Books Horror Five Horror Books About Obsession Scary stories about unhealthy fixations on body parts, fictional characters, creepy houses, and more! By Lorna Wallace | Published on October 9, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Stories of obsession are often about one person being fixated on another person—or, in the case of Captain Ahab, on a whale called Moby Dick—but creepy stalkers and monomaniacal whale-hunters don’t have a monopoly on obsession. People can develop an unhealthy fixation on a huge variety of things, so here are five horror books, including a novella and a manga, that explore obsessions with eyeballs, spirals, horror movies, and more. The Eyes Are the Best Part (2024) by Monika Kim The Eyes Are the Best Part opens with Ji-won and Ji-hyun’s Umma deboning a fish for dinner. Once she’s done, she offers up the fish eyes to her daughters, both of whom are repulsed by the idea of eating the slimy orbs. But it isn’t long before Ji-won finds herself becoming obsessed with eyeballs—particularly with the blue irises of her Umma’s new boyfriend, George. Ji-won’s infatuation with George’s eyes doesn’t come from a place of romantic desire. She utterly despises the man (for good reason—he’s obnoxious, arrogant, and creepy), but he isn’t her only problem. She’s also struggling to deal with her family’s new dynamic in the wake of her Appa taking off, with being a college freshman, and with trying to forge new friendships. In the midst of all this change and chaos, Ji-won’s mind keeps turning to eyeballs.   The Eyes Are the Best Part builds slowly, becoming progressively more unhinged as the plot unfolds. Threaded through this wild narrative are gory descriptions of eyes that are squirm-inducing, along with some razor-sharp commentary on Asian fetishization. Misery (1987) by Stephen King Fictional author Paul Sheldon made his name thanks to his series of historical romance books revolving around Misery Chastain. Although the Misery books are a hit, Paul decides to kill off the heroine so that he can move on to less swoonworthy pastures in his career. But just after completing his new crime novel, a drunken Paul crashes his car in the mountains of Colorado during a snowstorm. Thankfully, he’s rescued; not so thankfully, his rescuer is Annie Wilkes, an intense and dangerous woman who just so happens to be his “number one fan.” But it turns out that Annie is really less a fan of Paul and more a fan of the Misery books, and she’s distraught that the series has come to an end. With the injured author now under her care, she brutally forces him to continue writing the story. Annie—who I can’t help but picture as Kathy Bates thanks to her Oscar-winning portrayal of the character in the 1990 movie—is utterly terrifying, and not afraid to resort to torture in order to satisfy her bookish obsession.  My Heart is a Chainsaw (2021) by Stephen Graham Jones Jade Daniels is an outcast not only at her high school, but also in general in her rural mountain hometown of Proofrock, Idaho. She fills the hole in her heart and social calendar with horror movies—specifically slasher films—and while these gory flicks provide her with a soft place to land, her fanaticism has developed into a full-blown obsession. Jade views the real world through a slasher filter (which isn’t always the best thing) and she’s become convinced that a killer is picking off people around Proofrock. With no one else taking the slasher signs seriously, Jade thinks it’s up to her—with her encyclopedic knowledge of the tropes and patterns of slasher movies—to stop the killer. A lot of the story is spent in Jade’s head, which may put some readers off, but those who click with Jones’ writing style will not only get to know the mind and heart of this damaged but fierce girl, they’ll also be treated to a mayhem-filled and blood-splattered finale. Uzumaki (1998-1999) by Junji Ito Obsession is often a solo affair, but in Uzumaki, numerous residents in Kurôzu-cho, a little town on Japan’s coast, become obsessed with spirals. High schooler Kirie Goshima first notices this spiral obsession when she sees the father of her boyfriend, Shuichi Saito, transfixed by the shell of a snail on a wall. She soon realizes that his entire life has been consumed by the shape, leading to horrifyingly body-twisting consequences. Although the chapters are linked, they often read like short stories, with Kirie witnessing—and herself experiencing—the creative ways in which the people of Kurôzu-cho are infected by the inescapable spirals. Although the idea of supernatural spirals might seem silly to some (I personally love a weird concept!), Junji Ito’s art is grotesquely mesmerizing. I’m pretty sure that many of the imaginative and mind-bending body horror images in Uzumaki are now seared into my mind forever… A House at the Bottom of a Lake (2016) by Josh Malerman Seventeen-year-olds James and Amelia are going on their first date, but instead of doing something typical like dinner or a movie, James takes Amelia canoeing on a semi-secret lake he happens to know. While paddling around, the duo spot a tunnel that’s mostly covered over with vegetation and they decide to squeeze the boat through to see what’s on the other side. They discover that lurking below the water line of this hidden lake is a creepy two-story house. James and Amelia are captivated by the mysterious submerged building. The house soon consumes their thoughts, so they return to the lake whenever they can and even go scuba diving to investigate its interior. Malerman’s novella doesn’t really offer in-your-face horror; instead, it builds a uniquely eerie atmosphere as the two teens indulge their strange obsession. Have you got any recommendations for books about frightening or disturbing obsessions? Whether the object of attention is animal, mineral, or vegetable, share your favorite examples in the comments below![end-mark] The post Five Horror Books About Obsession appeared first on Reactor.

A conservative Christian mother of five who narrowly lost a contentious school board election in Virginia that involved transgender issues nonetheless decided she would apply to be a substitute teacher. After the school district ran a background check, approved her, and assigned her to a class, the school board denied her employment, and she suspects it did so for ideological and religious reasons. “I was absolutely shocked when the school board violated its own policy by taking action in closed session to strike my name from the personnel list before coming out in open session to vote,” Lindsay Rich, the former candidate, told The Daily Signal on Monday. Rich, 40, has three daughters currently in southwestern Virginia’s Montgomery County Public Schools in the area around Blacksburg, the city where Virginia Polytechnic and State University (commonly known as Virginia Tech) is located. Last November, she lost the Montgomery County School Board race to represent District E by a narrow margin. Derek Rountree, her former opponent, now sits on the school board. “I believe the school board members removed me [as a substitute teacher] for the same reason many attacked me during my campaign,” Rich said. During Rich’s campaign, a Virginia Tech official responsible for DEI—diversity, equity, and inclusion—attacked her and a fellow school board candidate for supporting “Model Policies on Ensuring Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students” championed by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican. These policies require parental involvement in any school encouragement of a child’s transgender identity and designate bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams by biological sex rather than claimed gender identity. Montgomery County’s school board previously adopted pro-transgender standards developed under Youngkin’s Democratic predecessor, Gov. Ralph Northam. “I support Governor Youngkin’s commonsense policies that base bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports on biological sex—not gender identity—which is also tied to my religious beliefs that God created male and female,” Rich told The Daily Signal. “I have sat at the last two [school board] meetings until close to midnight waiting on an explanation and will continue to do so until I get answers,” Rich added in a text. “I won’t be pushed out of my children’s schools; they say there is room for ALL in MCPS, which includes conservative Christians like me.” Lindsay Rich’s Approval Rich said she took a training course Sept. 11 and received an assignment to teach Sept. 19. She forwarded emails to The Daily Signal showing that Montgomery County Public Schools had given her access to the online portal and had put her on the schedule to teach. Email showing Lindsay Rich’s substitute teaching assignment. On Sept. 11, after Rich had taken the substitute teacher training, Dawn LaPuasa, MCPS supervisor of personnel, sent an email to Superintendent Bernard Bragen with a list of substitute teachers for the school board to approve. The list, intended for a Sept. 17 board meeting, gave Rich and the other substitutes an “effective date” that coincided with their training. List of substitute teachers sent to Montgomery County School Superintendent Bernard Bragen. Yet on Sept. 17, the school board approved a list of substitute teachers that did not include Rich’s name. 09.17.2024. Personnel Report – Total – 5 pagesDownload Rich and her supporters say that the school board altered the list during a closed session to discuss personnel, part of the board meeting that is not public. Daniel Rich, the would-be substitute teacher’s husband, filed a request for information under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act and obtained an email that shows Bragen, the superintendent of schools, tool a personal interest in Rich’s employment. On Sunday, Sept. 15, two days before the meeting, Bragen reached out to Amanda Weidner, director of human resources at MCPS. “Is the Lindsay Rich on the personnel agenda for a substitute the same person who ran for the school board?” Bragen asked. Weidner confirmed that it was indeed her. “Let’s review it tomorrow,” Bragen responded. “That is presenting a problem that we may need the attorney to discuss.” Emails between Amanda Weidner and Superintendent Bernard Bragen. The school board members didn’t respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment by publication time. MCPS declined to comment on the situation, saying that it is a personnel matter. The Public Speaks Out Rich’s family and many others attended the school board’s Oct. 1 meeting to voice their support for the former candidate and their opposition to the board’s move. Susanna Rich, a sixth grader at Blacksburg Middle School, accused the school board of violating the First Amendment. “You guys went against