The Book Report: Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes

The Book Report:

Dead Silence

by S.A. Barnes

 

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Outside, there's nothing. The void. Dark, endless blackness. Impossible cold. No food, water, or air. Just emptiness. Inside, the darkness presses in around you, only better than the void outside by the few work lamps that protect you from the black of infinity. Your head is pounding and the claustrophobia is setting in. The finery of a bygone era is all around you. Rare woods, plush carpeting, and beautiful flowers in every vase. Extravagant jewels, silks, fabrics, and opulence that only the most money can bye adorn the corpses of those who last found themselves in these haunted halls. If not for the dead, it very well may be an exciting adventure to board such a fine vessel, but the question keeps nagging at you. How did they die? Why did they die? And why do I keep seeing something move out of the corner of my eye?

Dead Silence is a masterful recapturing of the classic haunted house story, this time told in the deep recesses of space. Following Claire Kovalick and her team of deep space communications engineers, the story hops quickly between 'then' and 'now' as Claire retells the tale of how she found herself to be the sole survivor of a harrowing discovery after answering a distress beacon at the farthest reaches on known space.

With only bits and pieces of memory, some of which she can't even be sure are real, Claire retells how her and her crew discover the missing luxury cruise ship, the Aurora. A one-of-a-kind piece of history, this ghost ship has been lost for several decades after only a brief hay-day when it was revered as the single most luxurious form of space travel the worlds had ever seen. Only several months into the Aurora's maiden voyage, however, the ship mysteriously went missing without a trace, with no sign of it. Until now.

On entering the ship, they only find more questions than answers. And the mystery, and terror, deepens when they find themselves locked inside the Aurora with no way to escape and something else beginning to react to their presence there.

Now, locked in a mental institution after her discovery, Claire recounts her tale to the company executives in charge of investigating the ship's disappearance. She has no idea how she escaped and is only beginning to put the pieces back together after being discovered in an escape pod by a passing vessel. The company is certain that Claire killed her crew, either by accident or design, in the interest of keeping the wealth of the Aurora to herself. After all, this is the second time that she was the sole survivor of a catastrophic event and the first time certainly didn't paint her in a good light. And it seems all too convenient that she's haunted by her dead crewmates, tripping her up during her interviews when the company men might get something useful out of her.

Using the first person narrative, Dead Silence does a fantastic job of dropping the reader into the terror and keeping them in the action. A lot of information that ties to the heart of the mysteries is readily apparent and available in the reading, but often not plainly obvious due to the disorienting nature of everything going on. Even better than that, and perhaps this is just personal preference, while most things are wrapped up rather nicely, certain fantastical elements are simply never expanded on past the obvious due to the fact that the narrator herself never learns the answers. In my opinion, this actually helps strengthen the narration as a whole and adds to the sensation of being in the action.

I think my one complaint for the tale, and the reason I couldn't give this five stars, is that the strength of the book is also its weakness. Claire is very clearly traumatized and suffering from mental health issues. This is a point of growth with her character and it is very reasonably and satisfactorily addressed. However there are a number of times in the story where the focus is so heavily on this element and the 'spinning gears' in her head, so to speak, that I feel it detracts too much from what's going on. There are a few parts where it steps over the disorienting storytelling and instead becomes self focused enough that it begins to lose the reader and the focus of the rest of the book. If these areas were cleaned up, it would truly be a perfect, scary story.

All in all, Dead Silence does a great job in standing among other space-based horror stories. Akin to tales such as Alien, Dead Space, and, particularly, Event Horizon, the author holds their own, using both the expected and unexpected to craft a fantastic scary story. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who wants a new spin on the old classic of ghosts and ghoulies that go bump in the night, wandering haunted halls til someone new comes to call.

If you're interested in checking it out for yourself, feel free to check out the link below, I personally recommend the audiobook as Lauren Ezzo's acting adds an extra, emotional weight to the story that I believe adds to its telling:

 

Dead Silence | Audible Audiobook

Dead Silence | Kindle Edition

Dead Silence | Paperback

Dead Silence | Hardcover

Smithy - Chap. 2

    Tristan could hear something. His name? No, it had to be the sound of his heart. His heart was so loud! He was dying. He had to be dying, if he wasn’t dead already. The world was already black, it was only a matter of time til the beating stopped and then…

    “TRISTAN!”

    His eyes snapped open with a start to see Hagon kneeling over him. The sight of his mentor reassured him, but his breathing was coming in rapid gasps. Surely his heart would give out any moment. It was only a matter of time.

    “Easy, boy. Easy.” Hagon said, cupping his hand under the back of Tristan’s head. “Breathe slower.”

    The world around him was spinning, blackness playing on the edges of his vision.

    “I…I…I ca-ca-ca-…”

    “Yes, you can, boy. Close your eyes and hold your breath. You know that’s helped before.”

    “N-n-n-“

    Hagon’s hand came across his face with enough force that Tristan was shocked he didn’t black out again. He felt his chest tighten threateningly and a shock jolted through his body, but nothing came of it.

    “Don’t tell me ‘no’. Now hold your breath, boy. Then breathe deep!”

    Tristan felt his chest convulsing and his breathing becoming even more erratic as he thought about holding his breath. He was probably speeding up his own demise. What if he didn’t take another breath? What if he killed himself trying to…

    Another slap, this time even harder.

    Tristan almost sobbed as he sucked on the air. His hands and feet were tingling as if a thousand needles were playing across his skin. They were cold and clammy, soaked with sweat. Mustering all his might, he drew in a breath and held it.

    “Good. Long as you can and then slow back out.” Hagon said, his voice softening.

    Tristan coughed and sputtered after a second, choking on the very air his body screamed for. But he did it again, this time with a bit more control. A little slower. A little deeper. Hagon said nothing more as he watched.

    Each breath was better. The deep breaths made his head spin even worse, but they made the tingling in his hands stop and his heart too began to slow in his chest. Minutes dropped away as Tristan tried his best just to focus on controlling his breathing.

    After a long while, the feeling of dread started to fade.

    “You alright?” Hagon asked finally, staring down at him with concern in his eyes.

    “I-I…Yea…” Tristan said with a weak nod, his mind still focused on trying to control his breath.

    “That’s the third one this week.” Hagon said matter of factly. “They’re getting worse.”

    Tristan nodded again but said nothing.

    For the last few months, Tristan had been struck by ‘attacks’ as they called them. Without real warning, he would be gripped by unprovoked terror. They struck hard and fast and were absolutely debilitating, leaving Tristan gasping for air and feeling like his heart was going to explode. Some were longer than others, but they always passed leaving him feeling exhausted but no real worse for wear.

    The first time it had happened, Hagon had thought that his apprentice was dying. Now, he more readily recognized what was happening even when Tristan couldn’t. Often, it was Hagon who helped to bring Tristan’s mind back from the brink of fear and madness.

    Like many times before, Hagon pulled him up out of the mud that was forming beneath his sweat soaked body.

    “We need to do something about this, boy. We’ve already tried the village doctor. You need to travel to Whitecrest. They’ve got specialists. Magisters.”

    Tristan couldn’t bring himself to look at Hagon but nodded in agreement. They’d had the conversation more times than he could count since he had gone to the village doctor three months ago. The doctor could find no reason for the attacks, implying perhaps that Tristan had been cursed or angered some magical being since he showed no sign of severe injury or disease. The response had rightfully angered them both, but Tristan had never had the will to keep searching for an answer.

    “I know.” Tristan said weakly, his voice shaking and quiet.

    Hagon stared at him for a long time. It only made Tristan feel more weak and small in comparison to his mentor’s hard gaze and imposing figure in the darkness.

    “Tomorrow. For now, bed.”

    Tristan didn’t argue. He didn’t have the strength. Instead, he trudged his way inside with Hagon in tow to make sure he didn’t collapse again. Once he was safely to the little room he called his own, Tristan fell to his bed and closed his eyes. He was still focusing on controlling his breathing when he passed into an uneasy and restless sleep.

 ---

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Haven't Read Smithy before? Let's Start at the Beginning

Smithy - Chap 1

 

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    Clang!

    Clang!

    Clang!

    Tristan’s hammer came down on the hot metal with a flash of sparks. Each hit gave it a bit more shape, a bit more life. With each strike, it started to resemble the sword he had imagined versus the chunk of near-molten metal he had drawn from the mold.

    Clang!

    Clang!

    Less sparks. Less give. The metal was cooling too fast. He needed to finish before it got any worse. He’d already reheated and refolded the metal so many times. If he didn’t work it just right...

    Kt-cl-Bang!

    No sparks. Just metal on metal. The hammer ricocheted off the cooling steel. With a sigh, he tossed the unfinished sword into the barrel of water next to him and left it there. He couldn’t work on the damned thing anymore tonight.

    The shop around him was empty. It was well past midnight and everyone in town had probably retired hours earlier. Even old Hagon, who always found some reason to stick around when Tristan was working, had finally gone to bed after hours of waiting. Tristan himself should have given up long before, but he just couldn’t let himself go. Not until the blade was just right.

    But it wasn’t right.

