by Leigh and Amy (link)
Genre cest, drama, horror/thriller, romance
Pairings Isaac/Natalie, Isaac/OFC, Taylor/OFC, Zaylor, Zaylor/OFC
Length 29 chapters
Status Completed (with unfinished & unavailable sequel)
This is another story that came recommended by a good friend, who explained that it was one of the first Zaylor stories she’d ever read and enjoyed. Despite reading some earlier cest stories, I managed to let this one (and the huge surge in popularity of Zaylor that happened around this time) slip by me entirely back in the day. I was intrigued to read it now and see what I thought about one of the stories that was part of Zaylor becoming such a hugely popular thing.
The authors waste absolutely no time getting the plot going. I hadn’t been prepared at all for what happened after only a few short paragraphs; the kidnapping and the graphic details of their treatment had me, admittedly, reconsidering the story altogether, but I persevered.
Fair warning here: even steadfast cest fans may find some of this story’s details difficult to stomach. The boys are put into a situation that’s more than just awkward — it’s sick and depraved. But it brings to light feelings neither one knew they had. Natalie and Isaac’s story, happening in the background of their horror, mirrors theirs in a way. I’m not as convinced that we needed to see so much of Rob’s story, but his pieces of the puzzle do fit in and help to form the whole picture.
After all the horrors, the story ends rather abruptly. The worst of it is over, but there’s so much more to come. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, the sequel isn’t available anywhere. That makes the ending a little harder to swallow, but I can always imagine a happy ending for everyone.
The problem I know a lot of cest writers face is trying to construct a world where it makes sense for that sort of relationship to form. Leigh and Amy choose to throw Zac and Taylor into a literal house of horrors, where they’re forced to do unspeakable things — things that reveal, in beautiful detail, the feelings they’ve always had for each other. The writing is beautiful; it’s the sort of writing that makes me just feel like giving up because I’ll never be that good. It’s that beauty, and the beauty of Zac and Taylor’s love for each other, that makes it possible to stomach such horrors.
Review by Bethany (website)