the freedom of religion by saying that because of my mom’s political and Christian beliefs, you will not approve her to be a sub,” Susanna said. “My mom would never try to push her religion on others.” “At school, there is a policy against bullying,” she added. “Well, you’re bullying my mom.” Rich and her supporters repeatedly mentioned the shortage of teachers across Virginia, and the fact that the MCPS website appears to show many open teaching positions. According to the Virginia Legislature’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, school districts reported having 4,104 vacant teaching positions at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. MCPS’ website lists 33 open teaching positions on its job application portal. “If we have a shortage of substitute teachers, I would like the county to put out a statement and say which qualifications Miss Rich did not meet,” resident Zachary Kemp said at the Oct. 1 school board meeting. Carola Haas, a professor at Virginia Tech’s Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, accused Rich of propping up a “stunt.” “Several friends of a political candidate claim to have personal knowledge of events at a closed meeting, and spread the rumor that they and their friend are being persecuted for their religious beliefs,” Haas said. “Because a certain party is trying to defund public education and send our tax dollars to private interests, they seem to need to dramatize stories of their personal employment issues in order to motivate their base to the polls.” Others vouched for Rich, calling her desire to teach in the schools genuine. “I have known Lindsay for about 16 years. She not only meets your current certification requirements, but is an excellent mother of five children; along with her many volunteer efforts to engage as a parent in MCPS, she would be an excellent substitute teacher choice,” resident Kimberly Williamson said. “I think the way this board handled Lindsay’s application was quite cowardly.” The post TRANSGENDER CANCEL CULTURE? Christian Mom Says She Was Blocked From Substitute Teaching Because of Her Faith appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A dog leads a deputy to a wooded area in Stevens County, Washington to ask him to rescue his hurt 84-year-old owner on Wednesday, September 25. “Deputy Wright was patrolling a rural wooded area of Stevens County when he came upon a dog sitting in the roadway,” the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office shares on their Facebook page on Tuesday, October 01. “No residences were visible nearby. Wright tried to get the dog into his vehicle so he could attempt to find the owner, but the dog would not get in his vehicle,” the Sheriff’s Office added. They also shared that the deputy proceeded to check the surrounding residences in the area within a mile to find the dog’s owner, but didn’t find him to no avail. The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office explains that when Deputy Wright went back to the dog’s location, the dog was laying on the centerline. The deputy tried to get the dog off the roadway, but instead took off up on a “slightly travelled, unmarked roadway.” Deputy Wright then followed the dog, who led him to a small summer cabin. He then began checking around the area and discovered an elderly male laying on the ground, calling for help just a short distance outside the cabin. The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office reveals, “The 84-year-old-male, who also had other medical conditions needing regular medications, had fallen and injured his leg.” “He had laid there for hours and may have had serious consequences if he had not been found,” they added. The Sheriff’s Office then found out that the dog that led the deputy to the area is the 84-year-old male’s dog, named Gita, a 13-year-old rescue dog. Time and time again, our furry friends remind us that they will go to great lengths to show us their unconditional love and loyalty for us. And the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office witnessed it that day Gita saved his owner. They wrote, “We credit Gita for saving his life that day. The loyalty and heroism of our furry friends never cease to amaze us.” The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office also added, “Thank you, Deputy Wright, for going to the extra effort and thank you Gita for being a good girl and true hero!” Online users are applauding both Gita and Deputy Wright for a job well done. A user related to the rescued man thanked Deputy Wright and wrote, “The man you saved is my 91yo mom’s cousin. We are very grateful you followed your instincts, experience, and Gita!” “Great work to the pup and my hat off to the deputy who trusted his gut. Could have been a very different outcome,” another user wrote.

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