Pride

A Horror Novella

By: E. Luis Holmes

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Sixteen-year-old Abigail Faye has always been overlooked, living in the shadow of her effortlessly beautiful cousin, Macy. In the small, gossip-ridden town of Hollow Creek, she’s just a ghost—someone people glance past. The nearby forest has always been Abigail’s only escape, a place where she can breathe free of judgment. When her family and Macy’s go camping at the Hollow Creek Campgrounds, Abigail’s hopes for peace crumble under Macy’s taunts and her family's constant, unspoken comparisons.

Frustrated and yearning for something more, Abigail ventures into the deep woods one night, drawn to a darkness that seems almost alive. There, she encounters a terrifying, ancient creature with eyes that reflect the moonlight and a voice that whispers like the wind. The creature offers to grant her a single wish in exchange for her kindness. Desperate for a chance to be seen as beautiful, Abigail wishes for golden hair like Macy’s. Her wish is granted—but not without a horrifying price. A searing pain etches a small butterfly-shaped mark on her back.

As Abigail becomes increasingly obsessed with her newfound beauty, she returns to the creature, demanding more. Each time, the butterfly mark spreads across her skin, growing larger and more painful, symbolizing the ever-increasing cost of her vanity. Her desires spiral out of control as she catches the attention of the hottest boy at school and is invited to prom. But on prom night, her beauty turns into a nightmare, revealing a monstrous transformation.

Horror readers will savor the eerie atmosphere, unsettling body horror, and the psychological descent into madness as Abigail confronts the true cost of pride. Pride explores the darkness that lurks in the human heart, where every wish comes at a terrifying price.