S. F. Prescott

In this short story, C.S. Fritz carries the reader into the dark powers of unresolved resentment, lore, and where hope becomes horror.

Casey “C.S.” Fritz grew up on a farm in Oregon, where he milked cows and had a pet pig. To escape the endless chores of cleaning chicken coops and watering tomatoes…Casey would draw. As a young child, Casey’s family moved to Arizona. It was there beneath the fiery gaze of the Southwestern sun, that he spent most of his life. Graduating school, marrying the love of his life and having two wild kids. It was also there that C.S. Fritz’s work began to take traction with local galleries and art publications.

Published Oct 10th 2023.

A dying wife gets more than she bargained for when the cabbage patch in her garden starts growing unexpected gifts.

Branching out in horror can be tough for me after being raised reading authors like King, Koontz, and R.L. Stine. But ever since discovering C.S. Fritz two years ago when I read, A Fig For All the Devils, I’ve been obsessed with the way he tells a story. Not only that, but his phenomenal artwork, since he also illustrates his own books. I’ve been keeping his other stories on my TBR for October, but when I saw, Cabbage, the cover was too tempting to resist.

His books feel so original and creepy to me, and are always a pleasure to read. Cabbage is just that! For a short story, it’s perfectly paced and I ended up reading it in one sitting. The characters were authentic and I liked them both. The setting was immersive and the threat of their garden was unnerving. Every scene was vivid and the twist at the end was reminiscent of The Body Snatchers.

For readers who enjoy creepy horror, binge-worthy books, and dark themes.

Synopsis:

“Does the seed know it must die?”

One of Rosemary’s final requests of her husband was to create the garden of her dreams. A place where she could live the remainder of her days in peace. A place that will remind her of her best moments and memories long past. Thomas toils day and night to complete it, but in a moment of carelessness in the cabbage patch, he unknowingly rips the veil between the natural and unnatural. What was meant to be a gift rapidly blossoms into an overwhelming curse—one that unleashes a cornucopia of dread, tension, and fraught.