Split Scream Volume Eight: Cursed Places

by Sonora Taylor, Matthew Pritt

This place is not a place of honor. This place is Cursed. These New Weird Horror novelettes are a danger to the Body, and to the Mind, and they can Kill.

Sonora Taylor - Passing Glance

Washington, D.C.’s sprawling and storied Moore Mansion is built upon intrigue and secrecy, playing host to both political elites and the merely curious alike. Its labyrinthine rooms and passageways, festooned in eclectic art and mysterious mirrors, captivate all who explore them.

Dylan arrives at the mansion for her friend’s 30th birthday party at a crossroads of her own: adrift, eager to reunite with old friends, and seeking to rekindle a long-held lust for one of the group. But tonight she will discover the true terrifying secrets of Moore Mansion: a house built to be a city, and one which unfolds like a trap.

Matthew Pritt - Lash Egg

The people of the Doe’s country walk in the Balance, attuned to the land and guided by their benevolent nature spirit. For Ben, a refugee who narrowly escaped the madness-infested Bear’s country to the south, the Doe remains a mystery. Ben has never heard the Doe speak, and marvels at his neighbors’ firsthand experiences with his new home’s Protector. Fortunately his ten-year-old daughter, Lydia, doesn’t share his struggles, and adapts to life in the Doe with ease.

But when a mysterious wasting plague attacks the local wildlife, Ben suspects he is the cause of it. As the plague spreads and threatens to collapse the Doe’s entire ecosystem, Ben must discover how he has offended the Doe, or risk losing the only safe place he and his daughter have ever known.

Genres: Horror

130 pages, Paperback

Published April 21, 2026

About the author

Sonora Taylor is the award-winning author of Little Paranoias: Stories, Without Condition, The Crow’s Gift and Other Tales, Please Give, and Wither and Other Stories. Her short stories have appeared in multiple publications, including Camden Park Press’s Quoth the Raven, Kandisha Press’s Women of Horror Vol. 2: Graveyard Smash, The Sirens Call, Frozen Wavelets, Mercurial Stories, Tales to Terrify, and the Ladies of Horror fiction podcast. Her latest book, Seeing Things, is now available on Amazon. She lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband.

Reviews

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Books For Decaying Millennials · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to Alex and Matt at Tenebrous Press for providing me with a physical ARC of this title. All views and opinions are my own.

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Head on over to your local book store, pop into your library, or head online, and you’ll yourself inundated books, titles, and authors. Navigating that ocean of media, finding authors who draw you in, and fresh stories that stand out amongst the mounting AI poisoned media blob, can be daunting, damn near overwhelming. This is exactly why Tenebrous Press is now into Volume 8 of Split Screams. With Split Screams, readers are given an opportunity to be introduced to an author that, for whatever reason, may not have pinged their radar. Each new volume is a literary double feature. I have yet to read an edition Split Screams that has not contained stories that have lingered in my brain.
What I appreciated about the two stories presented in this volume, is that Sonora Taylor and Matthew Pritt, individually, with collaboration from the other, brought stories that each have a subtle theme, an idea, binding the two. Like hidden sinew, or symbols that go unseen in a painting, unless viewed in a certain light, at a peculiar angle. That ability for superficial mundanity, routine, interpersonal relationships, to obscure and unintentionally camouflage, that which is disturbing, chilling. How this can be both a coping mechanism as well as a crutch. Taylor’s story “Passing Glance” ,seemed to crawl from a place, where spicy melodramas, soap operas, and films like the Japanese film HOUSE, Suspiria, and the lore surrounding Winchester Mansion. Meanwhile, in “Lash Egg”, Pritt shows us that horrors born out of the earth, from the heart of Nature itself, can often pale in comparison to the terror and anxiety that comes from that struggle to get your footing on shifting ground. That maddening scramble to find and hold a place, to be part of a community. It’s reminder that the human animal has the potential to be both the healing force, as well as the malignant tumor, the festering rot.

