Hello, Sumojo,

Here is a review for your "Bad Boy" .

Comments and Observations:
A dark one here, and it draws in a reader (me) effectively by using atmosphere, tension, and character development.

Atmosphere is tense and eerie. The innocence of the boy scouts, the lurking predator and the forest at night create a strong suspense. Let me just say that whatever you have here works throughout, as is.

The "bad boy" as the central character is mysterious and menacing. The hint at his traumatic past leads to some insight for his motivations. Since this is a short-form story, I guess, you have done the best you could here. Yet, if you wish to give this a longer form, you have enough in the introductory paragraph to make it into a stunning story, since the brief mention of his past, "locked in a room, naked and hungry" could lead to a more developed and elaborate back ground. Although you did quite a bit here: "Memories of beatings, harsh words, accusations, flood his mind. His breath quickens , blood rushes, pounding in his ears."
Should you wish to enlarge this story, the tormenting voice inside the bad boy's head could include internal dialogue and other stronger scenes, adding even more darkness to the story.

Also, the sudden shift from the predator to the memory of abuse would be smoother; however, I can understand why, in a story this size, the transition between scenes can feel abrupt.

Still, I like that you kept the tone of your story mostly dark and suspenseful. Also, the cheeriness of the scouts does create a nice contrast and helps to darken the tone even more.

For this short a story, I love how you left, with the end hanging, me and your readers wondering. Still, I think this story has pretty strong possibilities, should you wish to tackle it in a longer form.

A very good short story and I enjoyed reading it and admired your craft of creating such suspense in such a short piece.

Best wishes with your work.



My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .