Esperanza

by Carlos E. Rivera

There's a type of insect that, according to Costa Rican lore, brings great fortune. Costa Ricans call it "Esperanza", which means "Hope".
Hope, as you know, springs eternal.
For those unworthy of it, though, the opposite is also true.

22 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2023

About the author

As an anxious, introverted kid growing up in Costa Rica during the 80s and 90s, I always felt like something of an outsider. My refuge was escaping into and devouring sci-fi, fantasy, drama, crime thrillers, and above all things, HORROR. For years, these books, movies, comics, and even video games became my life.
I dove into the horror-next-door of Stephen King, the ineffable cosmic abominations of H.P. Lovecraft, the disturbing atmosphere of Silent Hill, the dreamlike imagery of David Lynch, the sheer unnerving strangeness of Junji Ito, and many more; they got mixed in with my country’s folk stories and my own experiences, resulting in what I think is a peculiar blend that you, the reader, might feel is familiar but unknown. And isn’t that the foundation of horror? Doesn’t horror begin with something mundane that, seen from the right angle, seems a bit wrong?

Reviews

[Aquino Loayza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this in Advance for Carlos. This once again shows his ability to show many different perspectives. He wooed you in with the promise of a very different story than what you ended up with, which is good. I can’t say much about it without spoiling but this is a fun way to play with the concept of flipped scripts without over explaining. Carlos is getting better as a writer with time and our dreams are all the worse for it. In their place another bug infused nightmare that will linger longer after you have left it.

[Daniel Lorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first read from Rivera, and I had a fantastic time with this one.

Esperanza is a beautifully written short tale from a hugely talented horror author.

I look forward to checking out White Harbor next!

[Eryn McConnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I liked this. Rivera's prose is so good, it engages you right away. I loved this. Really good horror.