Salt Bride: A Short Story

by Ladz

A gothic historical horror story about a seaside village who loses one of its fishers, and the woman left behind left to witness the ways the ocean provides for the people at its shores.

This 2,600-word short story is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. For a full list of trigger warnings please see my website.

15 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 11, 2024

Reviews

[Louis C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the water theme, the eery feeling of it, and the rich writing style

[Ezra Arndt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed (not really), I cried (totally true), I danced (sobbed some more). 10/10 would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading short stories with sea salt-soaked settings (say that five times fast).

[Ryan Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent water themed story!

I went not sure what to expect but when I read it felt soulsborne to me in a way or something sea-gothic but diligently written well.

[Saint Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As short as this tale is, every single sentence is rich, lush, dripping with atmosphere as it drags you through the grim setting. State-mandated starvation of the body becomes state-mandated starvation of the soul as collective farms tear villages apart and the sea, perhaps out of patriotic sympathy, perhaps out of random chance, becomes as barren as the soils deep inland.

Ladz doesn't let the characters have a single moment of levity. By the time they think life under the militsiya can't get any worse, one more thing is stolen from them right under their noses.

But there are hints that the thing stealing from them can give to them as well, if only they're willing to try out a strange new fishing technique....

[Alice Lorentino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love eerie stories about the ocean, Salt Bride, with its dreamlike imagery, romance, and political commentary, did not disappoint in the slightest! Highly recommend for fans of Our Wives Under the Sea, or anyone looking for a short but thought-provoking and unique read, tinged with elements reminiscent of folklore.