"Their screams pierced my ears at first but by the end of the week, they rolled around my brain like the best note of a rock song." 😂
Thanks for the reminder-- we all need affirmation, even the serial killers among us!! Here's a little something for your trophy case => 🏆 Well done, sir!!
Haha. Thank you, Mark. I love your comments and observations. Serial killers definitely need affirmation. And thanks for the trophy. My case is getting fuller. Hehe. You rock, man.
Humor mixed with insight into the human condition. Lots of funny lines, Parker, which is what I have come to expect. The way the group turned on Gus and the new guy was loaded with irony. Sad but often true.
Thank you so much, KC. Sometimes group support can lead to bad things. I like to zap the naivete of a situation and throw in sarcasm. Haha. I really appreciate your continued support.
This is such a brilliantly layered piece, Parker — darkly funny, unsettling, and deeply human all at once.
What struck me most was how the support group, meant to be a sanctuary, slowly becomes its own kind of tyranny. It starts with acceptance but ends with conformity — a new set of rules, a new kind of mask.
You’ve captured something profound about how belonging can so easily tip into tribalism. How the oppressed can become the oppressors when given even a sliver of power.
It’s not just a story about looking like monsters — it’s about how easily we can become them when we’re finally given a room of our own.
Powerful, haunting, and incredibly well-observed. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Mo. I think you hit the nail on the head here. These guys got the power and well, power can corrupt. I wasn’t planning for the story to go that way, but it morphed into it, which sometimes is the most fun part of being a writer. Well, that, and getting compliments like this. Thank you so much for reading and for your kind words again.
That’s one of the magic parts of writing, isn’t it? When the characters or the theme quietly take the wheel — and the story begins to tell itself. You didn’t just write a twist — you honored the truth of the world you built. And that feels more earned, more human.
That was a funny and clever idea, to collect a bunch of look-alikes and put them into a haunted house! I loved the Eastern European elements too, like Vlad and Stalin, and I had to laugh whenever Gus just casually called the protagonist Gacy haha
But it was also interesting to see how the victims turned into bullies themselves at the end, and it showed just how much they needed Gus as a voice of reason in their midst. I think that last part elevated the story and made it not only entertaining but also solid, literary fiction.
As always, Parker, you've given us a riveting story and an intriguing plot. Can't wait for your next post!
"Their screams pierced my ears at first but by the end of the week, they rolled around my brain like the best note of a rock song." 😂
Thanks for the reminder-- we all need affirmation, even the serial killers among us!! Here's a little something for your trophy case => 🏆 Well done, sir!!
Haha. Thank you, Mark. I love your comments and observations. Serial killers definitely need affirmation. And thanks for the trophy. My case is getting fuller. Hehe. You rock, man.
Humor mixed with insight into the human condition. Lots of funny lines, Parker, which is what I have come to expect. The way the group turned on Gus and the new guy was loaded with irony. Sad but often true.
Thank you so much, KC. Sometimes group support can lead to bad things. I like to zap the naivete of a situation and throw in sarcasm. Haha. I really appreciate your continued support.
Now THAT was original! And funny, ironic, and very well written. Bravo, Parker, BRAVO!
Thank you so much, Dave. I really appreciate it.
This is such a brilliantly layered piece, Parker — darkly funny, unsettling, and deeply human all at once.
What struck me most was how the support group, meant to be a sanctuary, slowly becomes its own kind of tyranny. It starts with acceptance but ends with conformity — a new set of rules, a new kind of mask.
You’ve captured something profound about how belonging can so easily tip into tribalism. How the oppressed can become the oppressors when given even a sliver of power.
It’s not just a story about looking like monsters — it’s about how easily we can become them when we’re finally given a room of our own.
Powerful, haunting, and incredibly well-observed. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Mo. I think you hit the nail on the head here. These guys got the power and well, power can corrupt. I wasn’t planning for the story to go that way, but it morphed into it, which sometimes is the most fun part of being a writer. Well, that, and getting compliments like this. Thank you so much for reading and for your kind words again.
You're more than welcome, Parker.
That’s one of the magic parts of writing, isn’t it? When the characters or the theme quietly take the wheel — and the story begins to tell itself. You didn’t just write a twist — you honored the truth of the world you built. And that feels more earned, more human.
I’m truly glad you’re writing.
That was a funny and clever idea, to collect a bunch of look-alikes and put them into a haunted house! I loved the Eastern European elements too, like Vlad and Stalin, and I had to laugh whenever Gus just casually called the protagonist Gacy haha
But it was also interesting to see how the victims turned into bullies themselves at the end, and it showed just how much they needed Gus as a voice of reason in their midst. I think that last part elevated the story and made it not only entertaining but also solid, literary fiction.
As always, Parker, you've given us a riveting story and an intriguing plot. Can't wait for your next post!
Thank you so much, Chris. Your words inspire me so much, man. I can’t wait to read your next chapter as well.
Ahhh ha haa haaa Quasimodo likes this story very much...
He ringa da bell 10 times out of ten....
He licks this story very muska...has pleasant flow like bloody head wound...ha hah haaa...
Has very good images innit...like from polished mirror...ha hah haaa...
Oh, I lick regular meat-things of dove munth...ha hah haaa....
Outstanding!!!!
I look forward to your offbeat stories and style. Thanks.
Yikes! Creep-City! Excellent work, Parker.
Hehe. Thank you so much, Sharron. I really appreciate you reading and yes, they are creeps. Ha.
Excellent Halloween week story. Good job, Parker. Thanks!
Hey, thank you so much for reading, Marty. I love Halloween. I really wanted to do a Halloween story. It was a lot of fun to write.
Well done. Entertaining and creepy at the same time!
Thank you so much, Michael. I really appreciate you reading and your comments.