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Just Below: A Deadly Silence Story
63 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2026
About the author
John Michael Alaia
4 books15 followersJohn Michael Alaia is a writer of thrillers and horror fiction whose work explores the darker edges of human nature, where fear, suspense, and moral ambiguity collide. Drawn to stories that linger long after the final page, he blends psychological tension with unsettling characters to create narratives that challenges readers to keep turning the pages late into the night.
This is his first published novel, marking the beginning of a body of work shaped by a lifelong fascination with suspenseful storytelling, classic horror, and modern thrillers. When he’s not writing, he enjoys studying existing works, dissecting films and novels for what makes them frightening, while searching for the quiet, internal moments where the most terrifying ideas are born.
He lives on Long Island, NY and is currently at work on his next two novels.
This is his first published novel, marking the beginning of a body of work shaped by a lifelong fascination with suspenseful storytelling, classic horror, and modern thrillers. When he’s not writing, he enjoys studying existing works, dissecting films and novels for what makes them frightening, while searching for the quiet, internal moments where the most terrifying ideas are born.
He lives on Long Island, NY and is currently at work on his next two novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 29, 2026
I am honored to have been given this ARC of John Michael Alaia’s soon-to-be-published novelette. Thank you for this opportunity. We’ve all got basements. Some are pretty scary. I’ve got a basement. Most of the time, it takes some time and some navigation to find a basement. Walking through front door, maybe a hallway, a few steps down. JMA skips all of this and drops you right into the narrator’s basement and it is absolutely scary. Scary because it’s dark, it’s gruesome but most of all, because it’s familiar? In less than an hour of your time, JMA will launch you into a pit of despair and, for some, six inches from the mirror.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A gripping psychological horror that stays with you!
From the very first page this novelette pulls you in with strong Black Phone vibes—raw grief, unreliable narration, and a creeping sense of something wrong beneath the surface. The present-tense style takes a tiny second to settle into, but once it does, it keeps the tension tight and immediate. The author’s prose is atmospheric and deeply felt; the way he describes light, emotion, and the small everyday details of family life feels authentic and lived-in. You genuinely connect with the narrator and his fractured family.
The story builds beautifully through Part 2 and lands on a chilling cliffhanger in Part 3 that left me staring at the page. I also want to give a special shout-out to the author’s note at the very end—it’s powerful, thoughtful, and ties perfectly into the themes. Take the extra minute to read it; it’s worth it.
A couple of very small polish items (punctuation and one tiny consistency question) are the only reasons this isn’t flawless, but they’re easy fixes and didn’t pull me out of the story. Overall this is a solid, emotional, and haunting little horror piece that punches well above its length. I’ll be watching for whatever this author writes next.
Highly recommended—especially if you like psychological thrillers that make you think about grief, guilt, and what we bury inside ourselves.
From the very first page this novelette pulls you in with strong Black Phone vibes—raw grief, unreliable narration, and a creeping sense of something wrong beneath the surface. The present-tense style takes a tiny second to settle into, but once it does, it keeps the tension tight and immediate. The author’s prose is atmospheric and deeply felt; the way he describes light, emotion, and the small everyday details of family life feels authentic and lived-in. You genuinely connect with the narrator and his fractured family.
The story builds beautifully through Part 2 and lands on a chilling cliffhanger in Part 3 that left me staring at the page. I also want to give a special shout-out to the author’s note at the very end—it’s powerful, thoughtful, and ties perfectly into the themes. Take the extra minute to read it; it’s worth it.
A couple of very small polish items (punctuation and one tiny consistency question) are the only reasons this isn’t flawless, but they’re easy fixes and didn’t pull me out of the story. Overall this is a solid, emotional, and haunting little horror piece that punches well above its length. I’ll be watching for whatever this author writes next.
Highly recommended—especially if you like psychological thrillers that make you think about grief, guilt, and what we bury inside ourselves.
April 17, 2026
This was a short, but meaningful story. A man wakes up locked in his basement. He is confused and angry about being there. As he is down there for a while, he observes his family continuing on with their lives. They seem much happier. This causes him to reflect on the type of person that he was. He didn’t give his wife or children enough attention and instead dissociated from all of it. But by the third part, when he is back with the family, his perspective changes. He sees how his children are not eager to chat with him or confide in him. They learned to not expect anything from him. The family members do whatever they need to do and they don’t worry about what he is up to. By his actions and behaviors, he isolated himself from the family.
