Fractals - Of Me: 12 Short Horror Stories

by Aukai Arkus

In ‘Rush’, a young man’s lifelong dream spirals into unfathomable terror on the steps of a mysterious fraternity. ‘In Here, We Say Illness’ puts us at the center of a peculiar support group, infiltrated by an intruder with the illest of intentions. ‘A Pirates Dream’ is an original legend derived from the high seas of Polynesia and Oceania, and they grow weary of being plundered…

These and nine more petrifying peaks into my fractured realities; won’t you sit and join in my nightmares?

Practice - Little Monsters - Doogie, Please Come In - Learning - Silver Stream Retirement - Message Adrift - Tastes Better - UrUselessDogBoySqueal-1997 - The Taking Tree - Nightmare By Numbers

118 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 19, 2024

Reviews

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stellar collection from a first time author which digs into the deepest parts of ourselves.

The breadth of subject matter is fantastic as each story is unique and happily sticks their claws into you as they drag you through a landscape of nightmares.

A fraternity which shouldn't exist, an invisible friend who is not so friendly, a kidnapping with a twist, even a tale of pirates!

With a focus on characters who are alienated and sometimes lonely, these stories speak to those who don't fit a societal norm. And then they go through hell, adding to their misery.

The final (and longest) story delves into sleep paralysis and discovers what our subconscious minds are capable of, with horrifying results. Leaving this one at the end was a good choice because you might be fearful of sleeping after you read it.

This is an excellent first anthology from this author and I highly recommend it.

[Shannon Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another collection that I read that was really good! Each of the 12 stories was very well written and got scarier as you went to the next story. Out of the 12 stories my favorite has to be Rush! A story about a college student who wants to follow in his father’s and grandfathers footsteps by joining their mysterious fraternity.

[Jesse Bollinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection was truly something special. Every story was unique and different. There is so many different types of horror contained within these stories. If you read one short story collection this year, make this one the one you choose. Excellent work!

[Desiree Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I got to read such a rich and vibrant collection of horror from Arkus. Perfect for making little movies in your head, each story is vastly different and truly delightful. And by delightful, I mean terrifying. These kinds of twists and turns put M. Night Shyamalan to shame. The big standouts for me were "Message Adrift," a killer sci-fi horror that I read twice because I couldn't get enough, "In Here, We Say Illness," which combines AA meetings with cosmic and demonic horror, and "Practice," of which I can only declare HECK YES! There isn't a bad story in the bunch, and I enjoyed it so much that I am ordering a paperback copy to keep. This is an author who is bursting at the seams with stories to share and I can't wait to reach the next one!

[Winona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books where I'd say, "I'm going to read ONE story, then go do something else for a while." Then end up reading three.

Then, while I was reading I'd find myself thinking, "I think THAT one is going to be my favorite story in the collection," until I got to the next one and though that IT was going to be my favorite. (I think Silver Stream Retirement turned out to be my favorite. Ask me again tomorrow and I'll probably tell you something different.)

I will admit a couple of them were a bit more subliminal then what I like to read in a horror story, and the last one being cosmic is also not something I'm usually into, but they were all done in a way that I wanted to keep reading them, regardless.

Definitely one to recommend.

[Jeff Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me awhile to understand why these stories so truly impressed me. They’re all well-written, vivid, and raw with nightmarish reality - all that I could hope for in a horror collection. Then, I figured it out. They’re clever! I really didn’t see the end coming. All the clues were there, subtle and sublime, making the tales a joy to read, provoking the question Just How Did He Do That? Considering how much horror I’ve read, reading these fresh and unexpected stories was a welcome delight. My fav was Little Monsters. Kudos!