Chalk Outline

“How quickly can one lose touch with reality as it intertwines with their memories? Falling asleep is a nightmare, but being awake feels like the most agonizing nightmare of all.”

When I open my door to find a disturbing present with a note that raises more questions, I’m convinced the masked killers who plague the news every Halloween are coming after me, just like they targeted my husband. Determined to find answers, I sign a secret contract that sends me to an unknown location for 365 days. No reception. No human interaction.

In the middle of a forest, inside a lookout tower,...

“How quickly can one lose touch with reality as it intertwines with their memories? Falling asleep is a nightmare, but being awake feels like the most agonizing nightmare of all.”

When I open my door to find a disturbing present with a note that raises more questions, I’m convinced the masked killers who plague the news every Halloween are coming after me, just like they targeted my husband. Determined to find answers, I sign a secret contract that sends me to an unknown location for 365 days. No reception. No human interaction.

In the middle of a forest, inside a lookout tower, I find that I’m not alone. I should be—this was clearly stated in the contract. Yet, a masked man watches me from the other side, and I sense he knows far more than he’s letting on. The only problem is when I meet his piercing, icy-blue eyes—the kind that can light up the dark—whispers from the past rush into the present. I have to remind myself… “Rule number 4: Your husband is gone, so don’t search for him.”