Publisher's Synopsis
The Cold Ones
by Christopher Hindle
Edited by Jamie Smith
Short Story
Genre: Horror Suspense Thriller
Amy has spent years fighting for recognition in the medical field, pushing through grueling studies and dismissive superiors who refuse to take her seriously. Desperate to prove herself, she takes on extra shifts, studies late into the night, and exhausts every opportunity to make a name for herself. But her relentless ambition is met with constant rejection-until one night changes everything.
Returning home from another exhausting shift, Amy stumbles upon a man lurking in the shadows of her apartment building's underground car park. He appears hungry, vulnerable, and afraid. Despite every rational instinct telling her to walk away, her compassion as a doctor-in-training takes over. She brings him into her home, determined to help. But as she tends to him, unsettling questions arise. His presence feels almost hypnotic. And there's something in his eyes-something ancient, something hungry.
As the lines between right and wrong blur, Amy must face the ultimate question: "What does it truly mean to be human?"