April 2, 2026
This novella pulls you in from the very first page - there is no slow burn or building up. The story’s tension is immediate and unrelenting. The authors prose is sharp and precise, perfectly balancing psychological horror with emotional depth.
What makes this novella truly stand out is the author’s note at the end—it’s raw, heartfelt, and deeply emotional, leaving a lasting impression long after the story concludes. Short but very powerful.
What makes this novella truly stand out is the author’s note at the end—it’s raw, heartfelt, and deeply emotional, leaving a lasting impression long after the story concludes. Short but very powerful.
April 11, 2026
Going in to this short story I wasn't sure what to expect. But in true John Alaia form, what little but I did think that I knew was going on was completely wrong. This story gives you a little bit of everything from body horror to psychological thriller to thought provoking words. Definitely make sure to check this one out!
March 31, 2026
“Just Below- A Deadly Silence Story” by John Michael Alaia is a haunting, hard hitting short story that delivers far more impact than its length suggests. Blending fear, grief, desperation, gore, and raw rage, it follows a man forced to watch his life continue without him, powerless and unraveling. Dark, unsettling, and deeply psychological, this one lingers long after the final page.
April 2, 2026
Intense, haunting, and disturbingly intimate, Just Below traps you in a dark, twisted space where fear and grief collide. Every moment pulses with dread, making it impossible to look away. A chilling, unforgettable psychological descent.
Review of advance copy
Thank you to Inside story and the author for a copy of this book! Wow. This one really got to me. That feeling like you are stuck in a rut. The meaning behind this one really stuck with me.
April 5, 2026
Freaking outstanding novella that is put together so well, intricate details that pull you in and have you wondering if it’s gonna pull your heart down or is this just a twist 🤔 An ending that like no other 🤯 This book pulled me all the way in and had me wondering why things were happening as they were and then it made sense…only at the end did it make sense!
But in all truth; never hold in your emotions ever! Always speak to someone and never feel less than a man/woman because you do have emotions and you should be heard 🫶🏼 YOU MATTER!
But in all truth; never hold in your emotions ever! Always speak to someone and never feel less than a man/woman because you do have emotions and you should be heard 🫶🏼 YOU MATTER!
March 31, 2026
This made me feel weird! I don’t know how to describe it really tbh. It started as one thing & ended as another, straight in with the physical horror, blood, pain, fear, then it quickly but seamlessly flowed into a real psychological horror. I really really liked it. It’s a very quick read & well worth it.
March 31, 2026
This book is not for the light-hearted. It is a powerful piece written to stick with you long after you’ve read it. John takes you on a wild ride where you question everything that’s happening, leaving you wanting to read it again to truly absorb the genius that he’s put into this story.
March 31, 2026
This is a short story that should be read twice. At first, I thought it was like a trippy episode of The Twilight Zone. Once I read the final notes, I thought it was brilliant.
April 15, 2026
It takes one brilliant mind to come up with a premise like this short story. Brilliant! I was engrossed by this concept, although I won’t say anything and spoil it: I thought I knew where it was going, and I love it when I’m wrong!!! This was well written and such a pleasurable read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC review: release: March 31, 2026
Just Below by John Michael Alaia – A Deadly Silence Story
First of all: thank you for this ARC.
Second of all: thanks for dragging me back into my own basement. A place I actively avoid. For very good reasons. So. That was rude. Respectfully.
This story doesn’t knock. It doesn’t warm up. It grabs you by the collar and says, we’re doing this now. My brain immediately went feral—What’s happening? Who did this? Why is he here? I lined up theories like a nervous tic. Not a single one survived.
And yes, before you say it—I know. I always say things hit close to home. But this one didn’t just hit. It moved in, rearranged the furniture, and sat quietly in the corner waiting for me to notice it.
Then I read this line and had to stop breathing for a second:
“Forever present but invisible. Existing but not truly living.”
Cool. Casual. Absolutely devastating.
At that point, I still had no idea where this story was going. I just knew it had already left fingerprints on me. So I did the only sensible thing: accepted my fate and kept reading.
Page by page, the space tightens. The dark creeps closer. The air thins. You don’t read this story—you’re slowly sealed inside it. And then comes:
“I close my eyes and listen to the silence and try to remember what it felt like to be whole.”
Which, frankly, felt like a personal attack. I think about that more often than I’d like to admit.
