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Spawn: A Short Horror Story
No one is born bad.
Coralie is a happy, carefree child when "Spawn" opens in 1982. She soon learns that monsters live among us, and sometimes, they are the ones who are meant to protect us. Her father attempts to hide his horns by gifting her a Barbie doll as an early Christmas present, but evil spawns evil, and thirty years later, we are witnesses in Coralie's twisted, adult world.
Coralie is a happy, carefree child when "Spawn" opens in 1982. She soon learns that monsters live among us, and sometimes, they are the ones who are meant to protect us. Her father attempts to hide his horns by gifting her a Barbie doll as an early Christmas present, but evil spawns evil, and thirty years later, we are witnesses in Coralie's twisted, adult world.
46 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 9, 2024
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 31, 2024
Avon has hit it out of the park once again. She is most certainly the Queen of Horror, the grotesque and the ghastly. Her descriptive prose is written like no other, and her characters are so vivid and unique that you feel you've either known them in real life, or have seen them on the big screen. 'Spawn' is a quick read, but it's definitely not for the faint of heart.
Some of my favorite passages from the story:
"It was snowing lightly, as if a monstrous hand was sprinkling icing sugar over Mother Earth and one unique snowflake landed on her button nose."
"It was as if her soul had perished long ago, and she was merely a shell of her former self like the hollow chocolate Easter bunnies that were fragile and empty inside."
"She had dropped her tube of Hollywood Red lipstick on the white tile. The crimson dot looked menacing, as if it would grow and spread across the floor, along the walls, and ceiling to mar the pristine white."
Some of my favorite passages from the story:
"It was snowing lightly, as if a monstrous hand was sprinkling icing sugar over Mother Earth and one unique snowflake landed on her button nose."
"It was as if her soul had perished long ago, and she was merely a shell of her former self like the hollow chocolate Easter bunnies that were fragile and empty inside."
"She had dropped her tube of Hollywood Red lipstick on the white tile. The crimson dot looked menacing, as if it would grow and spread across the floor, along the walls, and ceiling to mar the pristine white."
December 26, 2024
"No one is born bad..." Okay, this line got my attention.
I was familiar with the writing of Barbara Avon, already knew it would be stylish, cutting edge, gritty, yet...with the delicate mix of words and internal thoughts that the author gives to her work.
I'm admittedly shy of horror for the sake of horror. BUT...this short story's voice was such a perfect combination of diabolical camouflaged as innocence that it made the read absolutely delicious and I was helplessly drawn into the horror until I realized it was...well...horror.
"Spawn", although it IS woven into a horror tale, is actually a POWERFUL testament to just how damaging an impact abuse can have on a person. Not only physically, cruelly and emotionally crippling to a grown up, but also far-reaching destruction it can wreak on an innocent "bystander."
That bystander is the main character, Coralie. I won't tell the plot, but I will say that Coralie's childhood was a disturbing blend of being a pampered princess, complete with a Pretty Pink Barbie and a doting father.
The violence Coralie witnesses during her childhood has a massive negative effect on her life, especially when she is an adult.
Like I said, no plot will I tell. But the character's voice, her personality, is beautifully painted: innocent but extremely sinister, a dangerous cocktail that taints her feelings and interactions with those around her. The seeming naivete with which she goes about her diabolical affairs is almost poetic and almost, almost understandable.
The dialogue, both external and internal, is a delight. Fast-paced, stylish, witty. It was a pleasure to read.
It's hard to reveal the beauty of the story without revealing too much of the story.
Suffice it to say: "Spawn" is haunting, musical, diabolical, sad, shocking, sometimes cocky and very gritty and earthy. And you WILL remember Coralie for a long time.
Oh...and you will never think of Barbie the same again.
Recommended!
I was familiar with the writing of Barbara Avon, already knew it would be stylish, cutting edge, gritty, yet...with the delicate mix of words and internal thoughts that the author gives to her work.
I'm admittedly shy of horror for the sake of horror. BUT...this short story's voice was such a perfect combination of diabolical camouflaged as innocence that it made the read absolutely delicious and I was helplessly drawn into the horror until I realized it was...well...horror.
"Spawn", although it IS woven into a horror tale, is actually a POWERFUL testament to just how damaging an impact abuse can have on a person. Not only physically, cruelly and emotionally crippling to a grown up, but also far-reaching destruction it can wreak on an innocent "bystander."
That bystander is the main character, Coralie. I won't tell the plot, but I will say that Coralie's childhood was a disturbing blend of being a pampered princess, complete with a Pretty Pink Barbie and a doting father.
The violence Coralie witnesses during her childhood has a massive negative effect on her life, especially when she is an adult.
Like I said, no plot will I tell. But the character's voice, her personality, is beautifully painted: innocent but extremely sinister, a dangerous cocktail that taints her feelings and interactions with those around her. The seeming naivete with which she goes about her diabolical affairs is almost poetic and almost, almost understandable.
The dialogue, both external and internal, is a delight. Fast-paced, stylish, witty. It was a pleasure to read.
It's hard to reveal the beauty of the story without revealing too much of the story.
Suffice it to say: "Spawn" is haunting, musical, diabolical, sad, shocking, sometimes cocky and very gritty and earthy. And you WILL remember Coralie for a long time.
Oh...and you will never think of Barbie the same again.
Recommended!
December 27, 2024
Spawn is a short but incredibly disturbing horror story. Coralie is six years old and loves her father. And her father loves her back. But those same feelings do not apply to her mother nor between her parents. A cycle of abuse and violence is given from her father to her mother.
Years later and Coralie is on her own...but it's obvious she is not well.
This story is gruesome as Coralie perpetrates the lessons she learned as a child. Violence and anger. Remorseless acts of murder. It has a bloody terrifying slasher type vibe and places the reader right alongside Coralie as she commits these heinous horrific acts.
Visceral, bloody, and unflinching, I highly recommend this short story.
Years later and Coralie is on her own...but it's obvious she is not well.
This story is gruesome as Coralie perpetrates the lessons she learned as a child. Violence and anger. Remorseless acts of murder. It has a bloody terrifying slasher type vibe and places the reader right alongside Coralie as she commits these heinous horrific acts.
Visceral, bloody, and unflinching, I highly recommend this short story.
January 1, 2025
In the vein of Maeve Fly, Spawn is an unhinged story of feminine rage. It is an interesting character study that I wish balanced looking deeper into Coralie's psyche and upbringing along with her bloodlust and psychotic nature. It is still a fascinating and brutal story that is a must-read in this booming era of feminine rage horror stories.
January 4, 2025
For my first read of 2025, "Spawn" by author Barbara Avon turned out to be an excellent choice. What happens when a once happy child is pushed to the brink psychologically by the actions of her parents? This bone-chilling short story explores this premise with disturbing clarity that's not for the faint of heart. A must-read for true fans of horror fiction!
December 28, 2024
Unsettling
An exceptionally evil protagonist and exquisite choice of vividly shocking scenes makes this short little tale a treat for horror fans. Avon’s writing hits hard. Do yourself a favor and read it today. Coralie needs fans to see her world.
An exceptionally evil protagonist and exquisite choice of vividly shocking scenes makes this short little tale a treat for horror fans. Avon’s writing hits hard. Do yourself a favor and read it today. Coralie needs fans to see her world.
January 4, 2025
This story is raw like an exposed nerve. Barbara Avon grabs you from the start and gives the reader a gut punch. Corilie is a horrifying in a deliciously entertaining way! This is a MUST READ.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews