Scotty’s Horror Short Showcase: ‘The Dunes’

Written by Scott Edwards 

There are some places, that even though they are not officially off limits, the unspoken rule is that they are. While these places may seem fun and exciting to go and visit or explore, there is a reason why nobody else has done it before. It may be in our best interests to avoid these places, as there have been things that may have happened there before our time, and things will probably happen there long after we are gone. Not wanting to become part of the legacy of an off-limits area may not be a bad thing if you think about it, why would you want to be a statistic when you can live out a long life?
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Running at full speed on the beach, Aubrey is far ahead of her pursuer, but takes a stumble when the man chasing her is finally able to catch up. Rolling over on her back to see her man Cal, anxiously waiting to kiss her, Aubrey is not willing to just do his bidding, no matter how silly it may be. Getting back up and racing back to the car, Aubrey notices that she has lost her necklace somewhere on the beach. Taking a couple of minutes to try and find it, Cal accepts defeat and offers to come back in the morning with a metal detector to hopefully find the gift, along with any other precious metals that have been lost along the water’s edge.

Knowing that her grandmother would be upset if she lost her gift, Aubrey takes a walk back by the water to see if she can find the necklace on her own, but she quickly finds out that she is not alone. Turning around to see an old woman standing behind her, Aubrey asks if she has seen anything, but the old woman has something else on her mind. Warning the young woman that she should not be on the beach, the woman vanishes before Cal is able to see her. With the day winding down, the two retreat to the car, but before they leave, Cal has to take care of some personal business. Waiting patiently in the car, Aubrey is approached by the same old woman who has something for the visitor, but little does Aubrey know what horrors await in the woman’s hand.

You might want to chalk this horror short up to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or maybe you will never look at those ‘Enter at Your Own Risk’ signs the same again, either way, this is one creepy little story. With a young couple enjoying the day at the beach, it is easy to see that they are not focused on everything that is going on around them, they might have even missed the sign that appeared to be covered by a bush. The old woman’s warning should have been something for Aubrey to worry about, but when the woman was no longer there, she seemed to put it in the rearview, which should never be done when a crazy person may be lurking around. With a run on the beach, some crashing waves, a missing necklace, a crazy woman in a white dress, a heeded warning, a truck and a need to have someone put out their hand with their eyes closed, this horror short will have you thinking twice about where you go to relax. Stay Scared.

Watch ‘The Dunes’ on Hulu. 

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