Short Story Review: "Drain" by Stefan Bourque

Stefan Bourque's short story, "Drain," is available on his website, www.darkwriter.com as a free download. You can download it for free here.

"Drain" is a twisted short story told in the simple prose of a fairy tale, although there is nothing fairy-tale like about it. Unless, that is, you consider Uncle Dabney a knight in shining armor, coming to the rescue of his niece and nephew when a foster care worker learns that the two children are being abused by Foster Father Fred and Foster Mother Carrie. That is about as fairy-tale as it gets.

But Uncle Dabney is far from a knight in shining armor. And Michael and Mindy are not the most normal of children in need of rescue. Despite this stray from the straight and narrow path, you cannot help but like Michael and Mindy, and you cannot help but hate Uncle Dabney. Once the "good" and "bad" characters have been defined, "Drain" picks up the tempo and quickens the pulse.

As with most of Stefan Bourque's short stories, "Drain" supplies the reader with a surprising twist ending. He combines old-fashioned elements with technology to punch up the story and the ending provides the reader with a satisfied chuckle, despite the horrific events leading up to it.

I don't want to give away too much about this short story, so I will focus more on the writing technique instead. Bourque uses a unique style in "Drain" that harkens back to telling stories over a campfire, however this time, the subject matter is undoubtedly of an adult nature mixed with good old fashioned boogey monsters. This story is meant to be as fun as sliding down the twisty slide at the playground and Bourque's chosen writing style for this story hits the mark. It reminds me of the "good ole days" when times were simpler, life more freeing and child-like. Yet, I am reminded that there is nothing child-like about the story or the plot itself.

This twisted tale is sure to please our child-like senses while entertaining our adult brains.