The Line by Aron Beauregard

A dark pyramid arises and almost as if simultaneously, so do lines of people waiting to see what is inside. Many believe they will be healed if they can just get to the front of the line. But not Wade. He is there because the albino man in his dreams told him to go. And what no one, except the woman he has enticed to go with him, know, is that he is a serial killer that can see the outcome of events before they even take place.

I loved the cosmic horror in this story. There is a malevolent force at work behind the line and the horror that ensues. And what makes the story even more interesting is that the characters will risk fear and probable outcomes just for the chance that they may be healed. The idea that we make choices in life and in most cases, can back out of a choice, is put to test when each character finds out that something gory or grotesque will happen to them if they try to change their mind. And let’s not forget the “big brother” type voice that they each hear in their head telling them not to move. Or the creepy people at the beginning of the line. There is a lot to unpack in this story. And the ending was a bit of a surprise.