My second story to feature in 10 Days of Madness 'Let's Play Games' is definitely
inspired by a book that rocked me in my teen years. Mendal Johnson’s Let’s Go Play at the Adams’. If you've never read the book I urge you to give it a go. It
speaks of something utterly dark and repulsive hidden inside the human psyche. It’s
something that can escape so easily if the planets of insanity align just the
right way.

Ever since I read Let’s Go Play at the Adams when I was a
thirteen year old kid it’s compelled me to investigate the dark nature of such
fiction. I must admit I sneaked the book from my brother’s bedside cabinet and
put it back after reading a few pages. It wasn't until I was sixteen that I
finally found the nerve to read the novel to the end.
While the new millennium brought torture porn to our screens
nothing really came close to Johnson’s novel. It’s not about the horrific and
debasing events but more about the sliding of man into monster; or in this case
children into chilling killers. Other cinematic comparisons may include the
French thriller ‘Ils’, Michael Haneke’s 1997 'Funny Games' or even 'Martyrs'.
I have an idea for a novel, or certainly a novella on the back-burner that touches on this theme. Unfortunately I've never found the nerve
to sit down and write it. Maybe one day and hopefully soon now that my short
tale 'Let’s Play Games' is out there in the big bad world for all to see.