever and on their last breath) and the sly manipulations of the Bancroft brothers intent on stealing the ranch from John.

So much tension and dread in so few pages. And yet, I fell in love with John and Ben and enjoyed the easy camaraderie that sprung between them. Hoping it could turn into something definite and long lasting. With bated breath I read through the final show down. I hated the open ending. I want a happily ever after for the pair, no matter how improbable it may seem.

[⚣Michaelle⚣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well...that was a might bit morbid and creepifying. And yet, how it ends? I need to know what happens afterwards.

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written. Definitely horror and not romance. The sex scene was probably the least hot sex scene I've ever read (between two consenting adults). I could have done without it.

World is well built but truly horrific and chilling. Distances were confusing. Mac could see stuff coming in too much detail for how long it took to arrive.

Ambiguous ending typical of horror but I hate it in a romance.

2 stars for enjoyment, 4.5 stars for storytelling makes it a 3.5 star read for me, rounded up because it did a lot for a short story.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Scrubs hands over face*
Wow. Just wow. Here I am, left feeling quite terrified and unsure, wondering what happened.
What a scary world.

[♣ Irish Smurfétté ♣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, here's the thing: I cared about these two cowboys, just trying to make it in the tough world of cattle rustling, one dead, one not.
Though... one could argue such a thing. Just as one could argue that acceptance comes from the most unexpected places, now and then.

I wanted them to figure it out, I wanted them to try, I was cheering for them! I wanted them to make it.
I want to know what happens next!! I demand to know if a man who feels of scraped wood and dried leather gets to have his time with a smart, sweet, capable fella.

I. Want.To. KNOW!!!!!!!! I mean... what if it works? Maybe we CAN survive the z-poc and get off in the process.

Love. This. Story.

One thing: I don't want to hear the word "mob" for at least a week.

[Laylah Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

hffff. I love the way Thea can pack so much story, so much *world*, into a short piece -- and the way she never loses track of what's terrifying about the dead and why that's thrilling at the same time. What a gorgeous sense of place, a plausible and horrible mechanism for the transmission of the zombie virus, and lovely cowboy-of-few-words understated connection between the leads. But OH MY GOD I want to believe things are going to be okay after that ending. I will be over here breathing into a paper bag for the rest of the morning.

[Crispy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Briliant.

[Vero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, but packs a punch.

One of the most original Zombie-books I ever read.

Great atmosphere, great characters, great story.

This put Ms Hayworth in the Auto-Buy-Pile.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best short stories I've ever read. Great writing and editing. Scary. Beautiful. Brilliant.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky and awesome. Light on character-building, but with so much originality, action, and freakishness injected into so few well-written words, that I might as well move on to Integrate right away.

[Blue Bayou . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wooweee that was good.

P.S.
I would LOVE more of this story!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atmospheric and suspenseful. I want to know what happens next!! This author is a favorite. Hope she continues writing in the future.

[Nova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second story by Thea Hayworth that I’ve read and just like Wildwood, it was amazing! Maybe even better! The characters, the story, the atmosphere, everything! Beautiful and creepy.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy and powerful.

[Kassu · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐

I was already a Thea Hayworth fan and crying a bit here for not knowing where they are. If anyone knows another pen name, tell me!

This short story is extra intense. All the author's novellas are great: very interesting, engaging and also lovely romances. This is a bit more horror and has an ambiguous ending that's most likely never going to be more than HFN if even that. But man, a short story with this kind of world building and intensity deserves no less than 5 stars, even from a HEA-romance reader like me.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really what I was expecting, I am actually not sure what I was expecting.
Couldn't decide if Ben was supposed to be some kind of vampire or a zombie. I think the thing between him and John could have developed if Ben was alive after John came out in 7 days.
I have 2 questions though: why did John leave Ben outside and how are the cattle going to be fed in the shed?

[TinaNicole ☠ Le Book Nikita ☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well written. Engrossing, really.

I was disappointed in the lack of zombie sex, however.

*frowny face*

Yes, I wrote that. STFU.

[Tully Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens next week, darn it!?

[Sabrina]

Nooooo. Why does it end there?? Why would you do this to me? 😭

Genuinely liked this story though. As with all their stories the author manages interesting world building and intriguing characters with few pages. Really makes me wish for more though. Like pls, I just met them, I wanted to spend more time with them 🥺

[Rissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG?!?! That’s how it ends?!

This book was recommended at a challenge I’m doing and I got so curious especially with the picture on the front of the book.

I didn’t get the meaning of it until the end. I don’t like birds, this book just gave me another reason why. *goosebumps*

[Lubo · Rating 1 out of 5]

qué xota acabo de leer🤔

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Cay · Rating 5 out of 5]

While zombies are definetely NOT my cup of tea, this author's works are just generally too awesome to pass up.

I was not disappointed: The writing is brilliant, the characters are both relatable and intriguing and I really want to know more about the setting and what happens later.

As for the smut, it gave me the cold shudders but was still enjoyable in a ...sexy... way. It walks the razor's edge between 'just gay sex' and 'ew zombies!' masterfully.

[Noughty · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5

[Phoebe Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

More!!! No, really, I need more. I even went and downloaded it again because surely my first download was corrupted and the "END" was in the wrong place. Please, please, PLEASE!

[Absynthe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well... Crap. I'd have really liked to know what happened seven days after the end of the book. Damn it. New , interesting approach.