Phantom Worlds: The Cellar Door Issue #6 edited by Aric Sundquist is a collection of stories with killer range that all hover in and around chilling and mysterious settings. From a room that can change your life forever, to living in the wastelands, to being stuck in a dwindling circle of light, this collection had me so on edge!
Content Warning (included at the start of the book!):
Contains scenes of kidnapping and abduction, graphic violence, and violence against children.
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on Phantom Worlds: The Cellar Door Issue #6 edited by Aric Sundquist –
OH MY GOSH THIS COLLECTION! Every tale here is so unique and so terrifying in its own way.
The two tales that really stuck with me are:
- Saguaro Motel by Kristin Kirby
- The Candle and the Darkness by Aric Sundquist
Two VERY different tales with such different levels of darkness that each kept me up at night thinking about them!
Per usual, here are my notes on each tale:
The Quiet Room by Travis Corter –
Determined to erase his pain, this character goes to find a room that can do just that. But once inside, he recalls something his mother had told him that changes everything.
My gosh, the tension here! I was SO nervous to see what was to come! Loved the path this one took us on!
Saguaro Motel by Kristin Kirby –
While on a road trip, tension is already high. When a motel suddenly pops into view, they wind up pulling over. But when a very poor and selfish action takes place, this tale takes a turn.
I was rooting for the main character from the start. Girl, run from this toxic friend! Ugh, I loved this, but I so want more about what happens next! This was such a cool premise.
There Will Always Be Another by Richard Beauchamp –
While on their annual getaway, this woman is feeling the pull of curiosity and keeps it a secret from her husband. Determined to break rule number five, she ventures out past the property boundaries…
Ah! I LOVE when things start to click into place within the story to where the title makes sense! That realization came before one super brutal scene and oh my gosh!!
My Love Will Consume You by Maggie Slater –
Giving her boyfriend one last chance and sticking by him though she had tried to end things, this man proves all to well that he couldn’t be trusted…
I was so hoping for a happy ending for this poor woman. What a WILD premise.
Blood Faucet by William R.D. Wood –
Out in the wasteland, this person struggles with grief and is shocked to see what the organisms have learned.
The setting here was absolutely horrific. Phew.
The Angel of Shavano Peak by Scotty Milder –
Seeming to be the last person alive after the blast, this man does what he has to to survive. But the stick man keeps following…
Oh my gosh, I got lost in this one. What a terrifying premise!! I was so hooked and so sad when it ended!
The Candle and the Darkness by Aric Sundquist –
After the lights go out, a daughter tries to survive three days of darkness in the shallow candlelight while her mother tries to bring the father back.
What an absolutely terrifying plot! The scene with the dad was so darn creepy AND THAT ENDING!!!
Feed The Beast by Teagan Olivia King –
Sent to check out a report of ill-looking hogs up on a mountain, this woman has heard tales but doesn’t let that come in the way of potentially helping the pigs.
Welp, she certainly ends up helping in one way, just not as she had planned. This was so incredibly unsettling! I had wicked allergy eyes while reading this, and that certainly added to the terror, having itchy red eyes of my own!
The Contents Of A Box by S.R. Miller –
Surprised when a box arrives at his doorstep, he rediscovers a bit of his past. But is this a second chance or has the past just not quite ready to let him go?
What a killer story to end on! Especially that last line!
My Favorite Passages from Phantom Worlds: The Cellar Door Issue #6 –
The stars were so thick they could have been spread on the sky with a butter knife.
— Saguaro Motel by Kristin Kirby
The door’s little windows gleamed with soft pink light, like a sunset. The sweet aroma seeped out beneath it, reminding me of the apple pies Great Aunt Janice always brought to Thanksgiving before she died; or of my pal Jeremy’s pot brownies while camping in the summer; or of the pillowcases my brother and I lugged through the moonless Halloween nights stuffed with pounds of candy. Honest to god, it smelled like joy.
— My Love Will Consume You by Maggie Slater
Sobs tore out of him in ugly, whooping brays. Each one seemed to pound a nail deeper into the softer parts of him, and every nail was a hard and unadorned truth: the world was over, he was over, there was no going south, no Gil, no respite from any of this.
— The Angel of Shavano Peak by Scotty Milder
But it didn’t matter. He could kill and kill and kill and the world would still be wrong and he’d still be alone.
— The Angel of Shavano Peak by Scotty Milder
There’s something off about them. Maybe it’s the way they both remind her of the church steeple, tipping to one side like maybe the whole mountain is just a little crooked.
— Feed The Beast by Teagan Olivia King
My Final Thoughts on Phantom Worlds: The Cellar Door Issue #6 –
I’m so obsessed with these collections! This theme of phantom worlds was SO up my alley! I had a blast.
If you like liminal spaces and such things, this collection is going to be a hit for you!
Thanks for reading!
And a massive shout-out to Aric for not only sending this my way and being incredibly patient with my (lack of) reading time/schedule, but also for this lovely shout-out <3 I cannot explain how much I LOVE seeing the section on my shelf where all these books live continue to grow!
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