Split Screams vol. 8 hits the shelves this coming April. Treat yourself to some fresh scares, and pre-order here: https://store.tenebrouspress.com/prod...
All previous 7 volumes are also available, and very much worth reading.

[Steve Stred · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Huge thanks to Tenebrous Press for the digital ARC of this one!*

Tenebrous Press continues to release new and exciting books and their Split Scream project is something I see so many people continually rave about. Shamefully, I believe this is the first one I’ve managed to read, but when I heard that Sonora’s novella was going to be in this, I wasn’t going to miss this one!

A few years ago, Sonora and I were working on a unique release together. It consisted of a singular novella that told the story of two writers facing the end of the world and in their final hours, they each write their own last novellas, in the hopes that should humanity manage to survive, maybe they’ll find these and read them. We sent it to a few places, had a few nibbles but then ultimately decided to shelve it and we took our individual novellas and tweaked them to send them out further into the wide world. For my part, I actually can’t recall what my own novella was about! It very well might be the sci-fi/horror novella I have sitting there waiting for me to finish. But when Sonora shared that hers had been picked up by Tenebrous, I was ecstatic.

On the other side, when this project was announced, I read the synopsis for Pritt’s portion and was over the moon. Having already read Sonora’s and loving it, pairing it with this insane sounding folk-horror piece seemed perfect and I couldn’t wait to dive in!

Let’s start with Sonora’s piece.

Passing Glance by Sonora Taylor

What I liked: This novella takes place at the secretive Moore Mansion, a building in Washington, D.C. that has a history filled with odd occurrences, strange disappearances and intrigue stacked on wonder. Dylan arrives to celebrate her friends 30th birthday, equally excited to celebrate the milestone while also learning more about the history of the crazy place.

Sonora sets things up well, including giving us an early glimpse at both a potential tryst between Dylan and another party guest, but also the mansion’s oddities. Things keep getting odder and after Dylan finds a hidden hallway, things really go off the rails. Sonora takes Dylan on a terrifying descent into the truth within the walls as well as her own madness as she grows more and more disoriented.

The ending was a lot of fun, though it will make you question a few of the five W’s regarding how it ends.

What I didn’t like: In this particular case, I wished that a few more of the party goers would’ve had odd experiences as well, as the novella focuses solely on Dylan and it would’ve been fun to see the others deal with the puzzle/trappings of the mansion.

Lash Egg by Matthew Pritt

What I liked: What could only be described as speculative folk horror (I think, lol!) Pritt’s ‘Lash Egg’ walks the line between Bizarro and Dystopian, while focusing on environmental horror elements.

The novella follows Ben and his daughter, Lydia, who’ve only lived in the land of the Doe for about six years. After a madness took hold of the inhabitants – human and animal alike – in the land of the Bear where they lived previously, they fled, being hunted by everything, until they managed to arrive at the land of the Doe and since then, they’ve been trying to keep their lives aligned with the balance the Doe requires. But that’s not easy. Because Ben doesn’t believe.

The story ramps up when their reliable chicken lays a lash egg, a rubbery, mound of pus. Soon, the chicken itself is filled with pus and other animals around their farm seem to catch the same thing, becoming disoriented and bursting open, their insides mush.

Ben knows it’s because of him, but he wants to keep Lydia safe.

Pritt does a wonderful job of bringing us into this strange new way of life, where people farm and make their own clothing and do what is needed to survive, which is part of the crux of the story for Ben. What does he need to do to maintain his own balance? And how will that effect his daughter?

The ending is powerful and, as one would expect, pushes Ben to make the hardest decision of his life.

What I didn’t like: In this particular one, I found it odd that they’d lived there – at least in that particular area – for as long as they did and Ben still struggled with some of the basics of ‘The Balance.’ Sure, even if he didn’t believe, if he was worried about them kicking him and Lydia out of the area, I feel like he should’ve done as much as he possibly could to make sure he lived within the alignment.

Why you should buy this: As I’ve said a hundred times over the years, Sonora Taylor should be an auto-buy/auto-read author for everyone. This was my first go around with Pritt and I loved his entry so much. These two play in the same sandbox, though at very different sides of the horror world and that’s what makes this pairing so much fun. Each story pushes their characters to the edge of what they can handle and we get to see what happens when they realize they’re just one step away from toppling over that edge. And as readers, you kind of want to see what happens then, right?

Two fantastic novellas from two fantastic writers – and one release you definitely don’t want to miss out on!

[Leo Otherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special thanks to Tenebrous Press for the ARC copy they provided. (Sorry I’m a tad late with this review. Eeek!)

I say it practically every time I write a review of a Tenebrous book, but Tenebrous Press never disappoints. And the Split Scream series? Oh now, that’s something special. The Split Scream books always land and always get me.

Every.

Single.

Time.

Maybe it’s my fond memories of 80’s style horror flicks, or just my overall love of the immersive experience of watching film, but the Split Scream horror double feature format smacks me just right every book. And volume eight just happens to be a bit more spectacular than most.

Split Scream Volume Eight starts out with Passing Glance by Sonora Taylor. The shorter of the works in this double feature, Passing Glance is instantly captivating. Sonora shows us a mirror, opens a door, and… we dare to walk through. All unknowing of exactly what that means.

Of the dangers of just that. This seemingly innocuous act.

How many times in a day do we open a door and walk through? Confident in the fact we will emerge on the other side right where we intend to be? Right where we know we should be, and where we can find our way forward from?

The answer is probably more times than we can count, or even consciously think about. Sonora gives us a story about the dangers of walking through a door, not knowing what it means. And not being able to get back to the other side, where we started from.

That world on the other side of the mirror? The place where everything is the same, but not, reversed, distorted? That’s the world where we find ourselves through no fault of our own, other than distraction and self-absorption. Which, let’s be honest, we’re all guilty of. If we weren’t paying attention to our own needs and wants we probably wouldn’t be alive.

And so this trap is all the more terrifying.

If we can become lost in other realms without doing anything overtly wrong, as thoughtlessly and easily as opening a door and walking through, then we’re all in danger.

And we all should watch our step.

Passing Glance gave me the true feeling of loneliness and despair that comes with knowing we’ve walked out of our world and there won’t be another door leading back. Open the cover of the book, peer into the pages, and see what does, or doesn’t, peer back.

If you dare. If that door doesn’t terrify you.

And once you’re done staring into the existential other, maybe take a walk out to the coop and see what the hens are laying.

Matthew Pritt’s Lash Egg is several pages longer than Passing Glance and several shades of different. First off, can we talk about what a lash egg is?? Because eww, I did not know that is a thing, and now I have a whole other reason to hate eggs and be disgusted by them. (Thanks Matthew, not only did you help Alex develop a fear of eggs during editing, you raised mine to new heights, I will never look at an egg the same again, I will forever squint at them in suspicion.)

If you don’t know what a lash egg is, I encourage you to look it up (if you have the stomach for it…), the knowledge will give this story new depths of horror. Believe me.

Lash Egg is infection and goo and the mucus hiding under uncertainty. It is the plague of our own creation that seeps through our mind when things are going just too well. It’s the surety our seeming facade of security and stability cannot, and will not last, and it’s only a matter of time before the predators will come stalking us again.

It’s the disease we unwittingly feed our loved ones, one word, one deed, one casual remark at a time.

The horror is in that fact we are the carrier, we are the one spreading our own worst fear, contaminating everything we touch.

Matthew managed to disturb me before I even reached the end of Lash Egg and walked face first into the theme of his tale, like the broadside of a barn I didn’t know was there, but that was so utterly obvious the moment I hit it. Not often a story will do that to me, and then turn around and bop me upside the head by making me cry.

The audacity of turning this creepy, gross little narrative into the most hopeful, melancholy thing imaginable… ASDFKDLKFDPFKPDK!!

Not fair, Matthew, not fair. And yet, nicely done.

You won’t see the ending coming. And when that one line that explains the whole thing comes your way to causally flick you in the forehead, you’ll know. You’ll UNDERSTAND, because we are all the carriers.

Split Scream Volume Eight is something to sink your teeth into. Step into the cursed places. Come to them… before they come to you.

You won’t regret it.

Probably.

[Helen Whistberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Split Scream series from Tenebrous Press juxtaposes two novelettes (or longer short stories, depending on how you like to define those categories) that share a common theme. Both tales in this outing fit the cursed places motif well but are strikingly different in tone and setting. This means that, as is true with any anthology-type volume, readers may vibe more with one than the other, so your mileage may vary from my experience.

The first story, Passing Glance by Sonora Taylor, is a riff on the classic eerie old house which may or may not be haunted but definitely has some weird as hell stuff going on. When Dylan arrives at the historic but mysterious Moore Mansion to meet up with a group of old college friends celebrating a birthday, she is hoping for a long-anticipated hookup, not the terrifying ordeal that follows. The description of the mansion with its many mirrored surfaces and artwork spanning a myriad of decades and styles is definitely the star here, and who doesn't love hidden doors and secret passages?

While entertaining, for my tastes less time could have been spent on the friend group and interpersonal dynamics up front and more on the actual creepy events that make up the last part of the tale. Once the action starts, the author does a great job of creating some truly disturbing imagery and claustrophobic tension. It would have been interesting to get more insight into why Dylan seems to be particularly susceptible to the traps set by the house. (Though maybe I'm reading too much into it and the mansion simply has a well-honed instinct for a good victim.) While a fan of shorter works in general, this is the rare case when I felt a larger word count could have allowed for greater development of Dylan's plight but still, an effective entry into the always fun haunted house genre.

Lash Egg by Matthew Pritt leaned more into a kind of horror I always savor: a dystopian setting, humans trying to survive against long odds, and heavy folkloric themes, including nature as both adversary and ally. After enduring a nearly unbearable ordeal, Ben and his young daughter, Lydia, think they've found refuge in an area where a tight-knit community strives to live in balance according to the wishes of the Doe, a benevolent nature spirit who "speaks" to everyone except for Ben. His alienation from hearing this guiding voice reflects his basic cynicism and inability to let go of the horrific experiences of his past, but also puts his future within the Doe community in peril.

Loved the effortless-seeming worldbuilding in this one. Just enough is revealed to ground the reader in a believable and relatable post- (or pre-) tech society without drowning in unnecessary detail. Flashbacks to Ben and Lydia's former life illuminate Ben's trauma and provide understanding as to why he cannot wholeheartedly buy into the worldview of his new neighbors. The author also does a polished job of creating tension and sprinkling in the right amount of messed-up animal detail as the plague which Ben may or may not be responsible for spreads. The eco-horror message here is clear: live in harmony with nature or perish. Another short tale that while complete in and of itself, I could see being expanded out into a longer work that explores more of the fascinating different societies hinted at here.

Both tales are relatively quick reads, so this and other volumes in the Split Scream series are great finds for readers looking for well-written horror tales that come in easily digestible bites.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an ebook-copy from the publisher.

In this new volume of the double feature novelettes exploring cursed places with a dark history, one a hungry house with twisting hallways and tales of missing people stretching back a long time and one the last remaining blessed farmland in a land warped by madness and disease. The texts are only somewhat subtly connected, exploring themes of (not) fitting in with others in a community, keeping secrets in order to gain a sense of belonging and the past coming back to haunt. In terms of setting and characters themselves, the stories are quite different and I enjoyed exploring these cursed places with them.

Passing Glance by Sonora Taylor: A group of friends reunite at the 30th birthday party of one of them in the Moore Mansion, a twisting maze of hallways filled with mirrors, hidden rooms and lush decorations. As old passions rise and tensions inside the group are revived, it’s all too easy to get lost. I loved the descriptions of the decorations and how art played an important role in this. The characters unfortunately were not as developed as I would have liked them to be, but the house and the horrors it hides in its bowels more than made up for it and so I had a quite enjoyable reading experience here.
TW: cheating, decay, death, gore, injury, spiders, teeth horror, violence

Lash Egg by Matthew Pritt: Set in a dark fantasy world, some places have been overrun by madness, while some, due to its inhabitants’ faith and their strong belief in keeping the balance, have managed to avoid that fate. A recent widower, a refugee from the Land of the Bear, where people and animals have started tearing each other apart, had managed to build a life for himself and his daughter in the Land of the Doe, this blessed, protected space. But unlike his daughter, he cannot embrace the Doe, as she never spoke to him, and soon finds the madness threatening their peace. I loved the depictions of the creeping horror here and how it combined with Ben’s, the widower’s, grief and disbelief in the peace of the land.
TW: animal death, death, gore, grief, violence

[unstable.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Split Scream Volume 8 delivers exactly what this series promises. We get two sharply distinct bites of New Weird horror that get under your skin. Taylor's "Passing Glance" is a tense and eerie descent into the Moore Mansion, a setting that feels alive in a disorienting way. Taylors leans into the shifting spaces and unease, crafting a story of desire and dread. The mansion itself becomes the true antagonist. Its mirrored corridors reflecting not simply images, but impulses the characters would rather ignore.

Pritt's "Lash Egg", by contrast, expands outward into ominous, folkloric terrain. Its horror is quiet and devastating, rooted in ecological imbalance and spiritual dissonance. Pritt explores guilt and belonging through Ben's perspective. The strange mythology of the Doe strikes fear into her followers. What happens when safety comes at costs you cannot fathom? The slow unraveling of this story feels intimate and horrifically apocalyptic.

Together, these novelettes complement each other beautifully. One trapping you inside a shifting labyrinth and the other pushing you out into a fragile ecosystem on the brink of collapse. Split Scream Volume 8 is unsettling and imaginative, deeply attuned to the uncanny. Thank you Tenebrous Press for gifting me an ARC for review. This little nugget drops April 21, 2026 so be sure you snap up a copy!

[Phillip Keeling · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, I love this series. The novelette is such an under-appreciated medium of writing, so having a semi-regular double-bill like this is fantastic: I’m so happy Tenebrous picked this up.

Passing Glance is something of a horny, haunted house mindfuck, and it’s a solid start. Sonora Taylor has a serious knack for characters and ambiance. The atmosphere is great, and the urban legend mystery that surrounds the setting is excellent. The ending was a bit predictable for me in a “didn’t I already see this in Silent Hill” kinda way. But still: good stuff.

Matthew Pritt’s Lash Egg was just my speed: a grim, folk horror dystopia with lots of stomach-churning body horror. The world building is really thorough, which is a tough thing to do with such a short piece. I’d honestly love to read more about this world and the different regions/deities that rule over it. It’s sad and satisfying with a “oh geez—I hope everyone’s okay” ending.

[Chris Panatier · Rating 5 out of 5]

From my blurbs for each story:

PASSING GLANCE by Sonora Bostian-Posner is a propulsive, horny, delightfully entertaining and surprising dark story that will have you nodding with satisfaction at the final scene.

LASH EGG by Matthew Pritt is a world-class folk horror tale that repeatedly forces the reader to answer the question, "What would you do?" and the answers are never good. Deeply disturbing, makes you thankful it's only a story.

Overall, this is a great pairing.

[Mikky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Matthew Pritt's writing style and unique world building. Sonora Taylor's contribution just wasn't my taste (but maybe you will enjoy it!).

I can't wait to read more from Pritt and hope he goes for a full length with Tenebrous! Lash Egg was weird and wonderful.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored Split Scream: Cursed Places, with Sonora Taylor and Matthew Pritt, so much! Each novellete left me on the edge of my seat!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this if you like your horror weird as hell.