By then, my internal GPS had fully lost signal. No map. No exit. Just silence and the weight of it.
I’m not going to say more. Not because I’m being mysterious—but because this story doesn’t want to be explained. It wants to be experienced. If you’re capable of facing something that feels uncomfortably familiar, something that doesn’t let you look away or dissociate your way out of it… this one’s for you. And I refuse to rob anyone of that impact.
Five dark, locked-in-the-basement stars.
When a short story knows exactly how to pry your eyes open and tear your heart into quiet, jagged pieces—yeah. It earns them.
Personal note from me to you:
Don’t read this unless you’re ready to look at what you’ve been avoiding.
The silence is already there. This story just turns the lights off so you can hear it better.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC review: release: March 31, 2026
Just Below by John Michael Alaia – A Deadly Silence Story
First of all: thank you for this ARC.
Second of all: thanks for dragging me back into my own basement. A place I actively avoid. For very good reasons. So. That was rude. Respectfully.
This story doesn’t knock. It doesn’t warm up. It grabs you by the collar and says, we’re doing this now. My brain immediately went feral—What’s happening? Who did this? Why is he here? I lined up theories like a nervous tic. Not a single one survived.
And yes, before you say it—I know. I always say things hit close to home. But this one didn’t just hit. It moved in, rearranged the furniture, and sat quietly in the corner waiting for me to notice it.
Then I read this line and had to stop breathing for a second:
“Forever present but invisible. Existing but not truly living.”
Cool. Casual. Absolutely devastating.
At that point, I still had no idea where this story was going. I just knew it had already left fingerprints on me. So I did the only sensible thing: accepted my fate and kept reading.
Page by page, the space tightens. The dark creeps closer. The air thins. You don’t read this story—you’re slowly sealed inside it. And then comes:
“I close my eyes and listen to the silence and try to remember what it felt like to be whole.”
Which, frankly, felt like a personal attack. I think about that more often than I’d like to admit.
By then, my internal GPS had fully lost signal. No map. No exit. Just silence and the weight of it.
I’m not going to say more. Not because I’m being mysterious—but because this story doesn’t want to be explained. It wants to be experienced. If you’re capable of facing something that feels uncomfortably familiar, something that doesn’t let you look away or dissociate your way out of it… this one’s for you. And I refuse to rob anyone of that impact.
Five dark, locked-in-the-basement stars.
When a short story knows exactly how to pry your eyes open and tear your heart into quiet, jagged pieces—yeah. It earns them.
Personal note from me to you:
Don’t read this unless you’re ready to look at what you’ve been avoiding.
The silence is already there. This story just turns the lights off so you can hear it better.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Just Below is the kind of psychological horror that doesn’t ask for your attention. It takes it, binds it, and leaves it in the dark. Alaia opens with pure disorientation: a man wakes mutilated and restrained in a basement beneath his own home, listening as his family moves on without him. From that moment on, the story becomes less about escape and more about the unbearable realization of being erased while still alive.
What makes this novelette so effective isn’t just the physical horror, though it’s visceral and unflinching, but the emotional excavation happening alongside it. Alaia weaponizes silence, proximity, and familiarity. The basement isn’t some remote, gothic dungeon; it’s domestic, intimate, and terrifying precisely because it’s recognizable. We all understand that space. We all understand the feeling of being just below the surface of our own lives.
The prose is sharp and quietly devastating, often beautiful in ways that feel almost cruel. Lines linger long after you’ve read them, not because they’re flashy, but because they articulate thoughts most people try very hard not to name. As the darkness deepens, grief and rage blur together, and the story becomes a meditation on invisibility, stagnation, and the internal violence we allow to fester when we believe we no longer matter.
This is a short read, but it’s claustrophobic in the best way. Every page tightens the walls a little more. By the time the ending arrives, it doesn’t just shock; it reframes everything that came before it, leaving you unsettled and reflective in equal measure.
Just Below doesn’t want to be explained or dissected. It wants to be experienced. For fans of psychological horror that crawls under the skin and stays there. This is an easy five stars, and a story you won’t shake off anytime soon.
Just Below is the kind of psychological horror that doesn’t ask for your attention. It takes it, binds it, and leaves it in the dark. Alaia opens with pure disorientation: a man wakes mutilated and restrained in a basement beneath his own home, listening as his family moves on without him. From that moment on, the story becomes less about escape and more about the unbearable realization of being erased while still alive.
