Badwater: A Horror Story

by Travis Liebert

"I've been a search and rescue diver for twelve years. We see a lot of strange and disgusting things. But what I saw last week has me questioning both my job and reality." There's a place in the river where not even search and rescue divers are supposed to go. It's called Badwater. But when Joseph Albright dives into this forbidden region, he discovers something beyond comprehension. Intent on solving a mystery as old as the earth itself, he comes into contact with forces beyond fathom. Get this riveting new horror story and learn of the terrors that pervade our world.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Fantasy, Novella, Lovecraftian

37 pages, ebook

Published November 8, 2019

About the author

Travis Liebert is a 21 year old Louisville, KY native and member of the widely invasive species "Homo sapiens sapiens." His hobbies include reading, writing, and anything else that indicates he's intelligent and literate. He went to Trinity High School where he openly brandished his repertoire of useless knowledge as captain of the quiz bowl team. He is now a perpetually absent student at the University of Louisville. You can find him on Instagram as @travisliebert.

His email is travismliebert@gmail.com. Please refrain from sending him hate mail, as he would prefer to just meet you in person and get punched in the face. If you would like to kick his teeth in, please contact his agent to arrange a meeting. His website is travisliebert.com

Reviews

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 3 out of 5]

A search and rescue diver tells us just how depressing his job is, as it mostly consists of body recovery. But those horrors pale in comparison to what he saw during his last dive, when he went looking for a boy who vanished while fishing with his father. He went against the other divers’ advice and dove into the forbidden Badwater. The most dangerous part of the river.


The story is written in the way of a search and rescue diver writing down the most horrible thing he ever experienced under water. The horror part of the story is more weird and atmospheric, rather than the jump scare kind of horror. Especially when he goes looking for an explanation for what he witnessed under water. This all gives it an air of realism and reminds me of some pulp fiction stories in all the right ways.


Overall, a very solid short horror story.

[Matthew Elliot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Badwater by Travis Liebert is a dark book about loss, and the darkest depths below the ocean.
THERE ARE NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: child death, sacrifice, and dead bodies.

Pre-Read:

//I've been looking forward to this for a while, but admittedly I never realized how short it was, which has made me a little upset.//

Review:

"There's a place in the river where not even search and rescue divers are supposed to go. It's called Badwater. But when Joseph Albright dives into this forbidden region, he discovers something beyond comprehension. Intent on solving a mystery as old as the earth itself, he comes into contact with forces beyond fathom. " — the GoodReads website for Badwater.

Joseph is a search and rescue diver, though it's usually a body rather than a life he's pulling free from the ocean floor. Join him on a rescue different than all the ones before—one that will change him forever.

— Why so short? Even after reading this, this is all I can think. I can't even write a review that's long and satisfying. I think this is why I avoid reading short stories unless it's a book of many. When you're confronted with a short piece like this you're required to read into all the details and to write in a way that doesn't give too much away. I know I don't want to read spoilers so why would I give any?

That means that this will be a short review.

Badwater was a pretty unique idea that would have been pulled off better if it had more length, giving the author more time to go into the myths and details. I was just left feeling really unfulfilled by the whole story. I did enjoy it, but I was left with more questions than knowing and that's not really my kind of book. I love a big amount of worldbuilding in my reads.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Travis Liebert is a twenty-five-year old student who began writing since he was a child. He, however, only started writing seriously around eighteen years old. Not only has he written horror, but he has also published poetry.

He wrote Badwater and published it when he was only twenty years old.

Even though I was disappointed in the length and lack of content in Badwater, I would definitely pick up more of Travis' work as I think he is capable of great things.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

“People don’t last long in the water.”

A search and rescue diver stumbles upon an ancient horror that’s been feeding on the flesh of the drowned.

This frightening folktale was extremely creepy and very fascinating! It’s short, but definitely packs a punch. I was genuinely freaked out at the thought of being in the water anywhere near this deity-like creature.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining horror listening 🎶🔰

This novella is free on Amazon.

Michael is a rescue diver. A young boy 👦 goes missing along the river. Michael goes diving in the river and can't believe what he sees 👀. Michael discovers an old god that is causing all the problems. I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of fantasy terror horror novels 👍🔰. 2023 😀😯😡😮

[Jonathan Pongratz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original Review at Jaunts & Haunts

4.5/5

I gave this short story four and a half stars!

Travis Liebert has done it again! 

This short story was great, and I enjoyed every murky minute of it. 

In this tale, we follow a diver in his investigation of an ongoing set of disappearances near a local river. Through his sleuthing skills, he discovers a dark and grisly evil, one that he desperately hopes to thwart. 

This story had it all. Mystery, chill factor, excitement. 

I liked the main character. He's kind of your average Joe diver at first, but when he starts noticing odd things about these disappearances he can't let it go. In that way, he's a hero, and I found myself rooting for him the entire time. He desperately wants these disappearances to stop, and his heart's in the right place. 

The plot was intriguing from the get go. I was curious about this river and why so many disappearances happened. I mean, people can be stupid, but the number of disappearances implies maybe something else is at work. That element of mystery really kept me going, and layer by layer we get further insight as the MC discovers small, startling truths. 

This wasn't hardcore horror but more atmospheric in nature, and that really worked for me. You don't have to have tons of gore to have a scary story, and Liebert is proof of that. 

This was a stunning read, and I can't wait to read more!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t want to say too much about this book because it’s a pretty short story and I don’t want to give anything away. What I can say is that if you find the cover intriguing, you will like the story. What surprised me most is that the author is only 21 years old. He does a very good job with the writing. Pulled me in immediately, you learn of the horror, investigate the cause, and have a bit of closure. It sort of plays out like a segment for the tv show Creepshow. I would not hesitate to read more of his stories.

[Laken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evil Old Gregg tries to lure you in his waters and has a The-Cabin-in-the-Woods style pact with some local elders.

[DonnieReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

King moss

A splash of folklore and native myth. It makes you wonder what's really hiding in plain or not so plain sight. A good horror short that teaches you to listen to your legends.

Three Stars - Recommend

[Lydia Schoch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong current might drown you in this river, but even if that happens it will be the least of your worries.

Joseph was a sympathetic and memorable protagonist. I appreciated how cautious he was around water and how seriously he took his work as a search and rescue diver. These were important things to establish early on in order to explain his later behaviour. They also endeared me to him as a character because I knew how knowledgable he was about safely enjoying the water and how drowning can happen to even the strongest swimmer. If the author ever writes a sequel, I’d sure like to learn more about this world and the other people in it.

My only reason for choosing a three star rating had to do with a plot hole that the narrator never closed. It involved what the powers of the character who controlled Badwater actually were and how far they could be stretched or pushed back against. In some scenes, this character seemed nearly all-powerful, while in others there appeared to be loopholes to the rules. I would have loved to see this clarified as it was the only thing that prevented me from choosing a much higher rating. Everything else about this tale was deliciously scary.

The folklore elements of the storyline were top-notch. They shared enough information for this reader to know what was happening but also left plenty of little details up to my imagination. I also enjoyed taking note of the slight differences in how various characters reacted to the legends about Badwater and why no one was ever supposed to go there. Not only did this make everything feel realistic, it encouraged me to keep reading so I could come up with my own theories about which versions made the most sense to me.

Badwater was a spooky summer read.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, weird story.

[SueSue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Points for brevity and a fairly original plot line. However nothing to make me care about the protagonist.
Overall, a quick, fun read that I got for free on my Kindle. Can't complain.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

a fun short read

I like a fun read and this one fits the bill! Quick to the point with enough detail to give a picture, but does t drone on. I’d read it again tomorrow!

[Linda✨🖤 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahhh it has SO MUCH POTENTIAL to be so goddamn good.
But as soon as it gets GOOD it just ends 🫠

[Alexander Valdem · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good short story, with a excellent start. Sadly, the ending does not match the horror that meats us in the beginning, and the story falls short of what it could have been. 4 Stars for the initial horror.

[Aya Blackwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what I was getting into with this short story. I was thoroughly entertained. It's imaginative descriptive and creepy. I will be reading more by this author.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent horror story. It has some Lovecraftian themes, as other reviewers have noted. It benefits from vivid writing, a believable central character, and gradually mounting suspense. Great work - I will be reading more of this author!

[Zaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a very good short story, I couldn't even put it down.

[Ariel Sanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick horror read

I usually read high fantasy but I'm trying to branch out into other genres.

I like the conversational tone of the narrator. At first it felt like i was listening to a charming stranger tell me about his town and occupation. In hindsight, the beginning seems super chill for what's to come. That is not a critical observation- i was just taken by suprise with how quickly things escalated.

I love the lore, but no spoilers.

I found several of the narrator's decesions to be illogical to an extreme. Yes, he could just be a fool on the Fool's journey, or the plot needed moving along or perhaps something more sinister is at play? Hmmm intriguing.

I didn't care for the abrupt pacing, there were parts where character building and especially tension could have been played up more.

Chekhov's gun applies to Chekhov's flare as well.

Overall i found it an enjoyable read. I liked the mythos a lot. The horror elements were terrifying to me cause I'm just sensitive like that.

This was a good story, in my opinion. I feel it could be improved on by adding more to it. Good bones, now we just need some chewy bits.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joseph Albright is a search and rescue diver. The story is told via a letter he has left.

He does not specify where the events take place; only that it is a northern territory known for its sports involving fishing.

The diving is a grueling job, and it includes an inordinate amount of body recovery. The bloating of drowning victims causes many divers to quit and find other, less macabre work.

It’s been unseasonably cold with extremely heavy rains. We kick off with the drowning of a boy, 10.

Badwater is an area of the river so dangerous that even the S&R divers are warned against going there. Ignoring the admonition, Joe instead follows his intuition and dives into Badwater. What he finds is horrifying.

Joe seeks out Moose, a twenty-year veteran diver of the area, for counsel. Joe confides what he has seen in Badwater. Moose and the other more senior divers begin acting strangely around Joe.

As the disappearances continue, the tale gives a very spooky X-Files kinda vibe.

A few slight pacing issues; could use a bit more narrative focus, especially on the mythology. Overall, strong and very creepy.

[Petrina Binney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story follows Joseph, a search and rescue diver with twelve years' experience, as he and the rest of the team search the creek-waters for a missing child. With little hope of finding the boy alive, Joseph stumbles upon a part of the river that he's not supposed to go near and what he finds unsettles him beyond anything he might have imagined.

Although I enjoyed the story, the writing is rich and the imagery provocative, I didn't care for the style of storytelling. It's one of those things: found footage movies tend to do really well and get the heart racing pretty well from the get-go, but the found confessional doesn't have the same sort of punch, for me. I suppose it's because it's because the fly-on-the-wall approach gives you a chance to sympathise with the protagonists from a decent distance where the whoever-finds-this style doesn't lend itself to more than one point of view.

Interesting story, though.

[Harvey Dias · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are wonderful Lovecraftian elements to this story and for that and other reasons I would give it a 4. However, it is difficult to accept that the story is related in a letter. First, numerous details lead the reader to believe that the story events take place in modern day North America. How many current day Americans write letters, let alone 45 page letters divided into 5 chapters? Second, the author makes it clear that he doesn't know who will read the letter, but emphasizes that they must not try to find the location where the story takes place. So he mailed the letter? Who did he send it to given that he doesn't know who will read it? It would have been better if the story was told as a narrative recorded in a diary. Or the story could have been in third person and included a short suicide note.

[Millennial Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This novella is a very atmospheric kind of horror. The horror comes not from ghosts and ghouls and what have you, but more simply the depiction of the small town and the mystery that surrounds it. The fact that water, especially very deep water, freaks a lot of people out helps create that horror vibe. The story is the perfect length, in that a story like this needs to be "short and sweet" otherwise, the creepiness would wear off.

I was a little frustrated by the revelations towards the end, it relied on some tropes I'm not a fan of. In all honesty, the story didn't necessarily need an explanation of who/what/why and I would've been perfectly happy if the events went unexplained.

[Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Badwater by Travis Liebert is exactly the kind of horror I crave eerie, unsettling, and rooted in a slow-burn dread that seeps into your bones. The author masterfully blends folk-horror vibes with supernatural tension, leaving you constantly aware that something ancient and wrong is watching just beyond the treeline.

The pacing tightens chapter by chapter, and the imagery is vivid enough to haunt your daydreams. I loved how the environment itself feels like a living antagonist humid, rotting, breathing.

If you’re into horror that relies on creeping terror over cheap jump scares, this belongs on your shelf. Fans of cosmic dread, backwoods mysteries, and folklore nightmares will devour this.

Highly recommended for late-night reading… preferably with the lights on.

[SUSAN · Rating 4 out of 5]

You're introduced to Joseph Albright, an experienced search and rescue diver, who is leaving a letter to the reader. And so begins the tale of of Badwater.

This short story immediately held my interest and dread, as well as my morbid fascination with drowning victims, so fans of horror will have plenty to enjoy vicariously. I'm not sure if pagan horror is a thing, but that's how I would describe this because it's not quite supernatural.

This is the first of Travis Liebert's work that I have read and I'm already looking forward to reading more of his work!

#creaturehorror #greenman #paganhorror #diverhorror

[Miss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent eldritch/folk horror

This was an outstanding find and I'm glad that I saw the author offering it for free. I definitely plan on reading more of their work. This is such a short story that discussing anything beyond the blurb would spoil it so I'll only review the vibes. This story is not at all something you should read before bed. The imagery of the story is creepy and creeping and easily made nightmare fuel. It's easy to imagine this in real life and just adds to how creepy these real places are in the deep, dark woods near dark waters. Loved this and the horror break from my usual reading.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just, wow. From the moment I began reading the letter that comprises "Badwater" until the second I flipped through the last page, I didn't take one full, deep breath.
Search & rescue divers see horrors that most of us, thankfully, cannot even comprehend. That is the very nature of their job. When Joseph began his letter I was immediately caught up in his tale.
Travis Liebert wove together perfect writing & a character that I was rooting for with into a story that rushed past like a raging river fueled by many tributaries.

[deidra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Badwater: A Horror Story by Travis Liebert is a compelling tale about a body of water that is shunned for the many deaths caused by its dangerous currents. or is it? could there be another reason for the warnings? Badwater is dark, treacherous and filled with vivid imagery that seduces the mind of the reader into a mind-numbing terror. this was my first tale by Travis Liebert, but surely not my last.
highly recommended.
5 stars out of 5.

[Barb Wiggins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Badwater

Badwater starts out with a gripping story line that grabs the attention and you feel you'll be up all night. Then the f bombs start and it interrupts the flow every time. I have up before the end of chapter one. Some of us are just too offended to read your work. That's unfortunate as I was really getting into it.

[Alan Loewen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foray Into Cosmic Horror

Badwater finds itself solidly in the genre of cosmic horror with more than just a nod to the Cthulhu Mythos. However, the story is not a Lovecraftian pastiche but a solid tale that stands well on its own, introducing us to a unique monster of the author’s invention.

[Nicollette Blackeagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

River Entity

Wow, this book may start off as normal but it doesn't stay that way long. People are being drowned but for what reason and where are the bodies! This book is spine tingling and horrific. I highly recommend this book but you may not want to go swimming again afterwards. This is my honest unbiased review that I am voluntary giving of my own volition.