Silent Night is a psychologically charged horror novel that traps readers inside a familiar yet increasingly distorted reality.
Anderson Au, a web designer living a quiet, routine life, awakens in the dead of night to discover he is unable to leave his apartment. Doors and windows offer no escape. His only way out lies in a mysterious hole that appears within his home - one that pulls him into a series of nightmarish alternate portals, each reflecting a warped and hostile version of the world he knows.
As Anderson moves from one nightmare to another, he encounters grotesque creatures, unsettling environments, and fractured versions of people who feel disturbingly real.
Each scenario is isolated yet connected, forcing him to confront not only physical danger but the erosion of his own sanity. The deeper he ventures, the more blurred the line becomes between illusion and reality, raising the haunting question of whether these horrors are external threats or manifestations of something buried within his mind.
What elevates Silent Night beyond straightforward horror is its psychological tension. The story unfolds as a slow descent into dread, emphasizing atmosphere, confinement, and uncertainty over simple shock. His struggle is not just about escape, but about maintaining his sense of self as the rules of reality constantly shift around him. Every portal brings new clues, but also new risks, pushing him closer to revelation—or complete mental collapse.
Inspired by Silent Hill 4: The Room, the novel reimagines the concept through a distinctly Singaporean lens. Familiar urban spaces and cultural undercurrents add an unsettling authenticity to the horror, grounding the supernatural elements in a setting that feels close, lived-in, and disturbingly plausible. The result is a localized yet universal nightmare - one that explores isolation, fear, and fragility of reality itself.
Silent Night is a gripping entry for readers who appreciate psychological horror, surreal storytelling, and slow-burning tension. It stands as a dark, immersive experience where escape is never guaranteed and the greatest threat may be what follows you back from the other side.