Sickly Love
A Psychological Thriller
New Psychological Thriller
Sickly Love
A psychological thriller about the terrifying lengths a parent will go in the name of protection.
Allison Ward has spent most of her adult life terrified of what she might pass on to her daughter, Arya—a rare neurological disorder called Primary Memory Atrophy. So when she hears about a remote research facility in the mountains that claims it can erase traumatic memory and stop PMA before it ever shows up, it feels like the first real hope she's had.
When Allison and Arya vanish into the institute, Neil is left with nothing but questions and a sinking sense that something isn't adding up.
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...Her hands shaking causes her to fumble the stack of papers and they fly across the living room rug. A sigh escapes from Allison. "Shit—sorry," she mutters, glancing at Arya. "Shoot."
I crouch to help. One page lands face up. Calor Institute — Participant Clearance. The header looks official, sterile. I'm halfway through reading it when Allison snatches it from my hand.
"Work stuff," she says quickly, pressing the papers to her chest. "I'm fine." Her lips brush my cheek before she retreats toward her office, the candle flickering in her grip.
"Daddy?" A small tug at my shirt. Arya's voice is quiet, uncertain. "Are we gonna play again?"
"Maybe later honey." I watch as Allison's silhouette vanishes behind the wall.
"Daddy?" I look down at Arya's innocent eyes. "Why does mommy keep forgetting my name?"
"She's just tired, sweetheart." The crash of thunder and lightning fill the room as the electricity flickers back to life. Arya runs to the couch and buries her head into the blanket like a scared Ostrich. I tell Arya she's just tired, but the truth is I worry there is something very wrong with Alli that she's not telling me...
About
Meet the Author
I'm an aspiring author with a day job in IT. I often turn to writing to get my mind off of work and tech, allowing myself to drift away in a story. Something about coming up with a story that only exists in my head and putting it onto paper is an enjoyment I can't even explain.
I live with my wife, Morgan, and our tortoiseshell cat, Rayne. Morgan is one of my strongest motivators to keep writing—even when I don't feel like it or am stuck. She pushes me because she knows how much I love doing this, even when I want to quit because I hate the last 1,000-plus words I've just written.
Over the years, I've written many short stories, and last year I finished my first novel, which took two years to write. Even though that was a huge accomplishment, none of those felt ready to share—until now. Sickly Love has been years in the making, and I'm so excited to finally share it with you. This is a story I felt needed to be told, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.
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Beyond the novel—thoughts on writing, reading, and the stories that shape us.
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