The Butcher of the Forest

The Tyrant rules the village where Veris lives with her grandfather and aunt. Veris is the only person to return alive in the north woods. So, when the Tyrant’s children disappeared into the Elmever, the north woods, one night, Veris was summoned to the palace. Ordered by the Tyrant and threatened with the destruction of her village, Veris ventures once again into the Elmever. Nothing in Elmever is as it seems. Veris has only one day to find the children and escape while up against traps, trickery, and monsters.

The Butcher of the Forest is a short fiction by award-winning author and editor Premee Mohamed. As brief as this story is, it is full of edge-of-the-seat excitement and terrifying, mysterious creatures. Set in a fantastical forest, Mohamed takes the reader on a strange and grotesque epic journey through a landscape that is even more dangerous than the monsters Veris encounters. This story is an excellent blend of reimagined folklore and grimdark fantasy. In other words, this is no picnic in the woods. Squeamish readers might want to stay away, but those brave enough should confront The Butcher of the Forest.