In Amherst Haven, the dead don't stay buried and reality isn't always what it seems.
This interconnected collection of horror stories follows ordinary people whose lives become entangled by guilt, tragedy, secrets, and a mysterious lantern-bearing figure known only as The Guide.
A grieving man receives a call from an impossible number. A family moves into a house that was never meant to be occupied. Hidden truths emerge, forgotten tragedies resurface, and every path slowly leads back to one place: Amherst Haven.
As readers journey through each story, they will discover that the town itself is alive with a dark history that refuses to be forgotten.
Blending psychological horror, paranormal suspense, and interconnected storytelling, Amherst Haven is a chilling experience where every story matters and every choice leaves a mark.
Once you enter Amherst Haven, leaving may no longer be possible.
In Amherst Haven, the dead don't stay buried and reality isn't always what it seems.
This interconnected collection of horror stories follows ordinary people whose lives become entangled by guilt, tragedy, secrets, and a mysterious lantern-bearing figure known only as The Guide.
A grieving man receives a call from an impossible number. A family moves into a house that was never meant to be occupied. Hidden truths emerge, forgotten tragedies resurface, and every path slowly leads back to one place: Amherst Haven.
As readers journey through each story, they will discover that the town itself is alive with a dark history that refuses to be forgotten.
Blending psychological horror, paranormal suspense, and interconnected storytelling, Amherst Haven is a chilling experience where every story matters and every choice leaves a mark.
Once you enter Amherst Haven, leaving may no longer be possible.
Amherst Introduction
Amherst Haven is not like the world you know.
In this universe, the dead walk among the living. Shadows stretch longer than they should. Whispers echo where no voice belongs. What we call "paranormal" is simply the ordinary rhythm of life here.
These are not tales of one family, one house, or one curse. They are fragments of a universe built on darkness and mystery. Each story you encounter is its own path, its own secret, its own haunting truth. Yet they all belong to the same place: Amherst Haven.
Think of me as your guide. Together, we will walk down fog-covered streets and step inside houses where fear still lingers. Some stories may chill you. Others may leave you with questions you cannot easily answer. But each one is a reminder that Amherst Haven is closer than you think.
Welcome to Amherst Haven.
Intermission One
"Welcome to Amherst Haven," a voice whispers as you step through the first creaking door...
The Charm
I
went to a yard sale this morning. I wasnât really sure what I wantedâ
I just felt like going. Once you go to one yard sale, they all kind of
feel the same. Tools, old chairs, and a basketball.
Then I saw some jewelry. One piece stood out: a small gold flower
charm. It seemed oddâsomething I wouldnât normally pick. Kinda felt
weird even considering it, but I was drawn to it.
The owner of the yard sale didnât seem to recognize the charm, but
still sold it to me for twenty bucks.
âThat sounds like a good deal,â I said, handing over the cash.
After that, I was done. Ready to head home.
As I sat in my car, a young girl came hurrying toward me. I looked
around to see if she was running to someone else, but there was no one
else around. Her small hands knocked on my window.
My window was broken, so I had to open the door. But as I did, she
vanished. Just like that.
Was I tripping?
I know what I saw.
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Terry M Wall
â˘â˘â˘
âWhatever.â I shrugged it off. But on the drive home, a sick feeling settled in my gut. I started sweating, feeling light-headed. Once I got
home, I felt exhausted. I tossed the charm on my desk and lay down for
a nap.
It was early, but I needed to rest.
I woke up still feeling sick. That nap didnât help at all. I dragged
myself to the bathroom, opened the medicine cabinet to grab something for the headache.
When I closed the mirror, I saw her.
The little girlâagain.
She was there in the reflection, staring back at me. Not the cute
kind of kid youâd expectâthere was something off in her eyes. Something satanic.
I stared at the mirror, frozen, trying to convince myself I was imagining it. Then I turned around quickly and yelledâ
But no one was there.
Okay. This was getting weird.
I took some sleeping pills and called it a night. Today was over.
â˘â˘â˘
The next day, I had some friends over. We drank, ate, and played games.
Mary and I had a thing going on, so we were a little flirty, a little easy
on each other.
Later, after everyone left, I cleaned up the house. I grabbed a slice
of leftover pizza and flopped onto the couch. Then I called Mary.
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Amherst Haven
She picked up, sounding terrible.
âHello,â she said weakly.
âYo, whatâs going on with you? Did you drink too much?â I asked.
With panic in her voice, she said, âI donât think I drank enough.â
I laughed, âWhat do you mean?â
She hesitated, then said, âAfter I left your house, I started feeling
really sick. And I kept... seeing things.â
âSeeing things?â I asked, suddenly alert.
âYeah... like this little girl.â
I froze.
âWhat in the world...â
âItâs weird,â Mary said. âLike one minute sheâs there... next, sheâs
not.â
I didnât tell Mary Iâd seen the same thing. I didnât want to seem
crazy. I really liked her.
âTake some sleeping medicine,â I said. âTry to sleep it off.â
Mary agreed. âOh! Yeahâthanks for the cute little flower charm. I
saw it on your desk and grabbed it. I love it.â
In my head, I said, âIt wasnât for you.â
But out loud, I just said, âYouâre welcome.â
âWell,â she said softly. âGoodnight.â
Writing his first book alongside his main job, Terry Wall has created Amherst Haven, the first of several horror anthologies. It's a decent start that weaves a worthwhile thread.
Across sixty pages, the titular house plays host to seven small stories, each featuring different characters. Eventually the threads all come together at the end as the central mystery is unravelled. Each involves sinister fates for the characters involved that often bend and twist the timeline. In between each story, we have short first-person intermissions that address the reader directly. This creative choice works well to connect everything together, a tantalising hint to keep turning the page.
The first story concerns a father and his two children who move into the house; James, Alex and Kim are trying to rebuild after their mother sadly passed away, but on arrival they find an eerie prophecy of their fate. We then switch to the young couple Jonathan and Emma, who go to a fortune teller nearby for more spooky fortellings. Molly and Nicole find a strange letter, Lauren and John witness a haunting spectre and so on.
Overall the book's language is very accessible and easy to get into. You won't have any trouble following the individual stories. With that said, the shorter length and split between multiple stories does diminish the overall depth. We don't have many pages to get to know each set of characters and while some of their outcomes are left ambiguous, we are cut off before learning more about them. Things do pick up in the climax where another group of characters finds a conclusive resolution to the house and all of its tricks.
Amherst Haven is a very straightforward collection that can easily be read in one setting. There's just enough detail throughout the anthology to pull you in, but you shouldn't expect any deep, winding narratives or memorable characters.