Dark Reality by Billie Sue Mosiman

I met Billie Sue through-- wait for it, you know it's coming-- Facebook. And let me just tell you that she is a dear, sweet woman. And even though she's been writing horror for 30 years, won multiple awards, and then launched a successful self publishing career, she remains friendly and approachable, eager to help her fellow authors. And that is why I wanted to read and review one of her many works. I also interviewed her and you can read that over at The Author Spot. Make sure you do stop by over there so that you can soak up some of Billie's wisdom.

It happens to be Billie's birthday tomorrow, but instead of waiting for us to shower her with gifts, she decided to gift us instead. She has a large variety of books, novels, shorts, and collections available for kindle for free until June 5th. Why yes, I will wait while you go get you some! Back? Good. I decided to read and review Dark Reality, a short story. On with the review~

Book Synopsis:

From the mind that gave you Edgar nominated Night Cruising and Banished, comes a tale of terror where an alternate reality keeps intruding.

Have you ever walked into a room and felt you had left something in one place, but now it is in another? Have you driven down a street or road you know well where houses and buildings and stores seem a little different from your memory of them? Have you ever felt reality slipping...just a little bit?

In Dark Reality, Lane believes his brother died in Iraq as a Marine, but one day he's back again and several things about the world are different. Buildings in town are changed. The woman his brother was married to is now Lane's girlfriend. And there's a gun in a cabinet that before never existed--neither the cabinet nor the gun. Lane needs to stop his world from shifting reality around him. And he needs, desperately, to keep his brother alive now that reality has given him a second chance...

My Review:

Honestly, I loved this story. The concept of alternate realities is by no means new, but the idea that you could just shift, without any warning, is new. And that's what happens to Lane. Subtle things begin to change-- a missing beer bottle here, a new cabinet there-- and Lane's the only one who knows that things are wrong. But he takes it in stride (what choice does he have, really?) and tries to save the life of the brother, who in his original reality is dead. But can you change the course of fate? Is fate universal to all realities? Interesting questions posed by the story.

I wish the story had been longer. That would be my one complaint. Maybe we could have answered those questions, instead of leaving me to ponder them, kind of obsessively. But then again, I always think the mark of a good book is if I'm still thinking about it days later. And I am.

So I'm giving this one five stars. I really enjoyed it. And I wish Billie Sue a happy birthday tomorrow and many more to come. And I recommend you grab this story while it's free and then collect the others.

♥Spot