Chosen are ten writers, their ultimate goal to win the contest presented by the illustrious – and suspiciously elusive – Roderick Wells. Residing in his mansion for the summer, the task of penning the perfect tale of horror evokes the darkness already in their hearts, taking the form of regret, jealousy and ill intent. The ever-changing environment and dwindling number of the group doesn’t help matters, and soon the game descends into all-out madness.
It’s the reunion of the heavy metal band The Rising Dead, and guitarist Jesse Wheeler expects to return home stone sober. Just when his attempts seem successful, an odd encounter on the road plunges him into a world of clones, feral men, and his worst enemy: booze. Is this all in his mind? Is this the punishment for his sins? Unable to trust what he sees, who he meets, Jesse struggles to keep his sanity intact.
Joe Crawford never would have expected to witness a mother abusing her infant, but making a stop at a gas station forces Joe to make a decision – to involve himself or let it be. Being a family man himself, he can’t bear the sight, yet saving Little Stevie from abuse results in terrible repercussions. Now a group of people have Joe in their sights, and they blame him for losing one of their own. They’ll stop at nothing to succeed in their revenge, even endangering Joe’s own daughter.