What makes this novelette so effective isn’t just the physical horror, though it’s visceral and unflinching, but the emotional excavation happening alongside it. Alaia weaponizes silence, proximity, and familiarity. The basement isn’t some remote, gothic dungeon; it’s domestic, intimate, and terrifying precisely because it’s recognizable. We all understand that space. We all understand the feeling of being just below the surface of our own lives.
The prose is sharp and quietly devastating, often beautiful in ways that feel almost cruel. Lines linger long after you’ve read them, not because they’re flashy, but because they articulate thoughts most people try very hard not to name. As the darkness deepens, grief and rage blur together, and the story becomes a meditation on invisibility, stagnation, and the internal violence we allow to fester when we believe we no longer matter.
This is a short read, but it’s claustrophobic in the best way. Every page tightens the walls a little more. By the time the ending arrives, it doesn’t just shock; it reframes everything that came before it, leaving you unsettled and reflective in equal measure.
Just Below doesn’t want to be explained or dissected. It wants to be experienced. For fans of psychological horror that crawls under the skin and stays there. This is an easy five stars, and a story you won’t shake off anytime soon.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Just Below by starts off like your run-off-the-mill basement body horror, but then promptly morphs into something entirely else. What? I hear it’s different for everyone. You might get enthralled with the gruesome details, or caught up in an escape-roomesque action, or switch to untangling the story’s metaphorical meaning. The narrative is so well written — not that I would expect anything else from John — that it will cater to a wide range of readers, or even change the meaning on a second read through.
Flexibility aside, I’m sure one thing will stand out for everyone: the further you will go into the story, the more personal it will seem. Especially, when you factor in the after word.
And this is the point I want to stress: make sure you read the after word. It’s not a regular thank-you-blah-blah-blah, but rather a very organic and essential extension to the story, and the ballsiest one I ever read, hands down.
As I mentioned to John once, I would’ve not had the guts to admit the shit in there about myself.
In any case, grab this one-sitting-worth of novelette, that will seem smooth, but will leave you with thoughts when you’re done with it.
Flexibility aside, I’m sure one thing will stand out for everyone: the further you will go into the story, the more personal it will seem. Especially, when you factor in the after word.
And this is the point I want to stress: make sure you read the after word. It’s not a regular thank-you-blah-blah-blah, but rather a very organic and essential extension to the story, and the ballsiest one I ever read, hands down.
As I mentioned to John once, I would’ve not had the guts to admit the shit in there about myself.
In any case, grab this one-sitting-worth of novelette, that will seem smooth, but will leave you with thoughts when you’re done with it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Just Below
, a novella by horror writer John Alaia, tells the story of one man’s ‘symphony of pain’ played out under the floorboards of his very own life. While the story’s body horror grinned at me through a ‘tapestry of shredded lips’, Alaia deftly built a crescendo of psychological thrills that not only kept me unraveling the clues to his protagonist’s plight but also had me glancing inward at that ‘vast, oceanic sadness’ upon which we all float. Alaia’s ability to portray graphic immediacy while incorporating strategic symbolism and striking descriptive phrases adds layers of depth to this novella, enabling it to transcend simple genre labels. If you’re looking for a quick read that makes you squirm and think and reflect,
Just Below
by John Alaia is the perfect choice.
Review of advance copy
Y’ALL! If you think a short story under 50 pages can’t completely mess with your head… think again. 😳 Just Below is a quick read with a seriously chilling punch.
A man wakes up bound, mutilated, and trapped in the basement of his own home while life upstairs goes on like nothing happened. His family moves through their day… completely unaware he’s just below them. The realization that the world keeps going without him? Absolutely haunting.
Part of the Deadly Silence collection, this psychological horror story pulls you deep into fear, grief, and the terrifying way the mind can spiral in the dark. The writing is sharp, the pacing is tight, and the tension builds fast.
Short, creepy, and impossible to ignore—this one will get under your skin. 🖤📚
A man wakes up bound, mutilated, and trapped in the basement of his own home while life upstairs goes on like nothing happened. His family moves through their day… completely unaware he’s just below them. The realization that the world keeps going without him? Absolutely haunting.
Part of the Deadly Silence collection, this psychological horror story pulls you deep into fear, grief, and the terrifying way the mind can spiral in the dark. The writing is sharp, the pacing is tight, and the tension builds fast.