    He had been toiling away for hours. Heating and reheating, hammering away and grinding away bits here and there. It just wasn’t right.

    Why couldn’t he get it right?

    Tristan gripped his hammer tighter. He desperately just wanted to throw it. Somewhere. Anywhere! He wanted to scream and break things. To just throw up his arms and curse the gods that invented the very concept of blacksmithing and whatever piece of shit lord that requested the damndable piece of metal that was giving him so much trouble.

    But he didn’t.

    He wouldn’t let himself.

    It wasn’t his shop to throw things. Not his tool to break.

    He set down the hammer and stepped outside. The air was cool and brisk. It felt good. He was soaked in sweat and his shirt was dripping wet and covered in grease and metal shavings. It clung to him in the chill night.

    “Boy…” said a familiar, gravelly voice from the darkness of the house nearby.

    “Hagon. I thought you were asleep.”

    Hagon didn’t bother to respond. He stepped from the shadows of the house and into the weak light streaming from the open door of the shop. The mountain of a man was covered in scars and burns that were hard to make out in the dim light, but his shock of short white hair stood out like a beacon. His one good eye glowered at Tristan in the darkness.

    “Why are you still working, boy?”

    Tristan turned back to look at the open door to the shop. Why was he still awake? Why was he so focused on finishing that damned sword?

    He felt like his mind was racing yet little of it was a coherent thought. It was all just noise. A loudness in his mind that wouldn’t ebb. That made no sense and only worsened as he focused on it. His hands were trembling and his palms felt cold and clammy, like they’d been dipped in ice water.

    “I can’t get it right, Hagon.” He said, his voice cracking.

    Hagon stared at him quietly. Waiting. He was always waiting for something more.

    Tristan felt the anger and frustration boiling up inside him. Felt fresh sweat accumulating on his brow. He felt his heart start to hammer like he was running. Running for his life. Why was it pounding so hard? Pins and needles began to run down his fingertips and up his legs.

    “Every time I try, I mess it up.” Tristan said weakly, his eyes locked on the shop. “I keep messing it up.” He didn’t dare to look at Hagon. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t!

    “Why?”

    Tristan felt like a hand was tightening around his throat. Like the weight of the question and his own incompetence were strangling him. He could feel his heart beating even harder and he found himself struggling to breathe through the pounding.

    “I DON’T KNOW!” Tristan snapped, trying to catch his breath.

    All at once, he felt as if his heart was trying to rip itself from his chest. He was gasping for air and he felt like the world was spinning around him. Tristan closed his eyes. It was all he could do to keep the world upright.

    All the while, Hagon watched him quietly.

    Finally, without saying a word, Hagon stepped into the workshop. He doused the flames and extinguished the candles. A few moments later, he stepped back out and pulled the doors shut, locking them as he did.

    “Enough.” He said gruffly. “Off to bed with you.”

    The words made no sense. Tristan found himself just staring at Hagon. Could he not see what was happening to him? Did he not care? Help me! He screamed inside. Make it stop! Why won’t you make it stop?! I’M DYING OLD MAN!

    Despite all this, no words came out.

    “Boy?” he asked, with just the slightest hint of concern.

    All at once, the world went black and Tristan felt his knees begin to buckle under him. The last thing he heard sounded like Hagon screaming his name.

---

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Starving

    The roar was overwhelming; a rumble that Charlie could feel through his bones and in his guts. And in seconds it was over. It left them coughing and sputtering in the near dark as they gagged on dust and bits of rock that had fallen from the ceiling.

    No one asked if anyone else was alright. They were too focused on what had just happened. One by one, the few flashlights in the tunnel came to shine on the looming wall of rock that blocked their path.

    “Oh god…” Beth sobbed out.

    “No…no no no no no!” Andrew ran from the spot he had fallen and began pounding on the rock wall. It didn’t shudder. Instead, the entire tunnel began to tremble as little rocks and streams of dust fell from the ceiling.

    Charlie was on him in a moment, pulling him away.

    “NO! WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!” Andrew screamed. His eye were wide with panic.

    “You can’t, you idiot! You’re gonna collapse the entire tunnel!”

    A moment after being dragged away, his jaw went slack and his arms fell at his side as he simply stared at the cave-in. He felt like a sack of potatoes in Charlie’s arms. With as much care as he could muster, he set his friend back against the wall.

    Silence fell again as they each came to grips with what had just happened.

    What were they to do? What could they do? The tunnel they were in was part of a small mine in a ghost town amusement park. It didn’t go anywhere and instead was just filled with some pictures of old miners and some crappy lamps. No food, no water, nothing but a curved stretch of tunnel that went on for maybe a hundred or so feet and ended in some stupid tribute to the mine’s founder.

    Charlie suddenly regretted not eating lunch before they went in here.

    Anna was the first to say what they all were thinking.

    “How long do you think it will take for them to find us?”

    “Finding us isn’t the issue.” Charlie answered. “It’s the question of how much rock is in that tunnel and how fast they can dig us out. Even worse, will they collapse the tunnel trying to get to us?”

    Charlie’s glanced over to Andrew who, at the mention of the tunnel collapsing, buried his head in his lap and curled into a large, sobbing mess.

    “Alright. Let’s take inventory.” Julia said in her normal snide tone. She started snapping her fingers as she said, “Everyone turn out your pockets! Let’s see what we’ve got.”

    Two pocket knives. A Brochure. A half a packet of Starburst. Some receipts. Wallets. Keys. Cellphones with no reception.

    “This is all the food we’ve got?” Julia asked with a grimace as she stared at the packet of Starburst.

    “That’s it.” Beth said weakly.

    “We’re gonna have to ration it.” Elena said.

    Andrew couldn’t help but start laughing. He uncurled slightly to glare at her with tear soaked eyes.

    “Are you fucking kidding?! It’s a half a packet of candy. It’s not exactly a box of MREs!”

    “Then we’ll keep your share.” Julia snapped before putting the Starburst in her pocket.

    After that, they sat around. None of them really talked. There wasn’t anything to say. Every now and then, one of them would wander down the tunnel. Perhaps it was to see if some magical new way had opened up or maybe it was just to use the bathroom.

    Every now and again, Charlie listened for the sound of rescue: the clink of tools or maybe shouting. He heard nothing.

    All too soon, Julia had distributed the last of the Starburst. Charlie was pretty sure she kept the extra piece for herself, but had no way to prove it. Not like it mattered. It could hardly be called a meal. It did nothing to quench his hunger.

    “GODDAMNIT!” Julia screeched. “WHAT’S TAKING THEM SO LONG?!”

    “Give it a fucking rest, Julia.” Charlie said. “Bitching isn’t gonna do anything and you’re getting on my nerves.”

    “Oh YOUR nerves, huh?” She said, snapping her fingers in his face. “This was all YOUR idea! You’re the one who wanted to go in this fucking mine. We could have gone to the haunted house!”

    “Get your fingers out of my face.” Charlie said with a growl.

    “Or what? You’ll kill me?” Julia said with a sneer. “Great. You’ll just save me the joy of starving to death in this fucking tunnel.”

    Something snapped in his mind and Charlie couldn’t control himself. He punched Julia square in the nose. Blood sprayed and she crumpled back against the far wall.

    “YOU ASSHOLE!”

    Her hands were covered in blood as she covered her now bleeding nose. Beth and Elena rushed to her side.

    “I’m…I’m  sorry…” Charlie said.

    No one else said anything and Charlie quickly fled to the far end of the tunnel. He found Andrew there.

    “What happened?” he asked quietly, not looking up from his lap.

    “I think I might have just broken Julia’s nose.”

    “Good.” He said softly. “The rotten bitch deserves it.”

    Charlie felt like he should have said something to argue, but he had to agree. Julie had always been insufferable and now that they were trapped down here, her bitchiness had escalated to the point that even looking at her made Charlie dream of bashing her head in with a rock.

    “You know she stole the extra Starburst, right?”

    “Yea…I figured.” Charlie said with a sigh.

    “What are we gonna do for food, man? There’s nothing in here and I don’t know how much longer we’ll last.”

    “We could always eat Julia as punishment for the Starburst.” Charlie said with a chuckle. To Charlie’s surprise, Andrew didn’t laugh with him. Instead, he looked surprisingly pensive.

    “Look, man. I was just joking. I know that’s your Ex.” Charlie finally said.

    “No. You’re right.”

    “What do you mean ‘right’? Right about what?”

    “We’re gonna have to eat Julia.” Andrew said, his voice disturbingly calm.

    “WHAT?! Are you insane?!”

    “On the contrary. How much longer do you think we can last without something to eat? Personally, I can’t go on without something. Those Starburst were nothing and they were all we had. Not to mention it’s just been so long since we had anything…”

    “But Andrew…” Charlie’s mind was reeling. He was trying to think but his mind just wouldn’t. It was too starved. “You’re talking about killing someone. We’re talking about cannibalism!”

    “Yea.”

    “Ok, dude. You’re kind of scaring me. I’m gonna go check if I didn’t do any permanent damage to Julia’s beak. Just stay here, alright?”

    Charlie tried to get up. It took all the strength he had. He was just too hungry. That, combined with the thought of fresh meat, as appalling as the idea was, his entire body clamored for anything it could get. He finally made his way back down the tunnel.

    “You ok?” He asked as he walked back up to the girls.

    “No, you fucking asshat! You punched me in the face!” Julia barked, her face covered in blood from her nose.

    “I’m sorry. I really am. It’s just-“

    “Just nothing!” Julia was on him a flash. She pushed him and shoved him and snapped her fingers in his face. “You think you’re hot shit and just because of who your daddy is you can push anyone around!”

    “It’s not-“

    She kept shoving him, slamming his back against the wall of the tunnel. Beth kept chiming in, trying to tell Julia to calm down, but she wasn’t having it.

    “You think you can just break my fucking nose, say sorry, and it’ll all be ok? Well guess what, it’s not! When I get out of here I’m going get a lawyer and I’m going to fucking sue your-“

    *CRACK!*

    There was a sickening crunch and Julia crumpled to the ground. Beth started screaming. Elena just stared. Charlie didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t even seen Andrew come in and now, there he was, with a bloody rock in his hand and crimson soaking Julia’s black hair.

    Lifting the rock high, Andrew repeatedly smashed in Julia’s head. Each time the crunching crack become wetter and squishier.

    “Stop!” Charlie screamed, grabbing both of his arms. Luckily Andrew didn’t fight because Charlie was sobbing too uncontrollably to have done much else.

    He couldn’t see Julia’s face anymore. Most of it was covered by her hair and the back of head which was a splintered and gory mess.

    “Why would you…?” Beth tried to ask amongst sobs.

    “We need to eat.” Andrew said coldly. “If you think I’m gonna starve to death in this tunnel than you’ve got another thing coming. And I definitely ain’t gonna do it when I’ve got this bag of bitch walking around wasting space.”

    Nonchalantly, Andrew dragged her body a few feet away, pulled out his pocket knife, and began to examine the body. He seemed to be trying to figure out where to start cutting.

    Charlie was still in shock. His back against the wall, he slid down to sitting. He found his gaze drifted back and forth from Andrew, trying to decide what to eat, Beth and Elena with Beth looking horrified and Elena fascinated, and then finally the bits of brain and skull that were scattered across the rocks next to him.

    For a while, he just watched. Watched Andrew fillet Julia as easily as you might a fish. Watched him take chunk after chunk and eat it with elation. Watched Elena join him shortly after and dig in to Julia’s upper thigh.

    Finally, it was too much. Charlie’s stomach growled and groaned. He was too weak. He was too hungry.

    “Can I…Can I have a…?”

    “Yes you can.”

    Andrew carved off several slices of Julia’s back and passed it to him. Holding them, they felt cold and slimy. Charlie couldn’t help but wish they’d been able to cook them somehow. But, given basic amenities, they probably wouldn’t be eating Andrew’s Ex.

    He took a bite.

    And was surprised how much he liked it.

    While he definitely wished again that he could roast it somehow, to his surprise it tasted and smelled vaguely like pork. He ate it bite by bite and soon every bit and piece was gone and he was licking the remains of Julia off his fingers.

    Beth joined in soon after.

    It was only after they had eaten every bit, every morsel, and every part of Julia and sat fat and happy in the darkness that the tunnel began to tremble again. Dust filtered from the ceiling above and little bits of rock rained down on the hollowed out remains of Julia.

    They didn’t run. There wasn’t anything they could do. They sat quietly and accepted their fate. If they died in a cave in then it was only fitting for what they’d just done, Charlie thought.

    A moment later, the rock wall burst forward as a man with a pickaxe and another man with a large sledgehammer made their way through. The group could see light behind them. They could hear people talking and chattering in the distance of the tunnel.

    Freedom!

    Charlie jumped up in joy, as did Beth, Elena, and Andrew.

    The two men, their rescuers, recoiled in horror and held up the tools as if to defend themselves. From the group.

    “Dear god!” The man with the pickaxe screamed as he surveyed the empty carcass of Julia and the blood soaked mouths of Charlie and his friends. “What happened…?”

    Charlie hung his head as he tried to wipe the blood from his mouth. He only made the mess worse.

    “We did what we had to in order to survive...” He said quietly. The others nodded their heads in agreement.

    “What you had to?” The man asked in terror and shock. “YOU’VE ONLY BEEN IN HERE FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES!”

(Hey everyone. I figured we'd end Spookytober on a bit of a funnier note. I really hope you enjoyed. With that said, we will be returning to our regular schedule and, as such, feel free to join us for prompts and practice, 6 word and two sentence stories, along with much, much more! I hope everyone has a safe and pleasant Halloween! See you soon!)