“Abigail’s Odyssey” by David Vorhees

Have you ever felt that there is something mysterious in the woods? Have you ever had that tingling sensation that something is hiding there behind the trees, watching you?

Abigail is twelve, and the woods are her happy place. She goes there whenever the atmosphere at home becomes more unsettling than the mysterious silence of the woods. This time, though, her walk turns into something vastly different from the regular calming stroll. It turns into a chase…where Abigail is a victim. At least, at first…

“Abigail’s Odyssey” is a short story penned by David Vorhees. The author masterfully builds the feeling of suspense the reader is bound to be overcome with after Abigail discovers a black door. The door that stands in the clearing is like any other door, except for the fact it shouldn’t be there. Would you resist the pull to open that door and find out what’s behind it?

I like the ambiguity of the story, with subtle undertones woven through the monster-victim plot. There are bone-chilling scenes that will make you grit your teeth and hope you won’t see them in your nightmares. Still, what I really appreciated about the story is the different perspective it offers over the situation where it’s clear who is weak and who is a strong party.

With vivid characters and plot twists aplenty, “Abigail’s Odyssey” is the read for everyone who likes to tickle their nerves a little and also be left musing over the deeper concepts the book has introduced.