PainSpace

A Novella

By: Jon Athan

Narrated by: Beau Thomas, Grace Noble

His daughter went into the tubes. She never came out.

During a break from work, Lucas Flores brings his six-year-old daughter, Alexis, to Buddy’s Burgers—a local fast food joint—for a quick bite and some playtime at the attached indoor playground dubbed "Buddy’s PlaySpace." But after he awakens from a lengthy, impromptu nap, he finds the playground vacant with only his daughter’s shoes near a tube entrance.

He hears her playing in the playground, but he’s unable to lure her out. Worried for her safety and kicking himself for dozing off, he ventures into the tubes to find her...unaware of the horrific secrets lurking in the playground.

Jon Athan, the author of Shared by Two and Her Suffering, blends white-knuckle suspense, bone-chilling visuals, and raw emotion in this twisted novella of cerebral, supernatural horror. Enjoy your meal...it could be your last!

WARNING: Although this is not an extreme horror story, it does contain some graphic content. Listener discretion is advised.

©2025 Jonathan Sixtos (P)2026 Jonathan Sixts

plot twist

Just when you think you are starting to figure out the secrets in this book, a new twist keeps you guessing tell the end. super fun

"comfort is cancelled” with this one

Jon Athan really said “comfort is cancelled” with this one. Brutal, graphic, and completely unhinged from beginning to end. I was horrified… and somehow still couldn’t stop listening. 👀🖤📚

this is a damn good story.

The plot was a predictable, I mean i figured out the twist by the third chapter kinda predictable. but its still worth a listen for the ending. Thats where this story really shines. Narrators were decent. Not bad for a free book.

Just… Wow

I thought this was just going to be a gnarly story about kids dying in a play area but it ended up being so touching and deep. 10/10 Great writing and narration.

Not Jon's Usual Work, but still a Thriller!

To be honest, I literally guessed the ending from chapter 4 so the "plot twist" really wasn't unexpected. I was also disappointed by the lack of gore and risk in this story. So, if you're here for another story like "Blender Babies," or "Harbinger of Vengeance," you'll be disappointed.

Still, this was a really captivating story of regret with some mystery and thrills. Plus, even though the twist is predictable, the way it came out really hit me in the feels. I would highly recommend it even though it's not like some of the more large-scale destruction stories. Also, the dual performance of our guy Beau Thomas and this woman Grace was nice! Definitely helped break up the drag of hearing the same voice.