The Pram by Joe Hill

A short story about the effects of miscarriage, unusual in that it is from the perspective of a man.

A couple find a new home in the countryside following the loss of their unborn baby. While the focus is naturally on the grief of the mother, the father's resentment of the situation grows. It is something he keeps to himself and he finds his own way of dealing with it. However, it becomes an unhealthy obsession that threatens his well-being and his marriage.

Creepy and spooky with supernatural suspense, this is a well written and expertly executed short story. It builds the tension with details about atmospheric woodland and the strange new people that have become neighbours. The couple are spiralling into a depression but the one light is the quirky shopkeeper who is a great character.

This is a dark, folk-horror tale, reminiscent of Andrew Michael Hurley's books, another favourite author of mine along with Joe Hill, of course. Recommended.

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Published by Amazon Original Stories on 26 September 2023.