The Wretched

By JM VanZuiden

Humanity, ever the engineers of their own destruction, have ultimately destroyed civilization with war, reckless science, and environmental change. In this bleak future, the remnants of civilization march toward their bitter end amid the ruined monuments of man's past glory, ever fearful of the Wretched, a plague upon humanity that has infected the one hope that had remained; the children. Struggling to survive in this post-apocalyptic horror, Samantha desperately seeks to save her twins from her fellow man and herself from her twins.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JM VanZuiden
• Release date: Aug 6, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463143681

JM VanZuiden

JM VanZuiden was born and raised in northern Illinois in a small town on the Mississippi River. After two years attending a local community college, JM joined the US Army at age 21. After being stationed at Fort Hood, Texas for three years, he was deployed with the US Army’s 1st Cavalry Division to Iraq in 2004 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. His experiences as a combat soldier have greatly impacted not only his writing style, but his world view.JM now resides in Springfield Illinois with his amazing wife of seventeen years and four children. He now works as a Veterans Service Officer, helping his fellow Veterans, and enjoys expressing himself through his writings, primarily horror and fantasy short stories.

Book preview

The Wretched

By JM VanZuiden

1

It is their time! the Mayor demands. We have all done our part… we have all made the sacrifice!

His voice booms into the barren town hall, echoing within the exposed rafters and stripped walls in a manner more reminiscent of a cave than a proper building. Once, it was decorated in vintage nineteenth century art which adorned immaculate pine walls but was now a shadow of its former self. Long gone was the brilliant chandelier that beckoned the attention of all who entered, as was any sign of all but the most basic structure that held the building together. Even the wood panels had been cannibalized over time, leaving nothing but a skeleton of timbers with only the exterior red brick holding back the chill of the fall wind. This stark and simple structure stands as the epitome of the town of Galena, its features once dressed in nothing but the finest antiques in keeping with the mid-nineteenth century feel of this former tourist trap of Chicago’s elite.

But they are not well… they will do no one any good! Samantha pleads to the dead eyes of her friends and neighbors.

The hollow residents sitting in audience are well fitted to the surroundings they inhabit. Whittled down to less than three hundred over the harsh years since the Fall, the survivors of humanity have been reduced to living a life as primitive as their setting. Reflecting this forced austerity, their clothes, worn by time and patched from necessity, hang limply over their skeletal frames, a very tangible reminder of the sparse living endured by the remnants

Reviews for The Wretched

[Neil Hemfrey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was an excellent read. The whole idea of a mysterious, apocalyptic affliction that only affects children is fantastically dark. Very unique. Samantha's struggle is immediately relatable and I supported it fully because you should do anything for your children. I can also understand where the Mayor and the people of her town are coming from, though. I liked how as I read, I came to view the townspeople as less insane and more victims of the way the world has turned. I mean nobody has a healthy mindset in the story obviously, but their motivations are about pure survival and I love that. It's very realistic. The grim twist is exactly the kind of storytelling I like too. It makes the impact of Samantha's violent striving to fight even more heart-rending. The flashbacks were placed very well and felt very natural. They really helped add context, layers, and more emotional punch. There's definitely lots left to think about after the story ends. It's an intriguing world. I've never actually read a story written in the present tense and I reflexively thought that I'd find it weird, but it really worked. That style is quite immersive.