🩸 Horror Fiction

Ache

✍️ Chris Hatch
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$5.38
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A man survives a deadly supernatural office attack caused by a strange phone noise.

The narrative centers on Dylan, an office worker suffering from a ruptured eardrum. He faces extreme boredom during a standard conference call when a bizarre sound alters reality. This noise awakens a lethal force within his coworkers, forcing him to fight for his life in the workplace. The plot avoids complex lore, focusing instead on immediate survival and visceral fear.

Key Themes
office horror supernatural transformation auditory terror
Literary Context

This 2015 release from Createspace Independent Publishing Platform reflects the indie publishing boom of the mid-2010s. It targets American readers seeking accessible, standalone horror fiction that blends contemporary workplace settings with classic supernatural tropes.

Difficulty
● Easy
Recommended For Fans Of
Stephen King · Shirley Jackson · Clive Barker
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2015 📖 30 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781507681022

📝 Description: Ache

Chris Hatch presents a tale of modern workplace horror in Ache. The protagonist, Dylan, endures a painful ruptured eardrum while navigating the soul-crushing monotony of office life. His tolerance for professional drudgery reaches its limit during a routine conference call. A strange, dentist-drilling noise erupts from the phone receiver, breaking the silence of the mundane day. This auditory anomaly triggers a terrifying transformation in Dylan’s colleagues. Something evil and deadly emerges within them, turning the office into a trap. The narrative focuses on Dylan’s desperate struggle to survive the remainder of his workday against these corrupted coworkers. Hatch draws upon traditions of supernatural fiction where ordinary settings become sites of terror. The story relies on the sudden intrusion of the unknown into daily routine. Readers who enjoy short, intense horror stories with a focus on psychological dread and immediate physical threat will find this book suitable. Those seeking complex character development or extended world-building may prefer longer novels. The text offers a concentrated dose of fear without extensive exposition. It captures the specific anxiety of being trapped in a professional environment while facing an inexplicable supernatural threat.

💎 Our verdict on Ache

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Chris Hatch delivers a potent tale of modern workplace horror that effectively subverts the banality of office life. By centering on Dylan’s painful experience with a ruptured eardrum, the author creates a tangible sensory anchor for the ensuing terror. The intrusion of the strange phone noise serves as a brilliant catalyst, transforming colleagues into lethal forces and turning the office into a claustrophobic trap. Hatch excels at maintaining immediate survival stakes, avoiding complex explanations in favor of visceral dread. This approach suits readers who prefer concise, high-impact narratives over sprawling epics. The story captures the universal fear of professional entrapment amplified by supernatural horror.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate short, intense horror stories will find this book particularly suitable. It appeals to those seeking psychological dread and immediate physical threat without the burden of complex lore or extensive world-building. The narrative offers a concentrated dose of fear, capturing the specific anxiety of being trapped in a professional environment while facing an inexplicable supernatural threat. Individuals who enjoy visceral fear and survival scenarios set against the backdrop of soul-crushing monotony will gain significant enjoyment. This book is ideal for those who prefer immediate action and terror over slow-burn character development or extended exposition.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Chris Hatch delivers a potent tale of modern workplace horror that effectively subverts the banality of office life. By centering on Dylan’s painful experience with a ruptured eardrum, the author creates a tangible sensory anchor for the ensuing terror. The intrusion of the strange phone noise serves as a brilliant catalyst, transforming colleagues into lethal forces and turning the office into a claustrophobic trap. Hatch excels at maintaining immediate survival stakes, avoiding complex explanations in favor of visceral dread. This approach suits readers who prefer concise, high-impact narratives over sprawling epics. The story captures the universal fear of professional entrapment amplified by supernatural horror.

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