Lilancholy

Warning, this book was made to hurt. It is meant for mature audiences and is filled with mature themes and imagery. Reader discretion is advised. Sensitive topics include: abuse, trauma, violence, self harm, depression, anxiety, and pet death.

She told me that Fairies want our humanity. They want to take it from us. All the little names that make us up. They do this by challenging us to games. Winner takes all.

These are the games she showed me. When we would play them, she would say “I promise to keep you safe. I promise to protect you.” Then she would walk me through the rules. Sometimes she would hold my hand. “That part isn’t necessary,” She said.

I promise to keep you safe. I promise to protect you. You can hold my hand if you need to. And remember…

This is a special book. An experiment of form. A marriage of fiction and play. The end product of the lyric game movement. 

Lilancholy is a guide to surviving encounters with fairies. I jokingly call it “evil warioware” as it’s filled with a plethora of tiny games that fairies will challenge you to. A collection of school yard games warped into horror experiences, all wrapped inside of its own fiction.

It’s a novel. It can be read and experienced as such.

It’s a guidebook. There are sections that detail rules and explain spells.

It’s a (lyric) game. It’s meant to be played.

Writing by John Battle

Editing by Vi Huntsman

Layout by Micah Anderson