Short Horror Story Review – Gary Ilkworth – The Watchers

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2015 Mammoth-Robinsons Press – Spoiler alerts A bishop in 1771 who may be the philosopher Spinoza, starts to question why the shepherds are so important to the Christian nativity story. He understands the roles of the Magi kings (the Three Wise Men), but he fails to see why ordinary shepherds would have been involved in witnessing the miracle birth. His reflections make him increasingly paranoid about shepherds in his own time. He wonders what they really watch, and creates a conspiracy theory notion spanning centuries, seeing shepherds as the spearhead of some sinister secret society. In the end, he leads a group of monks out to join an order of shepherds to learn their secrets. He is never seen again. There is a lot of set up and questioning but nothing comes of it. The implication of conspiracy could be pointed at any profession, or activity, from snow plough drivers to Mylot writers. (oops I said too much). Arthur Chappell