The Peripheral

Jake Parnell is a man who understands the permanence of steel. As a specialized welder in Sacramento, his life is defined by the steady, rhythmic craftsmanship of the MIG gun and the quiet isolation of his routine. He has spent two years meticulously building a fortress of normalcy to distance himself from a past he cannot fully escape. But the strength of that fortress is tested when a sudden, blinding equipment failure leaves him with a severe flash burn.

As Jake navigates a hazy recovery, his physical reality begins to warp in terrifying ways. What begins as blurred vision and light sensitivity soon manifests as a visceral haunting. A hulking, dark shadow begins to stalk the corners of his home and his workplace, appearing as a liquid mass of black that carries the stench of decay. These flickers of darkness are not merely optical illusions; they are echoes of a horrific morning two years ago when a violent act of murder-suicide shattered his family.

The trauma of Jake's recovery acts as a sensory bridge to his repressed memories. The "halo effect" in his vision and the sudden, coppery taste of blood on his tongue are more than just side effects of a flash burn—they are the triggers of a mind unraveling under the weight of survivor's guilt. Jake is forced to relive the morning the sun was too bright to see the monster in front of him, a monster that wore a face he loved.

Supported by his loyal friend Tom Woodson and Tom's wife Marcy, Jake must navigate a descent into what looks like acute psychosis. To find peace, he must stop running and finally confront the "Void" that follows him. The Peripheral is a character-driven exploration of the human condition, focusing on the thin line between sensory trauma and psychological haunting, and the desperate, quiet hope of reclamation.

Daniel R. Mangru writes speculative fiction rooted in the human condition, shaped by an MFA in Creative Writing and lifelong curiosity about how people make sense of the world. His influences include Raymond Carver's stripped-down honesty, Rod Serling's belief in the strange and moral, and Samuel Clemens's humor and bite.He was born in the rural farm town of Colusa, California, and now lives in Sacramento with his wife and child. Outside of writing, Daniel spends his time reading about science, technology, and the odd corners of history, along with mysteries and horror that stay close to reality.