Short, creepy, and impossible to ignore—this one will get under your skin. 🖤📚
April 9, 2026
Wow. Just. Wow.
John has such a way with words that had me hooked from the first set of lines.
This is a story that is deeply emotional, it feels personal and it hits home in some (many) levels.
I am officially a forever fan! (Yes, I ran to Amazon to get John's other book called "The Confession: Justice in Blood")
Another line that I absolutely love is:
"I'm there in body only. My mind was always elsewhere, hanging onto the day's work or overdue bills. I was present but absent. Speaking but not connecting. Not really caring" (Alaia 35).
The ending was absolutely genius! I read this book days ago and I am still thinking about it, this is one of those books!
John has such a way with words that had me hooked from the first set of lines.
This is a story that is deeply emotional, it feels personal and it hits home in some (many) levels.
I am officially a forever fan! (Yes, I ran to Amazon to get John's other book called "The Confession: Justice in Blood")
Another line that I absolutely love is:
"I'm there in body only. My mind was always elsewhere, hanging onto the day's work or overdue bills. I was present but absent. Speaking but not connecting. Not really caring" (Alaia 35).
The ending was absolutely genius! I read this book days ago and I am still thinking about it, this is one of those books!
Review of advance copy received from Author
What would you do if you woke up one day and you were tied to a chair and unable to make a sound? What if your family was just above living their lives like nothing was wrong? To one man, this is is his reality. He must come to terms with his situation and try to get free. But will it be too late?
This was my first story by this author, but it won’t be my last. The ending dropped and it made me wonder what I would do in that situation. The tension had me gripping the sides of my kindle for dear life!
I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it!
This was my first story by this author, but it won’t be my last. The ending dropped and it made me wonder what I would do in that situation. The tension had me gripping the sides of my kindle for dear life!
I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it!
Review of advance copy
The way this begins, puts you right into a scene that leaves you saying wtf. As the story continues, and the scenes change, it becomes clear what is going on. But how you expect it to end is NOT the ending you get. As it is a short story, it is a quick read, but don't let the size fool ya. This one has some thought-provoking moments, as well as some anxiety-filled moments at the beginning and end. Definitely recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Excellent body horror, confined with the psychological horror of liminal space. A stunning exploration into repression. The prose are immaculate, allowing just enough to peek through to keep the reader glued to the narrative without giving it all away. There are only hints as to why, but the need to escape is pervasive. Whether taken metaphorically or metaphysically, the emotions conjured are brutal and inescapable.
Review of advance copy received from Author
An easy five stars. The imagery, the pain, the ending, Just Below works on every level. Alaia’s prose is stunning in the most unsettling way, managing to be beautiful and nauseating at the same time. The contrast between horror and reality is razor sharp, and that ending. . . unforgettable. I won’t spoil a thing, but this is a must-read for any fan of psychological horror.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It's a great short read that brings a importance to not feeling alone and that everyone has their inside demons that they fight inside. This was a thought provoking read and and truly well represented. I did not see at first what was happening but as the storyline continued you piece it together. I think the ending was unexpected but good.
Review of advance copy
This story was short, but definitely not sweet. It was chilling in the very best way. Gory while still having beautiful prose. You can see the scene so clearly and feel everything the character is going through. Horror fans will devour this!
Review of advance copy received from Author
The premise alone is unsettling, but the way the author brings the situation to life makes it even more intense. I found myself completely absorbed, wondering how everything would unfold and whether there was any possible way out.
Great Read!
Great Read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow, first book by this author and not my last! we all have basements and that feeling of no self-worth and knowing that Silence is better than fights. This one is going to live rent free in my head for a while. can not wait.to read more by him!
Review of advance copy
This was such an amazing short story. Make sure you read the author's note at the end. It gives it an added depth and relatability.
This was my first by John, but I plan to check into what else he has to offer because this was really good! Do yourself a favor and read this!
This was my first by John, but I plan to check into what else he has to offer because this was really good! Do yourself a favor and read this!
Review of advance copy
Wow! Just Below grips you from beginning to end. Trapped in a dark basement, a man desperately tries to free himself. He hears life going on above him, but he goes unheard, ignored and forgotten. Willing himself to break free, to get to the life on the other side of the door.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow—what a story. Dark, gripping, and absolutely exceptional. From the first sentence to the last, it held me completely captivated. A stunning read and a definite five stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews