Wither

by David Anderson

Wither consists of eight haunting tales that delve into the darkest corners of the human psyche.

The Cry
After his marriage fails, Bill Goddard, a strict head teacher, moves to a new school for a fresh start. After an altercation with his neighbour, Goddard begins to hear an incessant, maddening cry. Can he discover its source before his sanity slips away from him?

The Girl at the Top of the Stairs
Adam and Helen Ellis are proud parents. James, their four year old son, shows maturity and independence beyond his years. One night James complains of seeing an impossibility at the top of the stairs. His mother and father dismiss his claim as the imaginings of an over-active mind, but as the sightings mount up they are forced to doubt their initial diagnosis. Is the girl at the top of the stairs a figment of their son's imagination or something far worse?

Harsh Lessons
For John school is a nightmare... And he's the teacher. Bullied by his students, mocked by the staff and pushed beyond reasonable stress limits by the senior management, John, a loner teacher, decides he's had enough. Taking discipline to a whole different level he teaches his unruly students that bad behaviour will be dealt with... harshly. But what happens when one of his harsh lessons goes too far?

The Window
With only days left until the apocalypse, Bailie Morgan and her partner Jamie want nothing more than to spend their remaining time together in peace. But, as civilisation collapses into lawlessness, will they find their final days on earth even more horrifying than they could possibly imagine?

Wither
Dominic Fitzgerald loves sex and, as the lead singer of a popular heavy metal band, promiscuous offers are never in short supply. However, after an encounter with an affronted fan after a gig, his favourite pastime suddenly becomes his curse. As his needs become more depraved, he sinks ever lower in order to fulfil them.

The Cellar
A young girl, already traumatised by the collapse of humanity, is held prisoner by an abusive captor. Having been holed up in a dark cell for five years and subjected to horrific mental torture, how will she cope when she is once again granted her freedom?

Beattie Drove Home
After a drug-fuelled night, Beattie flees from his friend's vicious cat and embarks on an illicit drive whilst heavily under the influence. Images of being caught by the police dominate his thoughts but does something far more terrifying await him on his journey home?

The Man Who Owned the World
A lonesome man makes a chance discovery that devastates him.

227 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2013

About the author

David Anderson has enjoyed writing from an early age. One of his proudest moments in a life bereft of highlights was receiving a 99% score in his creative writing coursework at secondary school in 2000. From then on his life goal was to become an author of some sort. It has taken a mere ten years for him to write something else worthwhile.

David has always had an interest in the horror genre and would like to think his writing style is somewhat similar to that of his idol, a certain Stephen King. The only way to find out if you agree would involve buying all of his work and forming your own opinion.

David enjoys travelling and has visited and lived in numerous exotic locations including Japan, Hawaii, Guam and Wales. He is currently in his early forties and is back living in Sunderland after an ill-fated spell in Mandalay, Myanmar.