From the author of The Missing comes an extraordinary novella of four twisted short stories connected to the fictional town of Mecklenburg.

Winford and his grandson's trout fishing lead to Hitler's last words. A Boston Marathon qualifier takes a jog in hell. An alcoholic's deep dive into depression ends with haunting implications.

An orphanage destroyed by fire during a massive winter storm in 1895 leads to a soul's crossing through time and space - possessing a boy nearly 100 years later. The boy then journeys through an apocalyptic town facing the "True Believers" as the cult is confident the Rapture has begun.

"Hitler's Last Words", "The Runner", "The Drunk", and - title story - "The Message" were specifically designed to rip apart your emotional heartstrings, leaning on regret, sorrow, fright, the supernatural, and the need for a second chance.

"The Message" will open a door into the author's dark, imaginative, mental roller coaster, and keep you listening on until the sun cracks the horizon.

"Olin Lester steps outside his accustomed horror genre and takes you on a journey with the four stories of The Message into the broad depths of the human experience. From the pain of loss to the unconditional love of a grandfather, Olin's masterful storytelling will draw you in asking for more." (Manuel Carreon, New York Times best-selling author of Simple Machines)