Residents have an unspoken pact with the island’s unnatural inhabitants: ignore them, live happily. But in New York Timesbestselling author Grady Hendrix’s thrilling short story, one boy can’t look away—and pays the price.
Jeckle Island offers Rachel’s children the chance to spend summers roaming wild and free, as long as they follow the rules. But when her son comes face to face with a terror they dare not speak of, she must prepare for their perfect world to change. Forever.
Grady Hendrix’s The Blanks is part of The Shivers, a collection of haunting stories that reveal the otherworldly terrors all around us. Once you know, there’s no going back. Read or listen to each story in one unsettling sitting
The Blanks is a chilling short story from acclaimed horror writer Grady Hendrix and one of the most disturbing tales in The Shivers (short story) Collection. The story follows Rachel, her husband, and their children, who take their annual summer trip to Jeckle Island. Everything is going well until Rachel’s son finds one of the family’s friends collapsed and comes face to face with one of the “Blanks,” an eerie island inhabitant that residents share an unspoken agreement about: stay clear of them and life will go on peacefully. With the suspicion that the Blanks have now made her son a target, Rachel knows she should prepare for the worst but instead seeks help from neighbors.
This fast-paced short story would be the perfect prequel to a full-length novel about the Blanks. The story doesn’t explicitly state what “The Blanks” are; instead, they are depicted as some kind of monstrous creature with glowing eyes. As the story unfolds, readers learn that people are not supposed to look at them—if you catch their gaze, you’ll be guaranteed a timely death!
To fully enjoy this deliciously horrifying tale, you’ll have to suspend your disbelief at several plot points and the over-the-top dialogue, all intentionally designed to give a quick punch of creepy entertainment. Readers will question why the parents would choose to go to this island with their children for extended periods every year if they knew there was such a fatal risk. Putting that aside, the parents do show genuine concern when their son makes eye contact with one of the Blanks, and the story quickly escalates in drama and suspense from there. The abrupt ending will leave readers horrified, unsettled, and contemplating how they would do things differently if put in the family’s predicament—for this reason it’s a great book club option to read together and discuss afterwards!
On audio, the story is about an hour and can easily be devoured during a daily commute. Narrator Moniqua Plante does a spectacular job creating atmospheric suspense and bringing the island and its odd inhabitants to life. Her portrayal of protagonist Rachel is entirely engrossing and authentic, perfectly capturing a mother who’s both terrified and living in denial, all while trying to keep it together for the sake of her family. She adds the perfect nuances to each character and shifts her performance to build tension in the second half. Her performance is one you’ll quickly devour, making audio the definite way to go!
Overall, The Blanks is a highly original, gripping punch of horror, similar to short story offerings by Stephen King! Hendrix weaves a tale that will creep you out while evoking an emotional reaction for the well-being of the characters. If you’re looking for your next quick horror fix, be sure to grab a copy of this audiobook and also consider other short stories from The Shivers Collection!
