It's a lot less nightmarish than the last one but somehow still manages to have that weird, creepy vibe going on. Especially scary if you're not too keen on spiders.ĭollburger. Well, I didn't see this ending coming, although I probably should have. Although having said that, Lisa Tuttle was always onto a winner in that sense where I'm concerned due to that damned wasp and spider scene. It was a fantastic story though, and to be honest, it's kind of nice in a warped sort of way to be 'actually' left scared after reading a horror story.

With hindsight, this probably wasn't the story I should have tackled in the darkness of the early hours.

The crushing kiss that Peter then extracts from poor Ellen doesn't bode well for either her, nor me and any hope of future restful sleep. And so right on cue, something scuttles out of the corner of her mouth. At this point, and as Ellen's aunt lays in bed on her last legs, we can pretty sure what's likely to happen. The babies will then have a nice breakfast waiting for them when they hatch. Peter explains that the wasp will sting the spider, dig a hole and drag it in, paralysed but still alive, and lay it's eggs in it. Crouching down, they both watch as a wasp and a spider circle each other(hence last nights nightmare), both attempting to get the upper hand. He grasps her arm, wanting to show her something. Ellen, accepting that her aunt is resigned to her fate, goes for a walk along the beach and is surprised to find Peter, he of the groceries, standing in her path. Ellen is increasingly worried about her aunt's health and repeatedly attempts to convince her to accept some help, but her aunt is adamant that ' There's no cure for dying except death, Ellen.', which is fair enough I suppose. He does this out of the goodness of his heart apparently and soon busies himself unpacking and putting away, clearly he's done this before. The following day a man turns up at the door with groceries. In the three years since she last saw her, her aunt's health has clearly deteriorated leaving Ellen visibly shocked. It's in an advanced state of disrepair and is practically rotting around her. Ellen goes to visit her ailing aunt who lives in a large old house of the wooden type.

I'm prone to nightmares about spiders at the best of times so I can say in all honesty that even though few horror stories actually make me feel scared or fearful or even a little uneasy, this however, now has that honour.īug house. I made the mistake of diving into this sometime after midnight sitting in bed. Another one I've just discovered hidden away in depths of my kindle.

A nest of nightmares by lisa tuttle