Briar

by Michelle Simkins

I grew up in the shadow of the castle, the cursed princess, and the thicket of enchanted roses who protected her from the wrong kisses. Mother and I tried to warn all the would-be lovers about the danger waiting for them in the tangle of thorns and flowers.


Sometimes they listened.


Sometimes they took an axe or a machete or a heavy pair of garden shears to the roses and disappeared into the briars. They screamed a lot before they died.

Then the One True Love came and kissed the sleeping woman awake. But now the roses don't seem to know there's nothing left to protect, and I don't know how to make them stop killing.

67 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 2, 2023

About the author

Queer neurodivergent witch & polytheist, living in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S., writing haphazardly, making art, keeping a garden, and getting distracted (a lot).

Reviews

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I deeply love this story. It is a tender horror story about the remnants of spells and curses, and how successfully resolving one problem often creates dire secondary problems. It's short and compelling with an unsettling yet satisfying resolution.
This is Michelle Simkins first book and I cannot wait to read her next work.