Kate, a young artist married to the local golden boy, is a recent transplant to the secluded town of Deer Lake. According to local lore, a folktale beast called the Shadow lurks the woods near her home. Kate doesn't believe in monsters. She may be dead wrong. On a dreary afternoon, a monstrous creature chases her across Tower Hill, but she never gets a proper look at the beast, causing her to question everything.

While her husband spends more time at work than home, Kate's lonely life grows stranger by the day. Vultures roost in the trees outside her studio, she can only stomach raw meat, and her paintings feature a frightening new subject: The Shadow. At night, he taps at her windows, calling for her to come out and play. The Shadow isn't just searching for another victim. He wishes to consume Kate, body and soul.

Theatre professor by day and writer by night, T.J. Fier's other works include the short stories "Kelpie" in Nothing Short of Horror, "EVP Session #454" in the September issue of Brilliant Flash Fiction, "The Hunt" in Tales From the Frozen North: A Winter Anthology, "Reindeer Games" in The Colour Out of Deathlehem, "Hoarfrost" in Seasons in the Dark and Welcome to Effham Falls which includes her short story, "Heart's Desire." You can also find her @iamfierless on Twitter, and Facebook, and @tjfier_author on Instagram and Threads.