Caught in the In-Between: An occult gothic short story

by Alyson Hasson

Two friends

One ouija board

and a massive secret that will tear them apart

***

All Leah and Ariel wanted was a quiet weekend getaway. Maybe a few too many drinks and reminiscing about the good old days.

That all goes to hell when the night turns into an attempt to communicate with Ariel's late brother, Bradley.

46 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 7, 2026

About the author

Alyson Hasson grew up in New Brunswick, Canada, where she obtained a love for nature-based horror. Her interest in horror movies, combined with her background in biology, spurred a curiosity that drove her to write. She currently spends her analyzing data and her nights conjuring new monsters.

Reviews

[Megan Magee]

Caught In The In- Between is for any girl who has felt their heart race from anticipation at a slumber party in which they try dangerous, occult related games.The Bloody Mary girlies times three will LOVE this one, and I am no stranger to a slasher adjacent book at that. I love how this is a short story with a small amount of pages but a mighty amount of fun trope comparisons that elicited nostalgia from my horror loving heart. Just read it, it'll add genuine fright to your night. Thank you to the author for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Rebecca White]

This was a fun bite sized horror with a nostalgic flair.
Secrets, a Ouija board, and a cabin in the woods. What could go wrong?

[Katie]

It gets good at like the 90% mark. But everything up until then is nonsensical. And it needs a proofread.