Written by Jonathan Wojcik

NIGHTMARE MENAGERIE 2017: PART SEVEN

WITH GUEST ART BY Everbound Venvel!

Surprise! There's one more! Halloween 2017 officially didn't end until January 8, 2018, FOOLS!

THE HYENA

Don't you love the dream realm's understanding of even the most basic animals? There's no telling what the hell a dream is going to mean when it says you're dealing with a "hyena," or a "frog," or an "elephant" or just about anything else.

THE "SALAMANDERS"

Dark as it is, everything about this story is also hilarious, and just such an imaginative, novel twist on the end of our species. I can practically FEEL that poster scene in the back of my mind; I know I've had plenty of dreams where a seemingly minor moment carried a sense of profound "story relevance."

You also have to appreciate Venvel giving the thing beautiful eyes and sparkly hair. The salamanders are better at everything.

THE THINGS UPSTAIRS

There's nothing like a monster you never quite clearly see to really stick with you! The description of the "bar chatter" noises sounds especially eerie, and I want to say these things would have the perfect silhouette for SCP-682.

THE INSIGNIFICATOR

I feel like this is one of the JUICIEST nightmare beings we could have ended this year on, and not just because of what it looks like. The thought of a creature whose touch simply renders you unimportant for the rest of your life is either the ultimate terror or a blessing depending on who you are, though even if you don't want to be "significant" now, it has to be a little wee bit unwholesome to know that you now never can be just because you ran into a faceless meat guy.

So, that's it for this year, or I guess last year, or whatever it is until November 2018 rolls around or we decide to do something else! Be sure to check out all of our guest illustrator's respective works, and if you haven't yet, head on over to this season's Horror Fiction Archive for enough weirdness to tide anyone over until next Halloween!