Literary Fiction
Withered
John Michael AlaiaGriefDepressionMental IllnessBullying
A woman sits alone, stripping petals from a dying rose.
This quiet ritual becomes far more than the act itself; a deep meditation on grief, guilt, and the devastating weight of love that couldn't save those that needed it.
This quietly devastating novelette explores the silent inheritance of grief and how it moves through families, reshaping everything it touches and leaving behind a stillness that must be survived.
Withered is a story about the ones we couldn't keep and the ones who stayed behind to carry them.
This quiet ritual becomes far more than the act itself; a deep meditation on grief, guilt, and the devastating weight of love that couldn't save those that needed it.
This quietly devastating novelette explores the silent inheritance of grief and how it moves through families, reshaping everything it touches and leaving behind a stillness that must be survived.
Withered is a story about the ones we couldn't keep and the ones who stayed behind to carry them.
Content Warnings: Death • Emotional Abuse • Suicide/Suicidal Ideation • Self-Harm • Depression
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Get This BookAbout the Author
John Michael Alaia is a writer of thrillers and horror fiction whose work explores the darker edges of human nature, where fear, suspense, and moral ambiguity collide. Drawn to stories that linger long after the final page, he blends psychological tension with unsettling characters to create narratives that challenges readers to keep turning the pages late into the night.
This is his first published novel, marking the beginning of a body of work shaped by a lifelong fascination with suspenseful storytelling, classic horror, and modern thrillers. When he’s not writing, he enjoys studying existing works, dissecting films and novels for what makes them frightening, while searching for the quiet, internal moments where the most terrifying ideas are born.
He lives on Long Island, NY and is currently at work on his next two novels.
This is his first published novel, marking the beginning of a body of work shaped by a lifelong fascination with suspenseful storytelling, classic horror, and modern thrillers. When he’s not writing, he enjoys studying existing works, dissecting films and novels for what makes them frightening, while searching for the quiet, internal moments where the most terrifying ideas are born.
He lives on Long Island, NY and is currently at work on his next two novels.