At what point does an innocent child grow to find her teddy bear is her lover?

When does a fun Halloween trick-or-treat become a dash for life—or, if you're lucky, death?

When does insanity become reality? Beware. Beyond pleasure is pain. And the next step you take may lead to a slip, a downward spiral into your own psychotic world.

Dare you open that Christmas present, or hold your lover's hand on a moonlit night? If you don't want to know, then don't turn these pages.

"The true nature of the 'evil' is hard to pin down. What if good intentions lurk beneath the veneer of evil? What is the price for the greater good? Who should pay it? What you've got here are compact horror stories packing a serious punch, both morally and metaphorically. They're the kind of tales that make you think about uncomfortable stuff, like just how far would you go in that battle against the monsters within us all?"
Steven Savile, international bestselling author of Sliver

"With psychological insight and a poet's sensibilities Gill Ainsworth and Frank W. Haubold breathe fresh air into classic tropes of horror and fantasy."
Michael K. Iwoleit, award-winning writer, editor and translater

Table of Contents:

Introduction — Gill Ainsworth

SPRING
"Cuddly Toys" — Gill Ainsworth
"The End of the Line" — Gill Ainsworth
"He Who Picks the Bones" — Frank W. Haubold

SUMMER
"Fighting the Flab" — Gill Ainsworth
"The Town on the River" — Frank W. Haubold
"Thanks, Sharon, Come Again" — Gill Ainsworth

AUTUMN
"The Miracle Tree" — Frank W. Haubold
"Seven" — Frank W. Haubold
"Bugs" — Gill Ainsworth

WINTER
"Silent Night" — Frank W. Haubold
"Promising Futures" — Gill Ainsworth
"Welcome to the Machine" — Frank W. Haubold